Best of Tollywood movies 2024: A strong year for small and moderate budget movies

The year 2024 has mostly belonged to stories with interesting storylines rather than the big star vehicles. A very good example of this is Venky Atluri’s Lucky Baskhar.

Venky Atluri started as a romantic director with the likes of Varun Tej’s Tholi Prema (2018) and Nithin’s Rang De (2021). But Dhanush’s Vaathi (2023) marked a significant shift in his career.

With Lucky Baskhar the director pushed the envelope further with the financial thriller/drama. The tight writing coupled with Dulquer Salmaan’s fantastic act made it a major winner.

Prashanth Varma’s Hanu-Man starring young hero Teja Sajja like the film’s storyline was an underdog movie with fewer expectations. The film clashed with big star vehicles but it ended up being hugely profitable for everyone concerned. Hanu-Man is a perfect example of how sometimes an engaging script can transform an actor into a star.

35 Chinna Katha Kadu directed by Nanda Kishore Emani and presented by Rana Dagubbati also deserves a special mention. It was a small movie with a big heart.

Among the big-scale action films, Naga Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD managed to sail through mainly because of two aspects. The first one is the merging of a dystopian world with the events of Mahabharata, second, is Amitabh Bachchan’s towering act as Ashwatthama.

Sukumar’s Pushpa 2: The Rise on the other hand rode majorly on Allu Arjun’s histrionics and some well-crafted moments. A major highlight is Allu Arjun’s dance in a saree during a very moving jathara sequence, the film has seen extremely polarizing reviews still the movie managed to make big numbers.

Following are some of the most impactful Telugu movies of this year

Lucky Baskhar

A still from the film Lucky Baskhar
A still from the film ‘Lucky Baskhar’. (X)

Lucky Baskhar directed by Venky Atluri is a refreshingly different story for mainstream Telugu cinema. The theme of financial crimes in the backdrop of a bank is an extremely challenging subject given the intricate details. But Venky Atluri made sure that the movie didn’t become overly complicated.

The functioning of stock markets and the banking system was handled in such a way that even a layman could understand.

What also worked majorly for Lucky Baskhar was the layered characterization of the central character coupled with Dulquer Salmaan’s brilliant performance.

The journey of Baskhar from an honest employee to becoming a scamster and the subsequent changes took the viewers on a roller coaster ride. Apart from Dulqer’s solid act the film also had some impactful dialogues particularly the ones related to success, failure and greed.

35 Chinna Katha Kadu

Nivetha Thomas in 35 Chinna Katha Kadhu
Nivetha Thomas in ’35 Chinna Katha Kadhu’. (X)

35 Chinna Katha Kadu was a much-needed slice of drama amidst the ultra-masculine heroes. Director Nanda Kishore Emani created an authentic atmosphere whether it was the school portions or the husband and wife relationship going through many ups and downs.

The film made some pertinent points on the necessity of encouraging a child’s curiosity. The second half of 35 Chinna Katha Kadu was more engaging.

The portions of Nivetha Thomas Sarswati battling her own demons while making sure that her son gets passing marks in mathematics had many heart-warming moments. Nivetha Thomas delivered a breakthrough act getting into the skin of a traditional housewife who has to rise against all odds. Newcomer Vishwadev Rachkonda also shined bright.

Priyadarshi as the snooty teacher Chanakya does border on being a caricature but in the context of the story it completely works. Priyadarshi was majorly successful in making the audience hate him.

In spite of the slow pace and predictable scenarios, it was a heartwarming film exploring how parents and educators should explain concepts in an interesting manner rather than dismissing a child’s curiosity.

Hanu-Man

Teja Sajja in Hanu-Man
Teja Sajja in ‘Hanu-Man’. (X)

On the surface Hanu- Man is a typical good versus evil plot but what made the movie work was the perfect amalgamation of devotional, superhero and pop culture elements. The character graph of Teja Sajja’s Hanumanthu was another big plus for the movie.

He goes from being a carefree guy to eventually realising his powers and most importantly using them for the greater good, this was wonderfully written and enacted.

Apart from Teja Sajja Varalakshmi Sarathkumar as the strong elder sister also had a pivotal role, the brother and sister bond gave the movie an emotional gravitas.

Varalakshmi Sarathkumar also got her own delightful mass moment. The film’s budget is nowhere close to the likes of Adipurush but the special effects were far superior.

