Masala mainstream Telugu movies have been a niche for the producers as well as the audiences. At the beginning of the 2000s era, a shift in storytelling occurred, when multiple movies, based around college and family lives of the millennial era, were being produced. College romances, or traditional romances, and larger-than-life action dramas were the “go-to” genres in the early 2000s. With the passage of time, a tilt in the type of content produced took place again. A parallel of independent cinemas started to grow. These movies were low in budget but high on real-life stories. Directed and produced by individuals having no family background in the mainstream Telugu industry, along with talented actors, these movies have created a prominent fan base for themselves. Yo! Vizag visits some of the indie Telugu movies that have proved to be successful in recent years and are available for streaming on various OTT platforms.
Mallesham is a 2019 movie directed and produced by Raj Rachakonda with a mere budget of Rs.2.5 crores. Priyadarshi Pullikonda plays the titular role in this biopic based on Padma Shri recipient Chintakindi Mallesham. He dives into the role of the man who invents the Asu machine that revolutionised the weaving industry. The movie also marks the debut of Ananya Nagalla. Priyadarshi’s performance in the movie was also considered as the “100 Greatest Performances of the Decade” by Film Companion.
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Manu is a 2018 romantic art film written and directed by debutant Phanindra Narsetti. The movie was crowdfunded to generate the production cost of the movie. Set in the 1980s, the movie stars Raja Gowtham and Chandini Chowdary in the lead roles. The thriller revolves around a murder which is related to a romantic development between two souls.
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Written and directed by Tharun Bhascker, Pelli Choopulu, released in 2016, marked the debut of Vijay Devarakonda and Ritu Varma in lead roles. The movie proved to be a breakthrough for both the cast as well as the crew. Pelli Choopulu also won two National Film Awards, namely Best Telugu Film and Best Screenplay, for the year 2016. The movie was inspired by the true story of the ‘Spitfire BBQ’ food truck. It was later remade in Hindi as Mitron and in Malayalam as Vijay Superum Pournamiyum. Tharun Bhascker’s second directorial venture Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi, was inspired from the journey before the crew made its breakthrough via Pelli Choopulu. This National Award-winner is one of the best Telugu indie movies ever and is available to stream on the Telugu OTT platform SunNxt.
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Based on real-life incidents of the 1970s, Palasa 1978 is a period drama, written and directed by debutant Karuna Kumar. As the title suggests, the movie has its premise in the town of Palasa of the Srikakulam district. The movie revolves around the evils of caste discrimination, and untouchability, that prevailed in the social settings of that era. Director Karuna Kumar successfully pulled off a highly sensitive topic that did not antagonise any section of society. The movie stars Rakshith, Nakshatra, and Raghu Kunche in the leading roles.
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A successful detective comedy thriller, Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya is a 2019 movie written and directed by Swaroop RSJ. The movie struggled to receive shows at the multiplexes in India. It was only after a ‘one-day before’ preview in America, where it received a standing ovation, that the movie went to garner the attention of theaters in India. The movie marked the debut of Naveen Polishetty and Shruti Sharma in leading roles. After the success of Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya, a sequel to the movie is under production.
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In an interview with Yo! Vizag, debut director Praveen Kandregula (GITAM alumni) had revealed that his team first pitched the idea for the movie to producers Raj and DK at the Film Bazaar held in Goa. One of the best movies of 2021, Cinema Bandi showcased an honest journey of an auto driver and his long-lost ambitious dream of filmmaking. He himself is inspired by the dawn of independent Telugu cinemas. His thoughts to earn money through the film comes from the idea to make his village a better place to live in.
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One of the highest-grossing Telugu movies of 2021, Jathi Ratnalu was a pure comedy movie, made with only one purpose, to make people laugh. Actors Naveen Polishetty, Priyadarshi, and Rahul Ramakrishna play a hilarious role with pure dedication and impeccable comic timings. The movie is devoid of logic and never asks to be taken seriously. It comes as a laughter relief during all the hardships being faced during the pandemic. Truly, this indie comedy is one of the best Telugu movies to watch this year on Indian OTT platforms.
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Based on a taboo subject of drug abuse, that producers rarely experiment with to make a movie on; Mathu Vadalara comes as an exception. The 2019 comedy thriller is directed by debutant Ritesh Rana. He dwells on the dark comedy relating to the struggles that bachelors face during their early 20s. The climax of the movie is built around an accidental murder, a crossroads with a drug dealer and a policeman who will cross any heights to solve the murder. Made on a budget of Rs. 2.1 crore, the movie proved to be a successful venture at the box office.
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A movie around the social evil of racism and discrimination on the basis of the financial standing of a person. Colour Photo is a 2020 romantic drama directed by debutant Sandeep Raj. The movie features a series of talented actors like Suhas, often seen in a role of sidekick in other movies, along with Chandini Chowdary, Sunil, and Harsha Chemudu playing the prominent roles. Moving to and fro between the timelines of the 1990s and the present day, the movie narrates a heartbreaking story. It was released directly on the OTT platform due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Two parallel storylines ending at the same climax, Brochevarevaru Ra is a genius. One of the most underrated 2019 crime comedy movies, is directed by Vivek Athreya. The movie stars Sree Vishnu, Nivetha Thomas, Nivetha Pethuraj, and Satyadev Kancharana, Priyadarshi and Rahul Ramakrishna in feature roles. The movie is being remade in Kannada and Hindi. It’s one of the must-watch indie Telugu movies on OTT platforms in recent times.
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A masterclass romantic drama that preaches that no matter how hard life gets, moving ahead is the only way to live life to its fullest. Set in the town of Kancharapalem in Vizag, the movie brilliantly featured a cast of over 80 non-actors, most of them native to the town. The movie was directed by debutant Venkatesh Maha and distributed by Rana Daggubati. Made in a meager budget of Rs. 70 lakhs, C/o Kancherpalem premiered at the New York Indian Film Festival. It was also screened at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. The movie received the honorary title of ‘Best Film Award’ at the ‘Critics’ Choice Festival of Indian films’. The ‘Caleidoscope Indian Film Festival’ held in Boston awarded the lead actor Subba Rao with the Best Actor title.
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Middle Class Melodies is a 2020 movie directed by debutante Vinod Anantoju. The movie also marked the debut of Anand Devarakonda, Vijay Deverakonda’s sibling. It was directly released on the OTT platform due to the Covid-19 pandemic but managed to receive positive reviews from the critics and the audience. The movie also features Varsha Bollamma, Chaitanya Garikipati, Divya Sripada, Goparaju Ramana in prominent roles.
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