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''Shyam Singha Roy'' is a 2021 Indian
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...
-language
supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
period
romantic Romantic may refer to: Genres and eras * The Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement of the 18th and 19th centuries ** Romantic music, of that era ** Romantic poetry, of that era ** Romanticism in science, of that e ...
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...
directed by Rahul Sankrityan. The film stars Nani 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 ...
with Sai Pallavi playing a prominent female lead role. This film Partly set in the backdrop of
Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
in the 1970s, it is based on the theme of
reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is ...
. The film also stars with an ensemble supporting cast includes Krithi Shetty,
Madonna Sebastian Madonna Sebastian is an Indian actress and playback singer who primarily works in Tamil and Malayalam films. She made her acting debut with 2015 Malayalam film ''Premam,'' and Tamil with ''Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum'' (2016), and in Telugu with ''P ...
,
Rahul Ravindran Rahul Ravindran (born 23 June 1981) is an Indian actor, director, and screenwriter who works in Telugu films. He made his lead debut in the Tamil film ''Moscowin Kavery'' (2010), before playing leading roles as a man with cerebral palsy in '' V ...
, Abhinav Gomatam, Jisshu Sengupta,
Murali Sharma Murali Sharma (born 9 August 1972) is an Indian actor who works predominently in Telugu and Hindi films. Sharma has starred in over 130 feature films, including Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Malayalam cinema. Sharma gained wide recognition ...
, Manish Wadhwa and others. The film was announced in February 2020 and
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 a ...
took place from December 2020 to July 2021 in
Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
and Kolkata. Production and release were delayed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
. ''Shyam Singha Roy'' was theatrically released on 24 December 2021 and opened to mixed to positive reviews with critics praising the performances while criticizing the screenplay. The film grossed – in worldwide box office.


Plot

Vasu is an aspiring film director in
Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
. To impress a film producer, he starts making a short film and finds Keerthi, a
psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...
graduate to be the lead. After some resistance, Keerthi agrees to act in the film, and the shoot is completed within a few days. One day while shooting, some goons sexually harass Keerthi leading to Vasu fighting them. In that ongoing fight, a guy hits him on his head, which leads him to ear bleeding and starts suffering from a
psychological Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betw ...
disorder that temporarily manifest him into a different personality. Impressed with the short film, the producer green-lights Vasu's feature film. A year later, Vasu releases his film, ''Uniki'', which turns out to be successful. Vasu is offered to remake the film in
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of North India, northern, Central India, centr ...
but during a press conference for the remake in
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...
, Vasu is arrested on charges of copyright infringement. A notable publishing house based in
Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
, SR Publications, alleges that Vasu copied their best-selling novel ''Astitva'' written by Shyam Singha Roy fifty years ago. In court, strong evidence is presented against Vasu, and Keerthi's cousin Padmavathi takes up the case. Vasu pleads his innocence and after a successful
polygraph A polygraph, often incorrectly referred to as a lie detector test, is a device or procedure that measures and records several physiological indicators such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while a person is asked a ...
test, the court releases him on unconditional bail and gives them 3 days to present their case. Upon Keerthi's suggestion, Vasu undergoes
clinical hypnosis Hypnotherapy is a type of mind–body intervention in which hypnosis is used to create a state of focused attention and increased suggestibility in the treatment of a medical or psychological disorder or concern. Popularized by 17th and 18th cen ...
with the help of Keerthi's psychology professor, during which he reveals that he was Shyam Singha Roy in a past life and Rosie was his wife. In
West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the four ...
in 1969, Shyam Singha Roy is an influential social reformer and revolutionary writer with communist ideologies, who comes from a conservative family. As his family disapproves of his methods, he decides to leave but stumbles upon Maitreyi, a devadasi from
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million pe ...
who dances in the temple during the Navaratri. Despite being an atheist, Shyam visits the temple every night to see Maitreyi. One night, he asks her to sneak out of the temple with him and she reluctantly agrees. Shyam and Maitreyi fall for each other, and Shyam renames Maitreyi as Rosie. They decide to elope, however, on that night, the temple's high priest Mahant, who sexually preys on devadasis, selects a young girl to sleep with, to which Rosie opposes. Mahant abuses Rosie in anger and disrespects her by urinating on her. Upon discovering this, an enraged Shyam attacks Mahant in the temple. He punishes him by severing off his penis and throwing him onto burning coal, killing him and removing the necklace on Rosie, implying discontinuing her duties as Devadasi. Shyam and Rosie move to
Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comm ...
where he starts working in a printing press. By 1977, Shyam becomes an accomplished yet controversial writer of his time. On Rosie's suggestion, Shyam opens up a trust to rehabilitate devadasis. Shyam's brother, Manoj, requests him to visit their village to see their ailing elder brother. However, upon their arrival, his two elder brothers send Manoj to bring tender coconuts, which turns out to be a ploy to murder Shyam for bringing disrepute to their family by killing Mahant at the temple and marrying Rosie, who is not of their caste. Manoj arrives but is unable to save Shyam, who dies in front of him. The two elder brothers are killed in an accident a few years later and Shyam's nephews now run SR Publications, Singha Roy's publishing house. In the present, Vasu visits the printing press in Kolkata where Shyam worked. However, he is told that Shyam and Rosie died decades ago, Rosie having left to find Shyam. Padmavathi submits Vasu's hypnosis report as evidence in the court that Shyam Singha Roy is reincarnated as Vasu. However, the prosecution lawyer objects, stating there is no scientific evidence of reincarnation. While the court is about to give its judgment, an 85-year-old Manoj visits the court and declares Vasu to be Shyam's reincarnation. Upon being asked for proof, Manoj explains that Vasu adapted Shyam's short story ''Varna'' as his short film Varnam, but that story was never published in the public domain. Manoj submits Shyam's hand-written manuscript of the story as proof and withdraws the case as the chairman of SR Publications. Vasu is acquitted of all charges. Manoj reveals to Vasu that Rosie is alive and waiting for him. Vasu then visits an aged Rosie, who now runs a dance school named after Shyam. Upon meeting Vasu, both have an emotional reunion and as per her wish, Rosie dies peacefully in his arms.


