Rana Vikrama


Rana Vikrama is a 2015 Indian Kannada-language action thriller film directed by Pavan Wadeyar featuring Puneeth Rajkumar, Anjali and Adah Sharma in the lead roles. The film released on 10 April 2015. Audio of the movie released on 21 March 2015. Puneeth Rajkumar played a double role in this film, though both the roles never appear together onscreen.

Plot

The film starts with a flashback to the old days, where a Britisher commander is torturing a defiant Kannadiga. He then cuts the throat of the officer.
The film starts with a reporter being killed in a place called Vikramatheertha, not on Karnataka map. She had earlier sent a letter to Home minister K.V. Anand Rao. When she later disappears, Rao asks the Police commissioner to send a newer recruit, a rough and ready police man, to investigate. Vikram aspires to become a policeman, but fails as he refuses to give bribe. Through his fiancée Paaru he meets the Home minister, who assigns him the mission.
Vikram goes to Vikramatheertha, in Maharashtra, and finds out that the people are enslaved by Patil to illegally export soil to an unknown buyer. After being insulted, he beats up Patil and his henchmen and sends him into coma. Meanwhile, Patil's brother Kulkarni, an MLA, hears of his brother's injury and sends goons against Vikram, who are beaten up. When Kulkarni finds out he swears revenge against whoever did this. Vikram then frees and organizes the people to order the area, and goes to change the border between the states. On the way he beats up some of Kulkarni's goondas right in front of him. Vikram reports to Rao with his findings, including old Halegannada inscriptions, the people speak Kannada, and especially that Kulkarni is involved. Kulkarni fears his loss of power as a Minister and MLA and wants to kill Vikram. To this end he has a priest conduct rituals, but later kills him.
In the meantime Vikram and the people excavate Vikramateertha and find many artifacts that they restore to their former glory, pictures of which are sent to Rao. Meanwhile, Rao tells Vikram the Centre has given approval for the site to be developed. Vikram requests he come to annex the site on Kannada Rajyotsava to show all of Karnataka their heritage.
Meanwhile, Johnson, the descendant of the dead commander, calls Kulkarni, who is helping Johnson smuggle sand, to ensure everything is OK. He signs a contract for £10 billion and will give Kulkarni ₹100 crore in exchange for triple the soil. Rao tells the world about Vikram's exploits and Vikramateertha's belonging to Karnataka. Johnson and Kulkarni see the news, Kulkarni tells Johnson all about Vikram and begs him to come there. The day of Kannada Rajyotsava, the people are very patriotic towards their mother tongue. At the same time as Rao is talking about Vikramateertha belonging to Karnataka, his grandmother Gowri wakes up from her long inactivity and flashes back to 1947. At that time as well, Johnson bombs the site killing many people.
At that time, Vikramateertha was a thriving village with a famous Shiva temple. Gowri, the daughter of the village headman is in love with village hero Rana Vikrama, and they are married with great pomp. Meanwhile, the area is under the control of Viceroy Louis Batten, who is only interested in gaining profits. One of his scientists finds much uranium in the soil. Afterwards one of the British collaborators tells the villagers they must vacate the village, but they refuse, at which point the British officer kills the headman with gun. Batten then sends in a large army to forcibly evict or kill the villagers. The villagers fight back with stones and their bare hands but the guns and cannons of the enemy force them back. Vikrama tells his wife and others to flee and returns to fight with the former lover of Gowri. However he is betrayed by his partner and given over to Batten. Batten tortures him mortally, but he slashes the throat of the evil Britisher before his death.
Johnson bombs the site, causing death among the people. Vikram convinces Rao of the need to kill Johnson for the safety of the country and state, to prevent the uranium from getting into the hands of terrorists. Vikram goes to find and kill Johnson with a crack team, but Johnson escapes and has Vikram's own team try and kill him. After dispatching them, Vikram goes to the sand mine where Johnson is supervising the loading of the uranium and chases him along a train. After a fight, Vikram is stabbed in the stomach, but then kills Johnson, asking him for how many years did he exploit the people. Afterwards Vikram is promoted to ACP by Minister Rao, to the happiness of his ajji, amma, appa, and Paaru.

