''M. Dharmaraju M.A.'' is a 1994 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

Ravi Raja Pinisetty Ravi Raja Pinisetty is an Indian film director known for his works in the Telugu cinema with actors such as Chiranjeevi, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Mohan Babu, Rajasekhar (actor), Rajasekhar and Daggubati Venkatesh. Some of his major hits include ' ...

. Produced by Jonnada Ramana Murthy, the film features

Mohan Babu Manchu Bhakthavatsalam Naidu, credited and also known as Mohan Babu, is an Indian actor and film producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. An alumnus of the Madras Film Institute, Mohan Babu has acted in more than 500 films ...

in a

dual role A dual role (also known as a double role) refers to one actor playing two roles in a single production. Dual roles (or a larger number of roles for an actor) may be deliberately written into a script, or may instead be a choice made during produc ...

, including the title character, M. Dharmaraju. The supporting cast includes Rambha,

Surabhi Kamadhenu (, , ), also known as Surabhi (, or , ), is a divine bovine-goddess described in Hinduism as the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous cow of plenty who provides her owner whatever they desire and is often portrayed as the mother o ...

, Satyanarayana and Sujatha. The music was composed by

Raj–Koti Thotakura Somaraju ( – 21 May 2023) and Saluri Koteswara Rao, popularly known as Raj–Koti, were a duo of Indian film music composers, singer-songwriters, record producers, musicians and multi-instrumentalist in Telugu cinema. In a notable ...

. The film is a remake of the 1994 Tamil film '' Amaidhi Padai''. Mohan Babu's performance as the titular character was widely acclaimed. The film also marked the acting debut of

M. S. Narayana M. S. Narayana (16 April 1951 – 23 January 2015) was an Indian actor and comedian who worked in Telugu cinema. Narayana worked in over 750 films in his career spanning 23 years. He died on 23 January 2015 due to organ failure in Hyderabad, Ind ...

, who later became one of Telugu cinema's most celebrated comedians.

Plot

The film follows the rise of M. Dharmaraju, a shrewd man who transitions from a lazy individual to a powerful, corrupt politician. Initially assisting a politician (Satyanarayana), he wins a

legislative seat A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers ...

and becomes increasingly arrogant and ruthless. Dharmaraju's son, Satyam, raised unknowingly about his father's deeds, seeks revenge upon discovering the truth about Dharmaraju's past. As Dharmaraju's corrupt actions intensify, Satyam, now a police officer, challenges him, ultimately confronting his father and ending his reign by killing him.

Cast

Production

''M. Dharmaraju M.A.'' was directed by

, who also wrote the screenplay. The film is a remake of the 1994 Tamil film ''

Amaidhipadai ''Amaidhipadai'' () is a 1994 Indian Tamil-language political satire film, written and directed by Manivannan. The film stars Sathyaraj (in a dual role), Ranjitha, Kasthuri and Sujatha. It revolves around a politician who builds his career t ...

''. It was produced by Jonnada Ramana Murthy and presented by G. K. Reddy, the father of actor

Vishal Vishal may refer to: People * Vishal (name), a common Indian given name * King Vishal, emperor of the Mahabharata era who founded the ancient city of Vishalapura * Vishal (actor) (born 1977), Indian film actor, producer and anti-piracy activi ...

. M. V. S. Haranatha Rao, who appeared in a supporting role, wrote the dialogues for the film.

, initially a writer, contributed to the comedy track in the film. Director Ravi Raja Pinisetty, seeking an actor with a distinct appearance described as "Dosakai Mokham" (cucumber face), cast Narayana, who was then working as a writer, after an assistant suggested his name. Although hesitant to act, Narayana accepted the role following Pinisetty's encouragement. This marked his acting debut and became a defining moment, leading to his rise as one of Telugu cinema's most celebrated comedians.

Music

The music for ''M. Dharmaraju M.A.'' was composed by

, with lyrics written by

Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry (born Chembolu Seetharama Sastry; 20 May 1955 – 30 November 2021) was an Indian poet and lyricist known for his works in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre. He acquired the stage name Sirivennela after writing the ...

. Audio soundtrack was released on

Aditya Music Aditya Music India Private Limited is an Indian music record label company, which owns the label Aditya Music. It produces music for the Telugu cinema industry and is headquartered at Hyderabad, Telangana. Overview The company was founded b ...

label. Source:

Reception

''M. Dharmaraju M.A.'' was released on 11 November 1994. Mohan Babu's performance as the title character received praise for his portrayal. However, the film failed at the box office.

References

External links

* {{Ravi Raja Pinisetty 1990s Indian films 1990s political drama films 1990s political satire films 1990s Telugu-language films 1994 films Fictional portrayals of the Andhra Pradesh Police Films about corruption in India Films about patricide Films directed by Ravi Raja Pinisetty Films scored by Raj–Koti Indian political satire films Telugu remakes of Tamil films