Cast

* Nani 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 ...
as **Shyam Singha Roy, a legendary Bengal-Telugu writer **Vasudev Ghanta “Vasu”, an aspiring filmmaker * Sai Pallavi as Maithreyi alias Rosie, a former Devadasi turned Shyam's wife *
Krithi Shetty Krithi Shetty (born 21 September 2003) is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Telugu films. She made her debut with the commercially successful film ''Uppena'' (2021).. She Has Won One Filmfare Award South and One SIIMA Award. Early ...
as Keerthi, Vasu's girlfriend *
Madonna Sebastian Madonna Sebastian is an Indian actress and playback singer who primarily works in Tamil and Malayalam films. She made her acting debut with 2015 Malayalam film ''Premam,'' and Tamil with ''Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum'' (2016), and in Telugu with ''P ...
as Lawyer Padmavathi, Keerthi's cousin *
Rahul Ravindran Rahul Ravindran (born 23 June 1981) is an Indian actor, director, and screenwriter who works in Telugu films. He made his lead debut in the Tamil film ''Moscowin Kavery'' (2010), before playing leading roles as a man with cerebral palsy in '' V ...
as Manoj Singha Roy * Abhinav Gomatam as Pramod * Jisshu Sengupta as Debendra Singha Roy *
Murali Sharma Murali Sharma (born 9 August 1972) is an Indian actor who works predominently in Telugu and Hindi films. Sharma has starred in over 130 feature films, including Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Malayalam cinema. Sharma gained wide recognition ...
as Lawyer Krishnamurthy * Manish Wadhwa as Mahadev Mahant * Leela Samson as Psychologist * Subhalekha Sudhakar as Judge J. Satyendra *
Sivannarayana Naripeddi Sivannarayana Naripeddi is an Indian actor who works in Telugu films and television. He is best known for his role as 'Appaji' in the popular Telugu TV sitcom '' Amrutham'' (20012007). He won the Nandi Award for Best Comedian for A''mmamma.com ...
as Keerthi's father * Barun Chanda as Sayan Sarkar, Printing Press Owner * Sadhwi Majumder as Shashi, Rosie's best friend * Pradeep Rudra as Shyam Singha Roy's nephew * Anurag Kulkarni in a cameo appearance in the song "Pranavalaya"


