''Mallesham'' is a 2019 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
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 ...
based on the life of
Chintakindi Mallesham, written and directed by Raj Rachakonda. The film features
Priyadarshi as Mallesham, alongside
Jhansi
Jhansi ( ) is a historic city in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. (Toshan) Balwant Nagar was the old name of Jhansi. It lies in the region of Bundelkhand, on the banks of the Pahuj River, in the extreme ...
, debutante
Ananya Nagalla
Ananya Nagalla is an Indian actress who appears in Telugu language, Telugu films. She made her debut with ''Mallesham'' (2019) and went onto appear in films such as ''Play Back'' (2021) and ''Vakeel Saab'' (2021). Her performance in ''Pottel'' ( ...
and
Ananda Chakrapani
Chakrapani Ananda is an Indian actor who works in Telugu cinema. His notable film is '' Mallesham'' (2019).
Early life
He was born in Gaddamvari Yadavalli village of Kanagal mandal in Nalgonda district of Telangana
Telangana is a Stat ...
in prominent roles. The film garnered positive reviews from critics upon release. Priyadarshi's performance in the film is regarded as one of the "100 Greatest Performances of the Decade" by ''
Film Companion
Anupama Vinod Chopra () is an Indian author, journalist and film critic who served as the festival director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival from 2015 to 2023. She is also the founder and editor of the now-defunct digital platform Film Compani ...
.'' It also won the state
Gaddar Award for Third Best Feature Film.
Plot
This biopic of Padma Shri awardee
Chintakindi Mallesham is essentially a tale of a man going to great lengths to ease the pain of his mother, and several other women like her. The mother, Lakshmi (Jhansi), runs the home and something more — winds threads over a four-foot, v-shaped ‘asu’ continuously. It’s a thankless pre-loom step, before her husband Narasimhulu (Ananda Chakrapani) can use the weft and warp and give life to ikat fabric on his loom.
Cast
Production
Short film director Raj made his directorial debut with this film.
He had seen the
TED talk
TED Conferences, LLC (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an American-Canadian non-profit media organization that posts international talks online for free distribution under the slogan "Ideas Change Everything" (previously "Ideas Worth Sprea ...
by
Chintakindi Mallesham and wanted to create a film about Mallesham.
Carl Zeiss super-speed lenses were used to shoot the film as Raj wanted the film to feel like
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal (14 December 1934 – 23 December 2024) was an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Often regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema, he is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers post 1970s. H ...
's ''
Susman'' (1987). The film was shot in Revanapally and the crew stayed in the village for a year to shoot the film.
was signed as the head of art production after a hiatus of almost 25 years. His last work was ''
Nirantharam'' (1995). He helped the crew by referring local artisans to the team. His drawings of weavers were used as references for the crew.
The trailer released on 29 May.
Soundtrack
The songs were composed by Mark K Robin.
Release
''The Times of India'' gave the film four out of five stars and stated that "The film delivers what it promises – the story of a common man who dared to find a practical solution to the issue at hand, a man anyone can relate to. Director Raj Rachakonda needs to be lauded for this". ''The New Indian Express'' stated that "And yes, Raj deserves applause for churning out a film which has its heart in the right place. Priyadarshi’s complete ownership of the role is what elevates this film a few notches higher." ''The Hindu'' wrote that "This indie-spirited film is a heart-warming portrayal of tenacity and triumph". The movie is successful at the box office.
Digital release
The film has a theatrical release and digitally released on
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
.
Accolades
References
External links
*
{{Gaddar Award for Best Feature Film
2010s Telugu-language films
Indian biographical films
2019 films
Films set in Telangana
Films shot in Telangana