Cast

It was reported in October 2013 that Pavan Wadeyar would direct Puneeth Rajkumar in this film which was announced to be produced by Jayanna Combines. The film was officially launched along with a teaser on 17 March 2014. Puneeth Rajkumar who turned 39 on 17 March celebrated his birthday amidst a huge crowd at Kanteerava Studios while he also took part in the launch of his next project with Pavan Wadeyar. The entire family of Rajkumar was present at the Kanteerava studios to wish Puneeth Rajkumar on his birthday and for his next project. It was Shiva Rajkumar who clapped for the first shot while Parvathamma Rajkumar switched on the camera. According to Pavan, Puneeth Rajkumar will be seen as a student and a cop in this film.
Popular Tamil-Telugu actress Anjali returned to Sandalwood in this film, breaking a seven-year hiatus. Adah Sharma was selected as the other heroine, after Rachita Ram opted out. Hindi actor Vikram Singh was roped to play main antagonist role.

Filming

The regular shooting of the movie started from 9 June 2014 in Bangalore. To shoot the key scenes of the movie a massive outdoor set was erected at hampi on the bank of Tungabadra river and it is said to be one of the most expensive outdoor set for a Kannada movie. Actor Yash visited the shooting spot at Hampi. It is the first of movie Puneeth which shot at Hampi while his father Dr Rajkumar and brother Shiva Rajkumar had a film shot there earlier. The introduction scene of Adah Sharma was shot at MG Road Metro railway station, Bangalore thus becoming first Kannada movie to shoot at Namma Metro. The other major scenes were shot at Bangalore, Belagavi, Hospete, Sandur and near Donimalai. The second official teaser of the movie was released with Tamil Lingaa movie on 12 December 2014. The major climax scene was canned at Jindal Factory, Bellary for 18 days. It was reported that the makers of the film had invested a whopping Rs 1.25 crore in the climax. Director Pavan Wadeyar in order to create a high-octane climax in the film got a 10 kg gun especially designed for the film. The 16-member team of Ranavikrama wrapped up the last schedule of shooting in Milan, Italy in January.

Post-production

The post production activities commenced during the final phase of shooting. Puneeth began dubbing for his role by the end of February, eventually he had to stop as the actor caught cold. Later he completed his dubbing portion. Actor Vikram Singh who plays villain role in the movie completed his dubbing on 9 March 2015. Lead actress Anjali completed her voice dubbing for her role on 19 March 2015. It was reported that it was her first time dubbing for a Kannada film.

Music

, composed the music film which marks his eighth collaboration with Puneeth Rajkumar. Director Pawan in an interview to Filmibeat said that there are 4 songs in the movie and Puneeth Rajkumar has crooned two songs for the movie. But later only one song sung by Puneeth was retained. Director Pavan has announced in his Twitter account that songs of Ranavikrama movie will be released on 10 April 2015.
The audio album received mixed response from the listeners.

Release

Marketing

The film's first look was released on 17 March 2014 on the occasion of Puneeth Rajkumar's birthday in YouTube. The Teaser was of 54 seconds in which Puneeth jumps and shoots in a police uniform and a jeans trousers with the Background Music notching the word "Vikrama Ranavikrama". The teaser of movie was played in all theatres of Karnataka irrespective of the any language film which was being played at the centre. It was the first time that the trailer of a film released across all theatres in Karnataka
The second teaser of the movie released on 12 December 2014 along with the Tamil movie Lingaa. It was a 45-second teaser in which Puneeth was seen wielding an automatic rifle and seen shooting at the enemy.
The third teaser of the movie released on 17 March 2015 on the occasions of Puneeth Rajkumar's 40 birthday. It was a 40-second video in which Puneeth was seen in a cop avatar, which is rumoured to be his character Vikram IPS, doing several high-octane action sequences.