My Journey Before and After Rao Bahadur: Satyadev!

Satya Dev is gearing up for what he believes will be the defining film of his career with Rao Bahadur, the much-awaited psychological thriller directed by Venkatesh Maha.

Presented by Superstar Mahesh Babu and Namrata Shirodkar’s GMB Entertainment, alongside A+S Movies and SriChakraas Entertainments, the film is all set for a grand release on July 3.

Satya Dev expressed immense confidence in the project, ahead of its release. “We always envisioned Rao Bahadur as a Telugu film unlike anything seen before. Interestingly, after watching the film, Mahesh Babu used the exact same words. Everyone who has watched it has echoed the same opinion. That confidence comes from the film itself,” he said.

Describing the film, Satya Dev revealed that Rao Bahadur is a psychological drama infused with magical realism and dark comedy. According to him, the visuals may initially feel haunting or horror-like, but every metaphor and visual element finds its meaning as the narrative unfolds.

The actor revealed that applying his makeup took nearly five hours every day, while removing it consumed another hour and a half. However, he insisted that preparing his mind was far more challenging than wearing the makeup. “For this film, mind makeup was much more important than physical makeup. I mentally prepared myself to work sixteen hours every day and genuinely enjoyed every moment.”

Satya Dev believes Rao Bahadur will redefine his career. “Until now, people spoke about my career as before and after Jyothi Lakshmi. I truly believe people will speak about my journey as before Rao Bahadur and after Rao Bahadur.”

His character Ramappa, he explained, has no reference point. “Ramappa is a completely insane character. After people watch this film, Ramappa himself will become the reference. During the shoot, I was so immersed that it felt as though the character had possessed me.”

Set between the 1960s and 1990s, the film follows a wandering protagonist who returns to his ancestral palace, Bhuvanalayam, triggering a chain of extraordinary events.

He also praised co-star Deepa Thomas, calling their love story one of the emotional pillars of the narrative while appreciating every actor’s commitment to their roles.

One of the most emotional moments for the actor came when he spoke about Mahesh Babu’s involvement. “I worked with Mahesh Babu in Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu, but my scene was eventually removed. Today, hearing him introduce my film saying ‘Satya Dev in…’ through his voice-over is an unforgettable feeling. His voice-over is simply priceless.”

Confident about its prospects, Satya Dev concluded by saying that Telugu audiences have always embraced fresh storytelling from other industries, and he believes Rao Bahadur will finally offer that same refreshing cinematic experience from Telugu cinema itself.