5 Telugu movies that deserve more attention and praise
There was a time when I marinated with thoughts about media of my mother tongue. Tollywood is often known to be dramatic, illogical and sexist. But in my short years of curating talent for my own experiences, I've noticed that the real cream of talent (storytelling, action, music) is the movies that no one talks about because they're not trendy or because there aren't many supporters.
But now times have changed. The audience has evolved collectively and I, more loud about my interests. I present to you a list of the Telugu movies that deserve more praise but don't ask/promote because they're humble or true to themselves.
1.
Anand (2004)
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Story: Roopa is young when she loses her parents and younger brother to an accident. Anand is the son of the man who caused the accident. I won't spoil anything more because this deserves a fresh perspective to watch the first time around. If you watch it more than once, I do not blame you.
Why must you watch Anand: Anand is Sekhar Kammula's second project (the first being Dollar Dreams) and he shows a surprising amount of maturity in his writing and taking. He trusts his audience to know what he's saying and sticks to realistic characters. There is no bichda pyaar or pointless drama. Everything is for a reason whether you catch it in the first watch or not. Roopa and Anand are like the women and men you see and are irl. They make mistakes and learn along the way. The happy ending is well deserved.
Why must you watch Anand, except it's just about The Music: KM Radha Krishnan has a way with tunes. Every single song from Anand's album is a HIT. If Teluguvallu didn't watch the movie, they at least loved the songs. Many people (including me) knew about Anand for its music. Just... chef's kiss.
What I didn't like/thought could improve: The editing of scenes is choppy in few scenes.
Where can I watch Anand: Disney Hotstar (with subtitles I think) or youtube (no subtitles)
2.
Godavari (2008)
Genre: Romance, Slice of Life
Rating: 4 / 5
Story: Fed up with her parent's admonishments about her failing boutique and miffed about being rejected by a man for marriage, Sita goes alone on a cruise along the river of Godavari. Aboard the native cruise (also titled 'Godavari'), she meets Ram, an honest young man with a penchant for public service and dreams of becoming an earnest politician. Sita falls in love with Ram but feels miffed that he still has feelings for Raaji.
Why must you watch Godavari: For Teluguvallu who haven't been along Godavari river or are living abroad and never got to experience pure Andhra Pradesh way of things, Godavari is like a scenic handbook. The characters and their troubles are realistic and the movie is rich in parallels. Ram is the true embodiment of a gentleman or 'Lord Rama' and Sita is the relatable struggling artist who's boisterous yet thoughtful in her own way. And the music....if you're a telugite, then it's a festival.
What I didn't like/thought could improve: The editing, again, is choppy in some places.
Where can I watch Godavari: ZEE5
3.
Malli Malli Idi Rani Roju (2015)
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3 / 5
Story: Raja Ram is an aspiring athlete who falls in love with a woman in a burqa, Nazeera. Nazeera loves Raja Ram too but keeps her identity as the Girl in the Burqa a secret while getting closer to him as a music student of his mother's. The day he gets to know that Nazeera is the music student, something drastic happens which pushes him away from Nazeera who is forced to leave India by her father's orders. Years later, Nazeera enters a bet with her daughter to show her what real love is and takes her to India to show Raja Ram, who is now successful and still holds Nazeera in his heart.
Why must you watch MMIRR: The dialogues are very deep and the writing shows a bit more maturity than one would expect. Classic misunderstanding ensue but this story is the tale of faith, fidelity and patience for love. Nitya Menon shines.
Where can I watch MMIRR: Disney Hotstar
4.
Kshanam (2016)
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 4 / 5
Story: Rishi, an NRI investment banker is beckoned to India by a call from his ex Shweta after years. She begs him to help her find her missing daughter who the world believes doesn't exist. What follows is a bone chilling chase to claw at shadows and unveil the secrets of the past.
Why must you watch Kshanam: (Ugh teluguvallu over here, pls look away if I simp for Adivi Sesh a bit too hard) Adivi Sesh, the actor who plays Rishi, also co-wrote this story. It was a low budget film made with approximately 20-30 crew members but excels in its storytelling and emotions. Kshanam is proof that budget is just a factor to storytelling, not the medium. There are no plot holes and everything is for a reason. All the facts are right in front of you and the plot twists are set up perfectly.
What I didn't like/could improve: The music could use some improvement.
Where can I watch Kshanam: Sun Nxt, MX Player (idk, but you HAVE to watch this, it's a must pls)
5.
Mahanati (2018)
Genre: Biopic
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Story: Mahanati (titled Nadigaiyar Thilagam in Tamil) is a movie that follows the life of yesteryear star actor Savitri Ganeshan (Keerthy Suresh) known for her tragic fate in love yet shone bright as the sun in the film industry. A to-be-married reporter Madhuravani (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) is tagged with the job of writing a piece on a comatose Savitri Ganeshan. Though uninterested at first, Madhuravani is drawn into the maze of Savitri gaaru's life. Along with a photographer Anthony (Vijay Devarakonda), she explores the life of the golden years actress. The more she digs, the more she learns the lesson of her life.
Why must you watch Mahanati: It's a treat if you/your parents have grown up watching Savitri gaaru, it brings back old memories and the vintage feel. It is an emotional watch. Keerthy gives the best performance of her career. Flock over for Dulquer Salmaan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Vijay Devarakonda and cameos by surprising people.
Things I didn't like/could improve: The prosthetics weren't handled properly in some scenes (maybe it's because of the lighting ig).
Where can I watch Mahanati: Amazon Prime Video
These are some cherished pieces of art and I hope you'll like them. You need not agree or understand some mannerisms since they're native to Indian behaviour but I really hope you enjoy watching these. Film is becoming universal slowly, and let this be an effort to inspire interest in Telugu art. If you end up watching any of these movies and want a scene by scene desi explanation or want some context or any form of diction reference, ping me!
Starring: Kamalinee Mukherjee, Sumanth, Neetu Chandra, Kamal Kamaraju
Surely an underrated movie, I fell in love with the characters that Sekhar Kammula meticulously crafted, each with their imperfections and a set of flaws. A hero who was selfless and smart but clueless when it came to women, a heroine who was independent and confident but also egoistic and a little arrogant with a serious nail-biting problem. Sita and Ram were flawed yet compatible individuals that found their way to each other through seemingly life-changing obstacles. I could never get tired of this film.
