Rao Bahadur will stream on OTT from July 31. Netflix will stream the psychological thriller drama in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada.
Directed by Venkatesh Maha and starring Satyadev Kancharana in the lead, the film uses the story of a decaying aristocrat to examine "obsession, inherited prejudice, and the psychological effects of living inside rigid social hierarchies". The recurring idea promoted by the filmmakers is that "Doubt is a Demon", not only personal suspicion but also the social conditioning that teaches people whom to distrust.
The reception at the box office was not too encouraging (considering the pre-release hype). Reddit users repeatedly called Rao Bahadur "not everyone's cup of tea" but admired its ambition. Several compared its storytelling more to contemporary Malayalam or international arthouse cinema than mainstream Telugu films. Many praised Satyadev's performance as one of his career best, saying he carried an emotionally contradictory character convincingly.
Presented by Mahesh Babu's GMB Entertainment, the film is jointly produced by SriChakraas Entertainments, A+S Movies, and Mahayana Motion Pictures. Rao Bahadur was released in theatres on July 3.
