Rana Naidu

Reception

Rana Naidu is an Indian action crime drama television series on Netflix, directed by Karan Anshuman and Suparn Verma. It holds the distinction of being Netflix’s first Telugu original series and is adapted from the popular American Showtime series Ray Donovan.

On 19 April 2023, the show was renewed for a second season, with Arjun Rampal set to play the antagonist. The series consists of ten episodes, each averaging about 50 minutes in length. It began streaming on Netflix on March 10, 2023, in both Hindi and Telugu.

Marketing

The series was officially announced on 21 September 2021 via a Netflix press release. Principal photography started in October 2021 and wrapped up in May 2022. For marketing, a short clip was released from the Netflix Tudum event in September 2021, followed by an official teaser in September 2022, and the full trailer on February 15, 2023.

Critical reception was mixed. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu noted that beneath the sex, alcohol, and expletives, the series carries an undercurrent of pathos, with cinematographer Jayakrishna Gummadi using warm and dark tones to enhance the grim atmosphere, supported by John Stewart Eduri’s background score. Raghu Bandi of The Indian Express observed that the story of a broken family trying to reunite suits Indian sensibilities, but the treatment may not appeal to everyone.

Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave it 2.5 stars, remarking that the show had potential for tonal variation but never quite picks up pace, with parts feeling monotonous. Deepa Gahlot of Rediff.com noted that profane language is expected in gangster series, but found the overuse of the ‘G’ word simply annoying. Vijayalakshmi Narayanan of The Free Press Journal gave it 1 star, questioning how the series was approved given its explicit content, especially compared to the legal notice faced by the milder show College Romance. Deep Haider of India Today also rated it 2.5 stars, stating that the series could have been a relief from global wokeness but fails to deliver.

Udita Jhunjhunwala of Scroll.in felt that Rana Daggubati’s performance is one-note, rarely smiling and barely giving his rage a break, though brief moments of compassion create a connection. Haricharan Pudipeddi of Hindustan Times described the family dynamics as sinister and more flawed than imaginable. Sanchita Jhunjhunwala of Zoom TV gave it 4 stars, praising the balance of crime and drama, including family, children, and politics.