Production


Development

On 18 December 2019, Rahul Sankrityan narrated a script to Nani, which was considered to be an "innovative story". The project was initially reported to be produced under Suryadevara Naga Vamsi's Sithara Entertainments banner, who initially worked with Nani in ''
Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label=Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependencies, Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west F ...
'' (2019). The film was announced in February 2020, with the title ''Shyam Singha Roy'', and was expected to go on floors in May 2020, although the launch was delayed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in India The COVID-19 pandemic in India is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). As of , according to Indian government figures, India has the second-highest n ...
. During March 2020, A. R. Rahman was approached to compose music for the film, and Nirav Shah was in charge of handling the cinematography. Later Anirudh Ravichander was announced as the composer as Rahman apparently did not accept the offer. The film was meant to be Anirudh's third collaboration with Nani after ''Jersey'' and '' Nani's Gang Leader''. The film was expected to be made on a huge scale, marking the most expensive film in Nani's career. However, producer Naga Vamsi wanted to cut down the budget citing the pandemic, as the estimated cost was much higher; Vamsi wanted to shelve the project, while Nani was completing the shoot of '' Tuck Jagadish''. Due to differences of opinion between Nani and Vamsi, the production was handed over to Venkat Boyanapalli, who would be producing the film under his newly established banner Niharika Entertainment. On 25 October 2020, a new poster was launched coinciding with Dusshera, with the inclusion of composer Mickey J. Meyer, cinematographer
Sanu John Varghese Sanu John Varghese is an Indian cinematographer, who has worked in the Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films. After beginning his career as a technician in DD News, commercials and documentaries, he worked on Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam fi ...
and editor Naveen Nooli. Director Sankrityan revealed that the film is based on the theme of
reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is ...
and partially set against the backdrop of Kolkata.


Casting

Sai Pallavi, who also collaborated with Nani in '' Middle Class Abbayi'', was cast in the film. It was reported that Rashmika Mandanna was approached for a lead role, although
Krithi Shetty Krithi Shetty (born 21 September 2003) is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Telugu films. She made her debut with the commercially successful film ''Uppena'' (2021).. She Has Won One Filmfare Award South and One SIIMA Award. Early ...
was finalized later.
Madonna Sebastian Madonna Sebastian is an Indian actress and playback singer who primarily works in Tamil and Malayalam films. She made her acting debut with 2015 Malayalam film ''Premam,'' and Tamil with ''Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum'' (2016), and in Telugu with ''P ...
was also confirmed as a lead, marking her come back to the
Telugu cinema Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Telugu cinema is based in Film Nagar, ...
after ''Premam'' (2016).
Murali Sharma Murali Sharma (born 9 August 1972) is an Indian actor who works predominently in Telugu and Hindi films. Sharma has starred in over 130 feature films, including Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Malayalam cinema. Sharma gained wide recognition ...
, Abhinav Gomatam, and
Rahul Ravindran Rahul Ravindran (born 23 June 1981) is an Indian actor, director, and screenwriter who works in Telugu films. He made his lead debut in the Tamil film ''Moscowin Kavery'' (2010), before playing leading roles as a man with cerebral palsy in '' V ...
were later included in the cast. In March 2021, Bengali actor Jisshu Sengupta was signed to play an important role in the film. This also marked the Telugu debut for
Bharatanatyam Bharatanatyam () is a major form of Indian classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the eight widely recognized Indian classical dance forms, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, particularly of ...
dancer, Leela Samson.


Filming

The film was launched at a private ceremony in
Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
on 11 December 2020, in the presence of the cast and crew, and Nani's father gave the muhurat shot for the film. Principal photography began on 21 December 2020 in
Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
, India. A
Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
-themed street along with the Kalighat Kali Temple was constructed on a budget of 6 crores. In February 2021, the team began filming crucial scenes in Kolkata. Filming was briefly halted due to
COVID-19 lockdown in India On the evening of 24 March 2020, the Government of India ordered a nationwide lockdown for 21days, limiting movement of the entire 1.38billion (138 crore) population of India as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 pandemic in India. It wa ...
and was resumed in July 2021. The Kolkata set in Hyderabad was damaged due to heavy rains and was restored by art director Avinash Kolla. Filming was completed on 26 July 2021 and post-production began.


Music

The soundtrack album is composed by Mickey J. Meyer and the audio rights were acquired by Saregama. The song "Pranavalaya" is based on the Carnatic Raga " Udayaravichandrika" or "Shuddha Dhanyasi" (known as Raag " Dhani" in Hindustani Music). Telugu version Tamil version


Release


Theatrical

The film was originally scheduled for release on 24 December 2020, coinciding with
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
, but was eventually postponed as filming was delayed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
. The film was released on 24 December 2021. Apart from Telugu, the film was dubbed and released in Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada languages.


