''Chaitanya Ratham'' is a 1987 Indian

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...

-language political drama film directed by

Dhavala Satyam Davala Satyam is an Indian film director, producer and screenplay writer. He has worked predominantly in Telugu cinema since the early 1980s. Satyam is known for his revolutionary movies known as Erra Cinema in Telugu. His film ''Yuvatharam Ka ...

and produced by Vangaveeti Ratna Kumari. The film stars

Bhanu Chander Bhanu Chander (born 31 May 1953) is an Indian actor, director and producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu and Tamil cinema. He is the son of veteran music composer Master Venu. His paternal family hails from Machilipatnam and ma ...

Sarath Babu Sathyam Babu Dixithulu (31 July 1951 – 22 May 2023), known by his stage name Sarath Babu, was an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Tamil and Telugu cinema. He appeared in more than 300 films, including in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and ...

, Kalpana, Satyanarayana and

Giri Babu Yerra Seshagiri Rao, popularly known as Giri Babu, is an Indian actor, producer, and director who primarily works in Telugu films. His son, Raghu Babu, is also a notable actor-director. Career Giri Babu hails from a middle-class agricultura ...

in pivotal roles, with music composed by J. V. Raghavulu. Released on 26 June 1987, it was a commercial success, running for 100 days in 26 centres. Set against the socio-political backdrop of 1980s

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

, ''Chaitanya Ratham'' draws inspiration from the life of politician Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga, highlighting his struggles alongside his elder brother, Vangaveeti Radha. The film critiques the

Telugu Desam Party The Telugu Desam Party (TDP; ) is an Indian regional political party primarily active in the Federated state, states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It was founded by Telugu cinema, Telugu matinée idol N. T. Rama Rao (NTR) on 29 March 1982 a ...

(TDP) government under

N. T. Rama Rao Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996), often referred to by his initials NTR, was an Indian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, film editor, philanthropist, and politician who served as the Chief Minister o ...

, addressing themes of corruption and resistance. The song "Rama Rajyama," noted for its critical stance against the government, garnered significant attention. The film faced controversy upon its release due to its politically charged content. Reports suggest that its prints were destroyed following widespread violence after Ranga's assassination in December 1988, with some alleging that this destruction was aimed at suppressing the film's sensitive political narrative. In 2023, a restored version of the film was re-released in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Plot

The film follows the rise, struggles, and political challenges of the characters Sarathi and Vijay, inspired by Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga and his elder brother, Vangaveeti Radha. Set against the socio-political backdrop of 1980s

, it explores Ranga's life, and political career, addressing themes of governance, corruption, and resistance.

Cast

Source: *

as Sarathi *

as Vijay * Kalpana * Satyanarayana as Vara Prasad *

as S.P. Avinash *

Prabhakar Reddy Mandadi Prabhakar Reddy (1935–1997) was an Indian film character actor known for his works in Telugu cinema. He acted in over 472 films over three decades. He wrote stories for several acclaimed films, including '' Karthika Deepam''. Dr. M ...

as Paramahamsa

Production

''Chaitanya Ratham'' was presented by Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga, a

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

MLA representing Vijayawada East constituency, with his wife, Vangaveeti Ratna Kumari, serving as the film's producer. The film was created to address instances of alleged political harassment by the

(TDP) government. Directed by

, ''Chaitanya Ratham'' was released in June 1987, ahead of significant political events, including Ranga's assassination in December 1988 and the Congress Party's subsequent victory in the 1989 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections.

Development

The project was developed during a period of heightened political tensions in Andhra Pradesh. Initially hesitant to take on the project due to its politically sensitive nature, Dhavala Satyam sought approval from his Communist Party affiliations before agreeing to direct the film. Dissatisfied with the script provided by one of Ranga's associates, Satyam insisted on writing the story himself. Drawing from extensive interactions with Ranga, Satyam observed his mannerisms, political style, and personal interactions to shape the narrative. Ranga actively participated in the production, contributing details about his life and spending time on the sets. The film served as a critique of the TDP administration, highlighting the challenges Ranga claimed to have faced under the government and police. Sensitive topics addressed included allegations of police restrictions on Ranga's movements, purportedly fabricated cases against him, and notable incidents such as the custodial death of a rickshaw puller and the public humiliation of a woman in

Vijayawada Vijayawada ( ), formerly known by its colonial name Bezawada, is the second largest city and a major commercial hub in the Andhra Pradesh state of India. The city forms an integral part of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region and is situated on th ...

. The title, ''Chaitanya Ratham'', was reportedly chosen as a satirical reference to

's campaign vehicle, which had gained symbolic importance during his statewide political tours.

Casting

was cast in the lead role, with other important roles played by

, Kalpana,

Kaikala Satyanarayana Kaikala Satyanarayana (25 July 1935 – 23 December 2022) was an Indian actor, producer, and politician who predominantly worked in Telugu cinema. He appeared in more than 750 films over six decades. He was a recipient of the Raghupathi Venkai ...

