Legacy feels inextricably tied to patriarchy in most cultures. From inheriting property and royal titles to “passing down” the family name, these traditions have historically been designed for and centered around men.

Director Venkatesh Maha’s new Telugu film, Rao Bahadur, uses rich visuals and a brilliant performance from Satyadev Kancharana to explore how legacy and lineage can serve as both a way to cling to power and a suffocating trap that infects generations of men.

Satyadev is the titular aging aristocrat, Bhuvanam Ramappa Rao Bahadur. Once a free-thinking young man, he’s become an alcoholic recluse, confined to the bedroom of his crumbling estate and waiting to die from terminal liver cancer. He spends his days obsessing over his legacy, fixated on the idea that his long-deceased youngest son might not have actually been biologically related to him. 

His only interactions are with his physician and friend, Dr. Achari (Vikas Muppala), his housekeeper, Achchamma (Bala Parasar), and his older son (Pranay Vaka). His wife, Renuka (Deepa Thomas), also lives in the estate, but has not left her room in years—something explored later in the film.

The story takes time kick in, spending extended sequences showing us Rao Bahadur’s madness, but once it gets rolling, the character work and cinematographer Kartik Parmar’s visuals make it a highly engaging watch.

Through an inciting incident about Rao Bahadur wanting to run a DNA test on his son’s remains, we get a sweeping story about an eccentric man who went from believing in equality to being conditioned by his family legacy into arrogance and superiority—and we watch this downfall through a blend of magical realism, dark fantasy, and a visual style that feels like a delicious combination of Wes Anderson and Knives Out. 

The performance from Satyadev creates a phenomenal core for the film. It takes major talent to make our protagonist an unlikable, raving lunatic who also happens to be incredibly engaging. Rao Bahadur is certainly not a hero, not entirely a villain, but a complex character who is simultaneously a frustrating monster and fascinating figure. He disappears into the role, allowing the audience to feel immersed in the story. 

The film isn’t afraid of complexities and gray areas—in fact, it thrives in them. This allows it to deliver themes of class, caste, color, privilege, power, and entitlement in creative ways that give the message impact without ever feeling clunky or heavy-handed. 

In a vibrant song, the entire lineage of ancestral spirits descends on Rao Bahadur to indoctrinate him into their traditions. It feels like a pivotal moment from a Broadway musical, complete with dark, twisted whimsy that delights while conveying the oppressive nature of this legacy.

From an opening scene involving tree roots chasing a little boy to the pumpkins growing in the master bedroom, vines and roots play a recurring role. When combined with an imposing wall of family portraits, we get a stylish visual way to emphasize how a family tree can provide strength, but also bind and constrict those connected to it. 

The film also succeeds where many big-budget Telugu films fail: delivering a satisfying conclusion. As he showed us with C/o Kancharapalem, Maha has a knack for creating endings that reframe the story and put the previous events into a new perspective. That’s also the case in Rao Bahadur, with an ending that circles back around to early questions about truth. In an era where so many films are struggling to set up pan-India sequels, it’s wonderful to get a finale that feels like a conclusive thesis statement for the film’s themes. 

Much like Hollywood, the Telugu film industry has also struggled a bit this year, with most of the expensive blockbusters underperforming or failing to leave a satisfying impact from a storytelling standpoint. But also like Hollywood, we’re seeing excellent films emerge from filmmakers who prioritize storytelling. From Sing Geetham to Maa Inti Bangaram and now Rao Bahadur, there are great films to be found if you’re willing to seek them out.