Home Media

Gemini TV acquired the satellite rights of the film in Telugu, while
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
acquired the digital rights in Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. The film began streaming through Netflix on 21 January 2022.


Reception


Critical response

''Shyam Singha Roy'' received mixed to positive reviews with critics praising the performances while criticizing the screenplay. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of '' The Hindu'' opnied that "This isn’t to say that this is a sub par film. But with a little more thought, it could have been way smarter. Despite these niggles, there’s plenty going for ''Shyam Singha Roy''". Giving a rating of 3.5 out of 5, Neeshita Nyayapati of ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English language, English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, t ...
'' wrote: "''Shyam Singha Roy'' might not have a story that’s completely out of the box but the staging does have the potential to bowl you over. Barring the underwhelming aspects, give this one a chance this weekend if you’re longing for something that’s well-made and backed by a stellar cast", appreciating the acting performances of Nani and Sai Pallavi, and the story. Calling it "engrossing", ''
The News Minute ''The News Minute'' is an Indian digital news platform based in Bangalore, Karnataka. It was founded by Dhanya Rajendran, Chitra Subramaniam and Vignesh Vellore in 2014. Apart from Karnataka, it also has bureaus in the states of Telangana, An ...
'''s Sowmya Rajendran too gave a rating of 3.5 out of 5. She has praised the screenplay, story, direction and acting by the ensemble cast, commenting that "Sai Pallavi is the show-stealer, performing a role that's tailor-made for her". Manoj Kumar R of ''
The Indian Express ''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932. It is published in Mumbai by the Indian Express Limited, Indian Express Group. In 1999, eight years after the group's founder Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, ...
'' called the film "a revolutionary romantic tale". He finally wrote: "To director-writer Rahul Sankrityan’s credit, the film’s hero lives and fights by the pen, instead of resorting to violence. The period portions of the film is a sight for sore eyes. The retro look of Nani and Sai Pallavi oozes charm. Pallavi’s classical dance performance draped in a red saree is a sight to behold. Just her presence on the screen elevates a scene to another level". ''
Firstpost ''Firstpost'' is an Indian online news and media website. The site is a part of the Network 18 media conglomerate owned by Reliance Industries, which also runs CNN-News18 and CNBC-TV18. The ''Network 18'' group was originally owned by Ra ...
'''s Sankeertana Varma praised the technical department of the film stating: "Navin Nooli's editing, too, helps intertwine the two timelines to give the viewer a glimpse into Vasu's psyche—what he is seeing and how unclear it all is. Sanu John Varughese's cinematography and Kolla Avinash's production design shoulder the film as well. While Sanu's camera daftly manoeuvres between the two timelines—the way Sai Pallavi's introduction song is shot, choreographed, and cut needs special mention, Avinash's period detailing does transport the viewer to a time gone by". Writing for ''
India Today ''India Today'' is a weekly Indian English-language news magazine published by Living Media India Limited. It is the most widely circulated magazine in India, with a readership of close to 8 million. In 2014, ''India Today'' launched a new on ...
'', Janani K said that "Cinematographer Sanu John Varghese’s visuals, especially in the period portions, are exceptional. Music by Mickey J Meyer tugs at our heartstrings. Shyam Singha Roy could have been a taut and crisp story about reincarnation. Since it takes a familiar route, the overall effect takes a dip". Prakash Pecheti of '' Telangana Today'' felt that the film falls short of becoming a masterpiece. He further wrote: "‘Shyam Singha Roy’ would’ve been an engaging one if characters had some depth in establishing them. One might even think that a realistic approach might have fetched the story well".


Box Office

Movie overall Business valued at 22 crores and it collected 9.60Cr in Nizam,10 crore in Andhra Pradesh and in both telugu states it collected 20 crores distributor share of gross 33.50 crores. Total Worldwide it collected share of 26.5 crores and declared as Super Hit.


Accolades


Notes


References


External links

* * *{{Twitter, id=https://twitter.com/shyamsingharoy, name=Shyam Singha Roy Indian supernatural thriller films Indian supernatural films Films shot in Hyderabad, India Films set in Kolkata Films about reincarnation Films postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic Film productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic Films set in Hyderabad, India Films set in West Bengal Films set in Mumbai Films set in 2020 Films set in 2021 Films set in 1969 Films set in 1977