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram

Nani in Saripodhaa Sanivaaram
Nani in ‘Saripodhaa Sanivaaram’. (X)

Vivek Athreya’s Saripodhaa Sanivaaram was a quirky tale of two hot-headed men, presented in a commercial format. In many ways, the movie was a modern update of Salim-Javed’s Angry Young Man. What made the film engaging was the strong characterization of both the hero and the villain.

Vivek Athreya also added interesting quirks to the characters of both Nani and SJ Suryah. SJ Suryah’s character, for instance, had shades of sarcastic humour, where he could switch from being serious to jovial in the blink of an eye.

Nani’s character, on the other hand, is someone who suppresses his anger until Saturday, only unleashing it when he feels it is truly justified. These nuances added depth to the characters, and both Nani and SJ Suryah delivered impactful performances.

The dynamics between Nani and his father, played by Sai Kumar, were also a delight to watch. Their scenes were filled with numerous laugh-out-loud moments, while also showcasing warmth.

Ambajipeta Marriage Band

Suhas and Shivani Nagaram play the lead roles in Ambajipeta Marriage Band
Suhas and Shivani Nagaram play the lead roles in ‘Ambajipeta Marriage Band’. (X)

Suhas and Shivani Nagaram play the lead roles in ‘Ambajipeta Marriage Band’. (X)

Dushyant Kathikeni’s Ambajipeta Marriage Band carries a strong influence from Pa Ranjith and Vetrimaaran’s rustic Tamil dramas; nevertheless, the movie remains an engaging watch.

The story of Ambajipeta Marriage Band primarily revolves around the lives of a brother and sister. Suhas plays a barber, while Sharanya Pradeep portrays a government school teacher. The first half shows Suhas in his usual role as an underdog, while in the second half, his aggressive avatar takes the viewers by surprise.

Suhas was particularly impressive in these later portions. Sharanya Pradeep also made a significant impact with her fierce performance in the film.

Tillu Square

Siddhu Jonnalagadda delivered a blockbuster with Tillu Square
Siddhu Jonnalagadda delivered a blockbuster with ‘Tillu Square’. (X)

Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s follow-up to the 2022 popular film DJ Tillu was an entertaining comic thriller. The movie pretty much follows the same template as its predecessor.

A young man getting caught in a fresh tangle leading to various twists and turns, Anupama Parameshwaran played a morally dubious woman called Lily. The character of Lilly starts off as an innocent young woman but as the movie progresses the viewers get to see a different shade of her.

A major strength of Tillu Square was its fun-filled dialogues majorly enhanced by Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s wonderful comic timing. The actor’s energetic persona coupled with his specific style of speaking thoroughly entertained the viewers.

Anupama Parameshwaran was not only sensuous successfully breaking away from her girl-next-door image, but she also did a fine job in portraying Lilly’s grey shades.

Bhamakalapam 2 (AHA)

A still from the film Bhamakalapam 2
A still from the film ‘Bhamakalapam 2’. (X)

Bhamakalapam 2 directed by Abhimanyu Tadimeti was a delicious sequel with an in-form Priyamani. The fresh adventures of Priyamani’s Anupama kept the viewers thoroughly entertained.

The jugulbandi between Priyamani and Sharanya Pradeep playing Anupama’s business partner was a major highlight of the sequel too.

The scenes between them often left the viewers in splits. A particular mention must be made of the portions where the cooking competition and heist take place simultaneously. These scenes have both tension and situational humour in equal measure.

In spite of some lags in the pre-climax, director Abhimanyu Tadimeti did a fine job in setting up a good base for the 3rd part.

(Edited by Sumavarsha)

Vikkatakavi – The Chronicles of Amaragiri web series review: An engrossing, first of its kind Telangana detective show

In spite of some rough edges, director Pradeep immerses the viewers into the world of Amaragiri. The mixture of Telangana folk beliefs with the subplot of bio war enhances the narrative. Promising young talent Naresh Agastya delivers another solid act
Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri (Telugu), 28-11-2024, Drama, 6 episodes, 16+, OTT
  • Main Cast: Naresh Agastya, Megha Akash, Shiju Menon, Tarak Ponnappa, Raghu Kunche, Mukthar Khan, and Amit Tiwari
  • Director: Pradeep Maddali
  • Producer: Rajani Talluri
  • Music Director: Ajay Arasada
  • Cinematography: Shoeb Siddiquie
  • Rating: 3.5/5

In the last few years, Telangana culture has had a major influx into mainstream Telugu cinema through stories or characters.

A major reason for that is the consistent portrayal and telling of Telangana by the likes of Priyadarshi Pulikonda, Vishwak Sen, Tharun Bhascker and Siddhu Jonnalagadda.

Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri the new web series streaming on ZEE 5, directed by Pradeep Maddalli and written by Saitej Desheaj is a good addition to this trend. Through the six episodes, Pradeep and Saitej have effectively mixed the Telangana folklore with the detective genre.

The series also pays homage to the legendary Tenali Rama Krishnan, known for his wit and intellect in equal measure.

Synopsis

The story of Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri is set in the 1970s, in a village called Amaragiri. In this village, people lose their memories as soon they visit the haunted Devathala Gutta.

The story then follows Naresh Agastya’s Ramakrishna aka Vikkatakavi. He is not just a brilliant student but is also known for his exceptional investigation skills. Ramakrishna embarks on a dangerous journey for an emotional reason.

A constant tussle between superstitions and rationalism enhances the plot. The show also has some attention-grabbing twists that keep the viewers guessing about the reasons behind these mysterious happenings. There is a strong connection between Ramakrishna’s past and the happenings in Amaragiri, which adds to the emotional quotient, in addition to the thrills.

Strong technical support

Naresh Agastya in Vikkatakavi
Naresh Agastya in ‘Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri’. (X)

A strong aspect of Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri is its world-building. Shoeb Siddiqui’s work, particularly, stands out among the technical aspects. The rustic village atmospherics along with the night sequences set in the forest draw the audiences into the world of Amaragiri.

The production design and costumes are mighty effective in transporting the viewers into a by gone era. Ajay Arsada’s background score is very effective in enhancing the tension-filled sequences.

Apart from the technical aspects Pradeep Malladi also deserves appreciation for how he has integrated the local beliefs of Telangana people with the subplot of a bio war.  Special mention must also be made of the actors playing the village people.

Performances

The romance between Naresh Agastya and Megha Akash is understated without hijacking the central theme. Megha Akash hasn’t got a lot to do but she does have a lovely presence.

Naresh Agastya continues to showcase his versatility with an arresting portrayal of a detective. After this year’s Paruvu Naresh shows a different facet of him. The boyish charm coupled with intensity make him the perfect choice for the central character.

In the supporting cast, Raghu Kanche impresses the most with his terrific act. The way he conveys the negative traits with just expressions is a delight to watch. Tarak Ponnappa and Mukhtar Khan too are proficient in their roles.

Among the speed bumps, the final act needed a much better punch, given the intricate build-up. The final episodes feel lengthy as the viewers tend to form an idea of how things will ultimately go. The series also taps into nationalistic sentiments, but this aspect feels forced.

Final take

Keeping aside the rough edges Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri is a solid addition to the evolving Telugu OTT space. Definitely worth watching for those like stories with elements of mysticism and thrills.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

Mr. Bachchan: A Masala Treat For Ravi Teja Fans

Harish Shankar does a fine job in molding the central character, but a palpable sense of danger is missing

  • Starcast: Ravi Teja, Bhagyashri Borse, Jagapathi Babu and others special appearance (Siddhu Jonnalagadda)
  • Director and writer: Harish Shankar
  • Original story: Ritesh Shah
  • Based on: Hindi movie Raid (2018)
  • Producer: T. G Vishwa Prasad
  • Production house: People Media Factory Banner
  • Music: Mickey J. Meyer
  • Cinematography: Ayananka Bose
  • Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes

Harish Shankar is one of those few directors with a good track record in making successful remakes. Gabbar Singh the remake of Dabbang gave a much-needed commercial hit for Pawan Kalyan. A major reason for Gabbar Singh success was how he integrated the trademark Pawan Kalyan quirks and eccentrics. Similarly, Jigarthanda was remade as Gaddalakonda Ganesh. For Varun Tej Gaddalakonda Ganesh was a breakthrough movie. On the other hand, Harish Shankar hasn’t found much success while directing original stories. After a hiatus the director is back with the Hindi remake of Raid Mr. Bachchan. Raid was an intense thriller taken from a real-life income tax raid. It was the longest ever raid to have happened. Director Raj Kumar Gupta made sure that the proceedings were taunt with no unnecessary commercial elements. Sure, the film had a few romantic numbers and also some romance between Ileana D’Cruz and Ajay Devgan but that didn’t hamper the film’s flow. Mr. Bachchan on the other hand is more commercial in sync with Ravi Teja’s mass image. This remake has ample doses of action sequences, mass numbers where Ravi Teja shakes a leg with a much younger heroine etc.

