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Anthahpuram
DVD cover
Directed by	Krishna Vamsi
Written by	Story & Screenplay: Krishna Vamsi Dialogues: Akkella
Produced by	P. Kiran
Starring	Soundarya Prakash Raj Sai Kumar Jagapathi Babu
Cinematography	S. K. A. Bhupathi
Edited by	Shankar
Music by	Ilaiyaraaja
Production company	Anandi Art Creations
Release date	30 November 1998 (1998-11-30)
Running time	137 minutes
Country	India
Language	Telugu

Anthahpuram (transl. Palace) is a 1998 Indian action drama film, co-written and directed by Krishna Vamsi. The film stars Soundarya, Prakash Raj, Sai Kumar and Jagapathi Babu with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Inspired from 1991 American film Not Without My Daughter (1991), the plot revolves around a newly-married NRI woman finding herself in a traditionally feudal family in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh.

Anthahpuram won nine Nandi Awards and three Filmfare Awards South including Best Film – Telugu. The film was later remade in 1999 in Tamil with the same name with Parthiban replacing Jagapathi Babu and it was remade in Hindi as Shakti: The Power (2002).

Plot

The film begins in Mauritius, where Bhanumati / Bhanu, a naughty girl, resides with her uncle Bobby. Prakash, an orphan, is acquainted with Bhanu. They couple up and are shortly blessed with a baby boy, Raja. Once Prakash hears that an act of violence took place in his hometown in Rayalaseema, he tries to contact his mother through a letter but fails. So, he rushes to India along with his wife and kid. Bhanu understands that Prakash has hidden his identity and belongs to a highly feudal society. His father, Narasimha, is a powerful factionist. Since Prakash couldn't bear the savagery in that society, he had migrated to Mauritius.

As soon as the pair lands, Narasimha's foes try to kill Prakash. They almost succeed when Narasimha's aides counter-attack and rescue them. They are taken home to Prakash's ancestral home, which repulses and frightens Bhanu, seeing their best culture. She actively hinders Narasimha's attempts to get to know his grandson. She finds solace in the company of her mother-in-law, who showers her, Prakash, and Raja with utmost affection. After a while, Prakash decides to go back. He hands their passports over to his best friend, Inspector Chinna, and tells him to make their travel arrangements back to Mauritius.

Narasimha has to attend a wedding ceremony, but Prakash goes instead. On his way there, the antagonists attack Prakash and kill him. Learning this information, Bhanu quickly packs up, fearing for her child's safety. However, she stops at the request of her mother-in-law, who requests her to at least stay till Prakash's funeral. Narasimha refuses to give up the child as he needs an heir to take a vendetta for his son's death. Bhanu is distraught, protests, and makes several attempts to escape. Hence, Narasimha imprisons her in their house.

Meanwhile, Sarai Veeraraju, a petty thief, commits various crimes to achieve his life ambition of living in Dubai. Bhanu absconds with the aid of her mother-in-law. She collects their passports and tickets from Chinna when Narasimha's deputies chase her. She coincidentally happens across Veeraraju, who protects her from her assailants. Bhanu offers Veeraraju the money he needs to go to Dubai and pleads with him to help her board a train to Hyderabad. Narasimha decides to kill Bhanu and take Raju back when his wife reprimands him, telling him that they, too, were partially responsible for their son's death, which reforms him. When Narasimha's enemies ambush them, Veeraraju plans to get her on the train. Both Narasimha's enemies and acolytes chase them. Veeraraju accomplishes the task and helps her board the train to Hyderabad. But, sadly, he dies amidst the violence. At last, Narasimha continues pursuing Bhanu until the airport and catches her before she can get on her flight. But instead of stopping her, he asks her to forgive him, allowing her and Raja to leave. Finally, the movie ends with Bhanu forgiving Narasimha and Raja saying goodbye to his grandfather.

Cast

• Soundarya as Bhanumati
• Prakash Raj as Narasimha
• Sai Kumar as Prakash, Bhanumati's husband
• Jagapathi Babu as Sarai Veeraraju
• Saradha as Narasimha's wife
• K. Ashok Kumar
• G. V. Sudhakar Naidu
• Ramaraju as Narasimha's henchman
• Dasari Arun Kumar in a cameo appearance
• Chinna
• M. S. Narayana
• Babu Mohan as Bobby
• Raja Babu
• Jagga Rao
• Telangana Shakuntala
• Heera Rajagopal guest appearance in an item number
• Delhi Rajeswari
• Master Krishna Pradeep as Raja (Prakash's son)
• Madhusudhan Rao in an uncredited role

Tamil version

• Parthiban as Dubai Pandiyan
• Mansoor Ali Khan as Shekhar
• Simran as Radha

Production

The song "Kalyanam Kanundi" was shot at Mauritius.

Soundtrack

The film's music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics written by Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry and was released by Melody Makers Audio Company.

All lyrics are written by Palani Bharathi

Reception

Rakesh P of Deccan Herald wrote, "For those movie-buffs who fee: drooped after watching mushy romances and maudlin melodramas, Ananthapuram provides a respite. Director Krishna Vamsi, who is known for his technical virtuosity, has shot violence and gore very aesthetically and succeeds in making it a gripping entertainer". D. S. Ramanujam of The Hindu reviewing the Tamil version wrote that Parthiban and Prakash Raj "have contributed handsomely in Duet Cinema's Anthapuram". He added, "It is a taxing role for Soundarya and she fulfils it with complete assurance. Mansur Ali Khan quite fits the part while Sai Kumar cuts a neat figure in the role of a son who wants his father to give up his ways of bloodshed". K. P. S. of Kalki reviewing the same, wrote the old Thevar Magan has been washed anew; blood is used for washing instead of water.

Accolades

Notes

1. Awards are in Alphabetical order.
2. Date is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

References

1. "కథ వాళ్లది... క్రియేటివిటీ మనది!". Sakshi (in Telugu). 27 September 2015. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
2. C, Navya (27 October 2018). "From Rayalaseema with Love: Films That Added New Shades To The Region". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
3. "A woman scorned". Rediff.com. 18 September 2002. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
4. "Karisma back with 'Shakti — The Power'". The Tribune. 20 September 2002. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
5. ""Antahpuram" in a submarine". Andhra Online. Archived from the original on 6 May 1999. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
6. "Antahpuram". JioSaavn. 14 January 1998. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
7. "Anthapuram". JioSaavn. January 1999. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
8. P, Rakesh (22 January 1999). "Reviews". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
9. Ramanujam, D. S. (23 July 1999). "Film Reviews: Anthapuram / Viralukkaetha Veekkam / Sangamam". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 4 June 2001. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
10. கே.பி.எஸ் (1 August 1999). "அந்தப்புரம்". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 48. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023 – via Internet Archive.
11. "Filmfare awards presented at a dazzling function". The Times of India. 25 April 1999. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
12. "Nandi Film Awards G.O and Results 1998". APFTVTDC. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
13. "నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)" [A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)] (PDF) (in Telugu). Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
14. "46th National Film Awards 1999" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.

External links

• Anthahpuram at IMDb 
• Anthahpuram at Rotten Tomatoes

• 1998 films
• 1990s Indian films
• 1990s Tamil-language films
• 1990s Telugu-language films
• 1998 action drama films
• 1998 multilingual films
• Films directed by Krishna Vamsi
• Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja
• Films set in Mauritius
• Indian action drama films
• Indian multilingual films
• Tamil films remade in other languages
• Tamil-language Indian films
• Telugu films remade in other languages