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Challenge (1984)
Unemployment in India in the 1980s
Based on a popular Yandamoori's novel Dabbu-Dabbu, this movie inspired many unemployed youth to become self-dependent. Its a story of a young man, who made it big in business by exploring all possibilities without breaking the law.Story starts with an unemployed youth, Gandhi(Chiru) stealing medicines for his mother who is on death bed.But, by the time he reaches hospital, his mother is dead, and he is left without any money to cremate her.Wardboy(Sai Kumar) demands for money to protect his mother's corpse safely in the mortuary. Business tycoon RamMohanRao(RaoGopalRao) rushes into the hospital, to get his sick wife cured.Gandhi plays a numerical trick with his daughter Harika(vijayasanthi). This impresses her and she pays Rs.500/- for his mother's funeral.But, Saikumar takes advantage of his situation and robs that money.After his mother's funeral, Gandhi, left with no home and money and wandering on streets,saves an young woman, Lakshmi(Suhasini) from drowning , after she jumps off the bridge. They both reach Lakshmi's house and Gandhi finds an advertisement in newspaper for a job.Gandhi understands the trick behind that Adv., and walks into RamMohanrao's house for an interview.Gandhi gives a tit-for-tat for publishing an Adv. to fool people and both enter into an argument.When Gandhi says that it is not so difficult to make money and he can make Rs.50 lakhs in 5 years, Rammohanrao throws a challenge that if Gandhi succeeds, he will marry his daughter with him.Both sign an agreement on this and Gandhi leaves. Rammohanrao throws that agreement into trash and forgets this incident, but determined Gandhi starts planning for his 50 lakhs.He wins his first Rs.100, through gambling and explains to Lakshmi, the difference between law and justice. Gandhi slowly progresses and buys a new house and moves in with Lakshmi, who now, is his secretary.Lakshmi's ill-charactered brother Hanumantha Rao(Gollapudi) enters their house with his wife Priyamvada(Silk Smitha), pretending to be homeless.Despite Lakshmi's warning, Gandhi lets them stay in.Hanumantha Rao tries every possible trick to defame Gandhi and separate him from Lakshmi but fails.Also his wife Priyamvada tries to get close to Gandhi and realizes her mistake through him.Gandhi plans to start a paper mill to compete with Rammohanrao, and accidentally meets a young guy named, Vidyarthi(rajendra prasad).Gandhi realizes that Vidyarthi worked for Rammohan in the past and uses his experience and talent to promote his business.During his rise, hHrika supports him by saving him from going bankrupt and starts adoring him.Hanumantha rao manages to create problems in Gandhi's papermill and Lakshmi revolts seeing Gandhi adamant about making money rather than bothering about his worker's welfare. On the last day of the bet, Ggandhi is left with Rs.500 short of 50 lakhs and Saikumar, who is influenced by Gandhi's personality and thinking, brings about changes within himself and returns Rs.500, that he took from Gandhi at hospital. Jubliant Gandhi tries to reach Rammohanrao, but realizes that he is leaving the country with his daughter.On his way to airport, reaches Rammohanrao to declare his victory.He throws away all the money and returns to Lakshmi to start off his battle again.Great story, well adapted by Kodandarami Reddy, was also powered by good dialogues.Music by Illayaraja was also pretty good.