Mr Bachchan and Raid

Mr Bachchan begins off with establishing the honesty of Indukuri Anand who is also called as Mr. Bachchan. He has done many raids earning a good reputation. However, a particular raid leads to his suspension. Indukuri Anand comes back to his hometown. There is a specific reason behind Indukuri also being called Bachchan. The father played by Tanikella Bharani is a huge fan of Shahenshah Amitabh Bachchan, it goes without saying that Ravi Teja too is a big fan of Amitabh Bachchan in real life. Coming back, the father decides to keep the name of Bachchan as a nickname for his son. There is an entire sequence where Ravi Teja enacts scenes from Deewar and Shahenshah among others. In his hometown Bachchan falls in love with Jikki (Bhagyashri Borse). While the love story is going on Mr. Bachchan path crosses with that of a powerful politician Mutyam Jaggaya (Jagapati Babu). Later on, Anand’s suspension is revoked, as part of duty Indukuri lands in Mutyam Jaggaya’s house to unearth all the black money and gold. How his personal and professional life gets entwined with Mutyam Jaggaya is the core of Mr. Bachchan.

Ravi Teja enacting scenes from Deewar and Shahenshah among others
Ravi Teja and Bhagyashri Borse

Not surprisingly the soul of Mr. Bachchan is Ravi Teja’s energetic performance. He does well as a determined IT officer and is also charming in the romantic scenes. The confrontation scenes with Jagapathi Babu have some nice punches particularly the dialogues about honesty and how he will shower the power of an honest Income tax officer.

The romance between Ravi Teja and Bhagyashri Bose is developed through old songs and her visits to the place of cassette recording. These portions have a certain oldworld charm. Bhagyashri Borse lends the necessary glam quotient and is also fairly effective in the intense scenes.

Bhagyashri Borse adds to the glam quotient

Jagapathi Babu seems to have stepped straight out of Aravinda Samatha sets. The senior actor doesn’t match up to Saurabh Shukla’s towering act, nevertheless Jagapati Babu does make for a formidable adversary and does a fine job in showcasing Mutyam Jaggaya’s frustration. However, in terms of characterization Saurabh Shukla’s Tauji was more layered. The actor coupled with the writing brought a certain humanity. There are scenes in Raid where there is a palpable anguish in Tauji’s eyes about his own family’s incompetence. This is absolutely missing in the remake.

Jagapathi Babu makes for a formidable adversary

Another problem with Mr Bachchan is the characterizations of the team members. Amit Sial in Raid had a very important role. He goes from being Tauji’s mole to developing a conscious. Here they have been written in extreme broad strokes. Coming to Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s cameo the young actor impresses with his charismatic style and trademark dialogue delivery.

Micky. J Myers music is suitably massy with some energetic dancing from Ravi Teja and Bhagyashri Borse. Ayananka Bose’s cinematography is lavish,

Mr. Bachchan is best watched without comparisons to Raid. For hard core Ravi Teja fans there is enough to enjoy.

Emerging stars: Telugu cinema’s new wave of actors takes center stage

An overview of how a handful of Telugu actors broke through the dynastic ‘herodom’ and carved a niche for themselves.
Published in: Southfirst

Many new-age actors from outside the film industry have made their mark as heroes in Telugu cinema in the last few years. Their success augurs well for the industry.

They might not be ‘mass’ heroes but they played roles that resonated with different types of audiences. They also endeared themselves to the audiences with their multiple skills.

Actors like Naveen Polishetty and Siddhu Jonnalagadda would never enjoy the mass patronage of an Allu Arjun or a Jr NTR.

The reason is the market dynamics coupled with their backgrounds. So, they have chosen a different path for themselves by playing underdog characters in the case of Suhas. Or doing movies where both comedy and thrills are intermingled.

There is also a certain sense of self-depreciation in the roles. Let’s go one by one:

Naveen Polishetty

Naveen Polishetty’s ‘Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty’ won audiences’ hearts. (X)

Naveen Polishetty started his career with Shekar Kammula’s film Life is Beautiful (2012), where he played a negative role.

This was followed by D for Dopidi (2013) and Sukumar’s 1: Nenokkadine (2014).

However, Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya (2019) gave him a much-needed break in his career. Naveen was the leading man in the film and also the co-writer.

The movie minted money at the box office and also won critical acclaim; a promising new talent was born.

Naveen further consolidated his status as a hero with the nonsensical comedy Jathi Ratnalu (2021).

The flick also featured Rahul Ramakrishna and Priyadarshi, but Naveen was the star of the show. He embraced the tonality of the film with zero inhibitions.

