Ultimately, Rudhramadevi is a case of Gunasekhar getting it right in terms of the subject, but when it eventually comes to the scale and execution, it falters. Not quite the epic saga it set out to be, unfortunately.

Written by Gunasekhar himself, the screenplay seems a bit half-baked and rushed. It relies too much on ‘telling’ rather than ‘showing’, making it almost impossible for the viewer to connect with the situations depicted on the big screen. This problem is magnified even further by a snail-paced narrative which at times becomes a bit yawn inducing

The problem with making a film based on history is the amount of liberty the filmmaker can afford to take, in order to tweak the history so that the film appeals to a wider audience. If the story and the characterisation breach a certain boundary, and if the infused fictional elements overshadow the facts, then the film fails to do justice to the genre. Rudhramadevi seems to have bumped into a similar problem.

If you are a die hard fan of Anushka and Allu Arjun, and can digest its mediocre VFX, bad 3D effects and boring second half, then do go for Rudhramadevi. It is not as bad as Puli which had no story whatsover. But if you are expecting an another Baahubali at big screens, then prepared to be terribly disappointed.

The film starts on an intense note with Chiranjeevi’s voice over, takes a pause on a high note at the interval and ends with an emotional climax keeping you on a wait for Pratapa Rudra. On the whole, though Rudhramadevi do not amaze you, it surely tugs you back to 13th century and it is a journey to witness.

All in all, appreciation to Gunasekhar goes for the fact that through the movie he tries to bring rich history of Telugu land on to the screen. Other than this fact, the movie has more demerits than the merits.

The movie is only for people who want to know how Rudrama Devi ruled in the guise of a male.

Rudhrama Devi can still be watched once despite all the flaws because of the story and the insights it gives about the characters of the great Telugu kingdom. Guna Sekhar should have come up with a far more engrossing product as he repeatedly said that it was his dream to make a movie on the warrior queen. Don’t expect wonders or an everlasting cinematic experience with this film. Guna has announced a movie on Pratapa Rudra, The Last Emperor. Hope he comes up with better product learning from his mistakes.