Abhilasha (1983)
A movie for abolishing the Death Sentence
First in the series of Yandamoori-AKR-Chiru combination, this film was a run a way hit during that time. This story was based on an unique point of removing section 302 from Indian Penal Code, which sentences death. Struggling lawyer Chiranjeevi(chiru himself), lives with his roommate (Allu Aravind) and dreams of removing IPC section 302.Reason behind his determination was his father's death sentence under 302, for adultery, which he didn't commit. Famous criminal lawyer in that city, Viswanatham(Rao GopalRao) sends an invitation to every famous lawyer for a party at his place, and by his secretary's mistake one invitation reaches Chiru and he gets a chance to meet Viswanatham and express his idea about IPC 302. He also meets Viswanatham's niece Archana(Radhika) at the party and falls in love with her.When their love starts blossoming, after a couple of duets, Archana has to attend a meeting in another country and she leaves for few days.During this time Chiru plans a fake murder, in which he will trap himself and gets death sentence.According to his plan, Viswanatham will show original pics of the dead body to the governor at the last moment and rescue chiru.Then, both wanted to file a petition in supreme court against IPC 302. Everything works fine. They manage a lady's dead body and Chiru is sentenced to death.In Jail, guard Ganapathi(Rallapalli) is surprised to see Chiru happy before his death.Just a night before chiru's hanging, Viswanatham on his way to meet governor, meets with an accident.Tense Chiru reveals everything to Ganapthi and pleads for his help.Archana who returns and hates him for rape and murder, now sets off to help him out after realizing the truth through Ganapathi. After a night long struggle, they manage to get in touch with Viswanatham, who is alive and in hospital. They get the original photos and in the last moment Chiru is saved from being hanged. But the story doesn't end happily here. Viswanatham throws a party to celebrate chiru's success and announces chiru-archana's engagement.During this party a drunkard(Gollapudi) drags Chiru out of the party and Archana gets suspicious about their secret talk.She follows Chiru. Meanwhile Chiru still believes that the dead body he used for plan was not natural death, but she was killed by someone. Postmortem report shows that she was killed by a guy with four fingers on one hand.Archana remembers a goon, who attacked her, when she reached him to find out the source of dead body.Chiru reveals that he bought that body from that four fingered goon. Mystery slowly unfolds much to the surprise of viewers that, the lady who was killed was none other than, Viswanatham's daughter from his extra-marital relationship. Viswnatham is arrested and lawyer Chiranjeevi files a petition against IPC section 302.Well adapted by Kodanda Rami Reddy from the original novel, also titled Abhilasha,It also had good music by Illayaraja. Illayaraja composed foot tapping numbers and especially, the second song Navvindi mallechendu, was a trend setter, with fast paced music and matching lyrics.Chiru danced his way into hearts of millions of fans and was recognized as a dancing actor with this movie.
Aapathbandavudu (1992)
Chiranjeevi in a deglamourised role
This critically acclaimed film by director k. Viswanath and produced by Poornodya Movies, released at the wrong time after the smash mass hit Gharana Mogudu. While fans expected a mass entertainer, Chiru shocked everyone with a deglamorized, self-piteous role in this flop film. Chiru plays the role of Madhava, the loyal friend, servant, and cowhand to Hema (Meenakshi Seshadhri) and her father (Jhandhyala). He also stars in plays, in which he plays Lord Shiva. In order to pay for Hema's elder sister's wedding, Madhava sells his cows and gives the money to a family friend to give to Hema's father as a loan. When her father hears what he has done, he gifts Madhava with his manuscripts. Madhava goes to town to have them printed. When he returns, he sees Hema being taken away by an insane asylum van. He learns that Hema has gone into shock after her brother-in-law tried to rape her and in the process killed her sister who tried to prevent him. Madhava pretends to be crazy and enters the asylum, where he goes through many hardships in order to save her. He, after stopping a guard from attacking her, is falsely accused of attempted rape and is electrocuted. Afterwards, he goes into a daze and stutters. He tries many times to help her regain her memory. When she finally does and realizes what he did for her, she wants to marry him after she is safely rescued. However, he objects due to his being of a lower strata of society. But her fiancée (Sharat Babu) convinces him and Madhava agrees. Many actors, who are caught in an image, are unable to get a career defining role or if they do, it is either too early or too late in their careers. Chiru is very lucky. He had gotten career defining roles earlier in his career, like Punnami Nagu, during his meteoric rise (Swayam Krushi), and after solidifying super stardom in the form of this film. He took a bold risk in doing this film for which he won many awards from film fare and the state government. What makes this role stand out among the many career defining roles, like Rudra Veena, Chantiabbai, 47 rozzullu, Swayam Krushi, and Punnami Nagu, is that Chiru had out done his earlier performances by a mile. He was simply brilliant as loyal cowhand who gives up his freedom and at times his insanity for his best friend. While pretending to be a crazy, childlike man, he successfully threaded the fine line of restraint and over-acting without going over-board. The scene where he stutters, or where after Hema's father dies, he goes to the other side of the river and makes a Shiva Lingam, only to question the Lord about his actions, make the audience speechless, as they see his great talent. He makes you cry and at the same admire him for his courage. Every level of the character, from his patience with the shock ridden Hema, to his love of her family, to his childlike innocence, to his pride of playing the best Shiva, to his insanity, pain, and undying yet unspoken of love for her were perfectly portrayed by him. It is truly a national award worthy performance. Meeankshi too was brilliant as was Jhandhyala. Chiru and Meenakshi had great on-screen chemistry. Music by M.M. Keeravani is terrific. K. Viswanath directed a gem of a film, which was not only a story of true friendship and love, but also one of how the question of caste prevented Madhava and Hema from showing their love for each other earlier on in the film
Rudra Veena (1988)
Great Performances and Great Music
An award winning movie from chiru's home production, Rudraveena deals with the story of a young man, suryam(chiru), who opposes his own father bilahari sastry(gemini ganesan) for a social cause. Suryam is the second son of famous vocalist bilahari sastry, who believes that music is for the welfare of the society. He opposes his father's views when his father stops him from helping a dying electrician. After that electrician's death suryam decides to leave the house and work for the welfare of the society. Lalita(sobhana), who belongs to a scheduled caste, supports him in his endeavors. Unable to bear the fact that his son is getting married to a lower caste girl, bilahari sastry succeeds in provoking the villagers against suryam and stops his marriage. Suryam owes not to marry till he solves their problems and how he succeeds to stop their alcoholic habits and reforms their lives forms the rest of the story. Bilahari sastry even goes to the extent of naming his son-in-law as his successor in music, rather than his son, but when Indian government recognizes suryam's efforts and president of India arrives in his village to felicitate suryam, he realizes his son's worth.Brilliant performances by chiru, sobhana, gemini ganesan, extraordinary music by Illayaraja , great direction by K balachander made this movie win Nargis Dutt award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.