, and

. In 2002, actor

Srihari Srihari (15 August 1964 – 9 October 2013) was an Indian actor who was active mainly in Telugu cinema. He appeared in some Tamil, Kannada and Hindi films as well. He won seven Nandi Awards and one Filmfare Award. Early life Srihari was born ...

revealed that Ranga had initially recommended him for the lead role in ''Chaitanya Ratham''. However,

Dasari Narayana Rao Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1942 – 30 May 2017) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, lyricist, and politician, primarily known for his work in Telugu cinema. Over his four decade career, he directed more than 150 feature ...

, who was involved in the project, advised against casting a newcomer for a politically sensitive film, citing the risks involved. Dasari assured Srihari that he would launch him in another project, which eventually happened with ''Brahma Nayudu'' (1987).

Filming

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

for ''Chaitanya Ratham'' commenced in Vijayawada, reflecting the film's local and political context.

Music

The soundtrack was composed by J. V. Raghavulu with lyrics by Jaladi Raja Rao, Indraganti Srikantha Sarma, and Mailavarapu Gopi. The song "Rama Rajyama" became particularly controversial for its critical tone towards the ruling government. Source:

Release and reception

''Chaitanya Ratham'' was released on 26 June 1987 during heightened political tensions in Andhra Pradesh. It gained attention for its bold commentary and faced protests from political circles. Despite the controversy, it was commercially successful, running for 100 days in 26 centres. Griddaluru Gopala Rao of ''

Zamin Ryot ''Zamin Ryot'' is an Indian Telugu-language weekly newspaper published from Nellore. It was started by N. Venkatrama Naidu in . It has been called the longest continuously running Telugu newspaper. It is one of the notable district newspapers ...

'' reviewed the film positively, praising Dhavala Satyam's direction for blending contemporary politics with commercial elements. He highlighted the powerful confrontation scenes, impactful dialogues, the film's message of peaceful protest, and the performances of lead actors.''''

Re-release

In July 2023, the restored version of ''Chaitanya Ratham'' was re-released in the

, coinciding with Ranga's birth anniversary. Despite these efforts, the film was not re-released in Telugu-speaking states.

Controversies

''Chaitanya Ratham'' sparked significant controversy upon its release, primarily due to its politically charged content. The song "Rama Rajyama" drew particular attention as a direct critique of the ruling

(TDP) government. While

's administration was often compared to "Rama Rajyam," symbolizing an ideal government, the song used this concept to highlight alleged corruption and misconduct within the regime. This bold portrayal reportedly caused discomfort among the ruling party and its supporters. The controversy surrounding ''Chaitanya Ratham'' created challenges for director

in securing producers for future projects. He subsequently collaborated with his mentor

on the 1988 film ''Intinti Bhagavatam.''

Legacy

''Chaitanya Ratham,'' based on the life of Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga, is believed to have influenced notable political developments following its release. Film critic and historian Rentala Jayadeva noted that the film reflected contemporary politics and societal issues of the 1980s. The assassination of Ranga in December 1988 triggered riots in

Coastal Andhra Coastal Andhra, also known as Kosta Andhra (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kōstā Āndhra), is a geographic region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, comprising the coastal districts of the state between the East ...

, resulting in 42 deaths, extensive property damage, and a 40-day

curfew A curfew is an order that imposes certain regulations during specified hours. Typically, curfews order all people affected by them to remain indoors during the evening and nighttime hours. Such an order is most often issued by public authorit ...

. Media outlets such as

Doordarshan Doordarshan (), abbreviated as DD, is India's State-owned enterprise, state-owned public broadcasting, public television broadcaster. Established by the Government of India on 15 September 1959, it is owned by the Ministry of Information and B ...

and

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

reportedly highlighted the controversial song "Rama Rajyama" while examining the circumstances surrounding Ranga's assassination. Allegations suggest that all prints of the film were intentionally destroyed to suppress its politically sensitive content and prevent its further dissemination. However, a surviving print was later discovered and restored using advanced technology.

Planned spiritual sequel

In 2016, Dhavala Satyam announced plans for a

biographical film A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from Docudrama, docudrama films ...

on Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga, focusing on his rise to power and assassination. Intended as a

spiritual sequel A spiritual successor (sometimes called a spiritual sequel) is a product or fictional work that is similar to, or directly inspired by, another previous product or work, but (unlike a traditional prequel or sequel) does not explicitly continue th ...

to ''Chaitanya Ratham'', the narrative was set to emphasize Ranga's leadership and the impact of his assassination, a pivotal event that shocked the state of Andhra Pradesh. However, the project did not materialize.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title 1980s Indian films 1980s political drama films 1980s Telugu-language films 1987 films Films about corruption in India Films scored by J. V. Raghavulu Films set in Andhra Pradesh Indian political drama films