Rangasthalam is a 2018 Telugu-language action drama directed by Sukumar. Produced by Y. Naveen, Y. Ravi Shankar, and C. V. Mohan under the banner Mythri Movie Makers, the film features Ram Charan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu in lead roles, with supporting performances from Jagapathi Babu, Naresh, Prakash Raj, Aadhi Pinisetty, and Anasuya Bharadwaj. Set in the fictional rural village of Rangasthalam during the 1980s, the story centers around two brothers, Chittibabu (played by Charan) and Kumar Babu (Pinisetty), who stand up against the corrupt local government and the oppressive co-operative society headed by the villainous Phanindra Bhupathi (Babu).
After wrapping up Nannaku Prematho (2016), Sukumar began developing the script for Rangasthalam, collaborating closely with director of photography R. Rathnavelu. The film’s music was composed by Devi Sri Prasad, with editing by Naveen Nooli. One of the first Indian films shot entirely with Red Helium 8K cameras, principal photography for Rangasthalam started in April 2017 under the working title RC11 and wrapped in March 2018. Most of the film was shot on a specially designed village set worth ₹5 crore in Hyderabad, with additional footage filmed in and around Rajahmundry.
The film was made on a budget of ₹60 crore and was released worldwide on March 30, 2018. Rangasthalam garnered critical acclaim, particularly for Sukumar’s script and the stellar performances of Ram Charan and Jagapathi Babu, though its length drew some criticism. It became a massive commercial success, grossing ₹216 crore, making it one of the highest-grossing Telugu films. The film also won the National Film Award for Best Audiography and was dubbed in Kannada as Rangasthala, which was released on July 12, 2019. Rangasthalam has earned a place among the “25 Greatest Telugu Films of the Decade” as recognized by Film Companion.