Sri Manjunatha (2001)
Bhakti and Dharma
Manjunatha (Arjun), who is named after the Lord (Chiru), is an atheist. However, he is a good man, who helps the unfortunate. Because of his goodness, Lord Shiva feels that he is the perfect vessel for the Lord's plan on earth. One day, he meets a girl (Soundarya), who is a great devotee of Shiva. After several meetings, they marry and have a child, Siddu. Manju is finally converted to a devotee, but faces hardships as his earlier enemies blame him for the lights in the Shiva temple going out and serving food on the same day his son had been killed by his enemies. However, Lord Shiva in his many disguises comes to rescue. Finally, Manju and his wife die and their souls are integrated with the Lord. Nara Jayasridevi, producer of this film, in an interview with the Telugu TV program, "Shubodayam," said that Chiru was selected because of his right looks, acting talent, and incredible dancing ability. The Megastar delivered on all counts. This is one of his finest performances. Whether he played the all-merciful Lord, the crude, irritating old beggar, or the great, powerful sage, Aghora, Chiru was just magnificent. He delineated the characters excellently. He showed once again how extremely versatile he is. Chiru's dancing was again wonderful. His Ananda Thandavam was great to see. While watching him dance, the audience feels they are watching Lord Shiva dance. Soundarya, as the great devotee was absolutely brilliantly. No words can describe how great she was in this film. Arjun gives one of his most sensitive and versatile performances. He was just truly great. The rest of the cast of Sumalatha, Bramhanandam, etc were good as well. Graphics, sets, and costumes were impressive and made the film rich. Music by Hamsalekha is hard on the ears at first, but after a couple of times, is pleasant. The breathless song, "Om Mahaprana Deepam," by Shankar Mahadevan is unbelievable. His range and versatility were beautiful. The songs were pictured wonderfully. K. Raghavendra Rao did a so-so job. It seemed he followed the blueprint of Annamaya for this film. However, unlike having some vulgar scenes in Annamaya, Manjunatha was neatly done. But Rao should have taken more care regarding Chiru's makeup as Shiva. Though he does look good, at times it looks overdone. The makeup for the beggar role and for Aghora was perfect.
Annayya (2000)
Chiranjeevi's humor saves the film
Nothing new about the story, but the music and Chiranjeevi appearing as Atma Rao have saved the film.Soundarya also does very well in a role where in one of the few instances the female lead gets a sizable role to play.The film is a full fledged typical family entertainer with good music and trade mark Chiranjeevi comedy. ManiSharma has given good tunes for this film and this has elevated the film.The other characters are adequate and Kota Srinivas Rao excels in the short role that he has been given. All said and done a regular Chiranjeevi pot boiler which one can enjoy because of his performance and the good music, not to mention his dances.The item song with Simran is an added attraction for his fans and it obviously gets the most attention in the film of Chiru's dances.
Tagore (2003)
Anti Corruption Force
One of the better films against Corruption, though sometimes appears like a documentary, contains some of the best scenes to hit the Indian screen in recent times.The best part is the Corrruption is shown in Hospitals, with the Indian PDS, Police force, PWD dept. Real Estate promoters etc and the climax (Court scene) is great quoting Rabindra Nath Tagore's Geethanjali. Also the scene where Chiru reels of the vital stats of AP state is very well shot - "Our AP State government (1998 - 2003) through the Central govt has taken a loan of Rs.57,000 Crs from the World bank imposing a burden Rs.7500 on every citizen of Andhra Pradesh". Kidnapping the 15 most corrupt officers and eliminating the most corrupt one and equating it to a running race where the one who comes first will be shot dead is a novel way of presenting the story.