What additionally made Jathi Ratnalu special was the backing of Nag Ashwin, the director of Yevade Subramanyam (2015) and Mahanati (2018). It was a big promotion for Naveen.

Though the film was released at a tricky time, right after COVID-19, it became a huge success.

Naveen Polishetty scored a third consecutive hit with the romedy drama Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty (2023), directed by Mahesh Babu P. His role demonstrated that he was also an emotionally intelligent actor.

Naveen has a striking screen presence and an energy that makes him endearing. He has impeccable comic timing that can lift the most bizarre of situations, as we already witnessed in Jathi Ratnalu.

Siddhu Jonnalagadda

Siddhu Jonnalagadda delivered a blockbuster with ‘Tillu Square’. (X)

Siddhu Jonnalagadda is another new-age Telugu actor who proved himself as a writer and a hero, too.

He wrote both DJ Tillu (2022) and the superhit sequel Tillu Square (2024).

Siddhu thoroughly entertained the viewers with his antics. His comic punches often left the viewers in splits.

But what made DJ Tillu and the sequel a big success was how the actor-writer integrated the elements of comedy and thriller.

Apart from the above-mentioned film, Siddhu Konnalagadda was also the co-writer of Krishna and his Leela (2020). It was a breezy romantic film that dealt with contemporary relationships.

Siddu’s strength as an actor majorly comes from his ease in front of the camera and a certain style with which he delivers his dialogues.

Sure, his dramatic skills have not been tested yet, but characters like Tillu are a perfect fit for him.

Adivi Sesh

Adivi Sesh will next be seen in ‘Goodachari 2’. (X)

Unlike Naveen and Siddhu, Adivi Sesh is someone who comes with the looks of a dashing mainstream hero.

He also has a literary family background. His grand-uncle Adivi Bapiraju is a famous novelist and a playwright. However, that does not mean he had it easy in the industry.

It has taken a while for him to establish his space after playing small roles in big films; a case in point is SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali: The Beginning (2015).

Sesh’s good looks and strong physicality helped him gain a strong base. But, apart from his looks, the actor impressed everyone with his acting and writing skills.

He became a thriller specialist with the likes of Kshanam (2016) and Goodachari (2018).

The actor‘s speciality is strong characterisations. For example, Anasuya Bhardhwaj and Satyam Rajesh in Kshanam or Vennela Kishore in Goodachari.

Adivi Sesh made the well-known story of Sandeep Unnikrishnan a hugely engrossing film both with his acting and writing abilities in Major (2022).

As a director, he has done only one movie — Karma (2010), which unfortunately was a big dud.

Hope he proves himself a good director, too, one day!

Suhas

Suhas is on a film signing spree and has become a bankable actor. (X)

The physical structure of Colour Photo (2020) and Ambajipeta Marriage Band (2024) actor Suhas is very similar to Tamil actor Dhanush.

Of course, the young Telugu actor does not have the mass image of the latter, but still, there are certain similarities in the underdog roles he has chosen.

Suhas also started with supporting roles in Agent Sai Srinivas Athreya and Prathi Roju Pandage (2019), among others.

However, he got his first break as a leading man in Colour Photo.

In the National Award-winning film, he played the role of a milkman’s son and won appreciation for his awe-inspiring performance.

This was followed by Writer Padmabhushan (2023) and Ambajipeta Marriage Band. Both these movies also had Suhas as an underdog.

But, in Ambajipeta Marriage Band, his character is fierier in comparison to Colour Photo, which belongs to the same terrain. In the second half, the actor pulled off scenes of aggression proficiently.

Priyadarshi Pulikonda

Priyadarshi is coming up with ‘Save The Tigers 3’ web series. (X)

Priyadarshi Pulikonda is another bright talent in Telugu cinema who has proved himself beyond comedy.

His performances in Mallesham (2019) and Venu’s Balagam (2022) are solid examples.

The actor also proved his mettle in the digital space with both seasons of Save the Tigers (2023 & 2024). The makers are soon coming up with the third season.

Priyadarshi was seen in the role of a dairy farm owner Ghanta Ravi in this web series. He was spot-on in capturing the nuances of the Telangana dialect.

The second season of Save the Tigers had some good father-and-daughter scenes.

What made the new-age Telugu actor successful is his imbibing the body language of the roles he portrays — in Mallesham or Save the Tigers web series.

Well, this is a brief account of some of the new-age Telugu actors who found success despite not having a filmy background.

There are also the likes of Raj Tarun, who started promisingly but could not sustain due to poor choice of roles.

Let’s hope many more actors outside the dynasties will try their luck in the Telugu film industry!