Satya Dev's 'Rao Bahadur' Cleared by CBFC for July 3 Release

Certification and bookings

Srichakraas Entertainments, one of the film's production houses, announced the rating on its social media handles and said ticket bookings were open, sharing the film's trailer alongside the July 3 date. Ticketing platforms list the certificate as U/A 16+ and the runtime at about two hours and 50 minutes.

The film and its makers

"Rao Bahadur" is written, directed, and edited by Venkatesh Maha, marking his return to features after the acclaimed "C/o Kancharapalem." It is presented by Mahesh Babu and Namrata Shirodkar under GMB Entertainment, and produced by a group including Anurag Reddy and Sharath Chandra across multiple banners.

Satya Dev plays the title role of an aristocrat. Deepa Thomas is the leading lady, with Vikas Muppala, Bala Parasar, Anand Bharathi, Pranay Vaka, and Master Kiran in pivotal parts, according to IANS.

A psychological drama, not horror

Maha has publicly clarified that the film is a psychological drama with elements of magical realism and dark comedy — not a horror or thriller, as some promotional imagery had suggested. In interviews, he described the narrative as tracing the journey of a royal figure "stuck in the past," and likened the viewing experience to reading a book about the protagonist's inner world.

Satya Dev's transformation

A behind-the-scenes video titled "Into the World of Rao Bahadur," released by the makers, showcased Satya Dev's physical transformation into the aging aristocrat. The footage, as presented by the production, showed the actor undergoing a detailed prosthetics and styling process, including custom contact lenses and period costuming such as an ornate sherwani, pearl necklaces, and a turban. Coverage of the film notes the role required several hours of daily prosthetic makeup.

The video also highlighted the film's large indoor sets and outdoor locations, and its production design.

Technical team

Kartik Parmar handled cinematography, Smaran Sai composed the score, and Rohan Singh led production design, the makers said. The film's first single, "O Sundari," a Carnatic-inspired track, was released earlier this year.

What's next

With certification secured and bookings live, attention turns to the July 3 opening across theatres. Reviews and early box-office numbers will test whether the film's ambitious scale and world-building meet the pre-release interest built through its trailer and BTS campaign.

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