Aranya tells the story of Narendra Bhupathi, also known as Aranya (Rana Daggubati), a man who has spent his entire life in the dense forests near Vizag. Deeply connected to wildlife, especially elephants, Aranya has dedicated himself to preserving the forest and maintaining harmony between humans and animals.

The tranquility of the forest is threatened when a corrupt Environment Minister (Ananth Mahadevan) and a powerful real estate company plan to construct a 500-acre luxury township. A 6 km wall is erected to block the elephants’ access to water, pushing them into a survival crisis. Aranya, the forest guardian, must now take a stand against the greed-driven developers to save both the elephants and the forest ecosystem.

Highlights
Rana Daggubati’s powerful and dedicated performance.
Stunning cinematography that highlights the forest and its wildlife.
Strong environmental message about deforestation, wildlife conservation, and human greed.
Sound design and background score that elevate tension and drama.
Elephants are portrayed as emotionally intelligent and central to the story.

Drawbacks
Weak screenplay with multiple underdeveloped subplots.
Overly formulaic narrative: ‘one man vs. greedy developers’ template.
The second half is slow, with patchy editing and unnecessary city sequences.
The supporting cast, barring Raghu Babu, fails to leave an impact.
Climax feels rushed and relies on monologues rather than clever resolution.
Trilingual production compromises authenticity in the Telugu version, especially with dubbing.

Verdict
Aranya is a visually impressive, environmentally conscious film with a standout performance by Rana Daggubati. While the film’s message is strong and necessary, weak narration, underdeveloped supporting characters, and pacing issues prevent it from reaching its full potential.