| Mallesham | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Raj Rachakonda |
| Written by | Raj Rachakonda |
| Produced by | Raj Rachakonda Sri Adhikari |
| Starring | Priyadarshi Jhansi Ananya Nagalla Ananda Chakrapani |
| Cinematography | Balu Sandilyasa |
| Edited by | Raghavender V. |
| Music by | Mark K. Robin |
| Production company | Studio 99 |
| Distributed by | Suresh Productions |
| Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
| Budget | ₹2.5 crore |
| Box office | est. ₹5 crore |
Mallesham is a 2019 Indian Telugu-language biographical film based on the life of Chintakindi Mallesham, written and directed by Raj Rachakonda. The film features Priyadarshi as Mallesham, alongside Jhansi, debutante Ananya Nagalla and Ananda Chakrapani 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.
Plot
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Chintakindi Mallesham, a school dropout, goes on to revolutionize the weaving industry by creating the Asu machine.
Cast
- Priyadarshi as Chintakindi Mallesham
- Jhansi as Lakshmi
- Ananya Nagalla as Padma, Mallesham's wife
- Ananda Chakrapani as Narasimhulu
- Gangavva as a home owner
- Jagadeesh Prathap Bandhari as Anji
- Durgaprasad K as Electrician Kiran
- Anvesh Michael as Raju
- Jayasri Rachakonda as Dr. Indira, gynecologist
- Thiruveer as Veera Pratap
- Laxman Aelay as Padma's father
- Thagubothu Ramesh as a drunkard
- Dheer Charan Srivastav as Abdul
Production
Short film director Raj made his directorial debut with this film. He had seen the TED talk 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's Susman (1987). The film was shot in Revanapally and the crew stayed in the village for a year to shoot the film. Laxman Aelay 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
| Mallesham | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Mark K Robin | ||||
| Released | 2019 | |||
| Recorded | 2019 | |||
| Genre | Soundtrack | |||
| Producer | Mark K Robin | |||
| Mark K Robin chronology | ||||
| ||||
The songs were composed by Mark K Robin.
| Song Title | Lyricist | Singer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Dhana Dhana Dhann" | Goreti Venkanna | Anurag Kulkarni |
| "Naaku Nuvvani" | Chandrabose | Sri Krishna, Ramya Behara |
| "Oho Jambiya" | Goreti Venkanna | Goreti Venkanna, Rahul SipliGunj |
| "Aa Challani" | Dasaradhi | Anurag Kulkarni |
| "Kotha Kotha Ga" | Goreti Venkanna | Sri Krishna & Ramya Behara |
| "Amma Deevena" | Chandrabose | Sri Krishna |
| "Amma Deevena" (Instrumental) | ||
| "Entha Maaya" | Ashok Peddinti | Ramya Behara |
| "Sethikochina Biddi" | Chandrabose | Anurag Kulkarni |
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.
Accolades
| Date of ceremony | Award | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 March 2020 | Critics Choice Film Awards | Best Actor – Male | Priyadarshi | Nominated | |
| Best Actor – Female | Jhansi | Nominated | |||
| Best Director | Raj Rachakonda | Nominated | |||
| Best Film | Mallesham | Won | |||
| 11 January 2020 | Zee Cine Awards Telugu | Special Appreciation | Mallesham | Won | |
| Best Story | Raj Rachakonda, Peddinti Ashok Kumar | Won | |||
| 18 September 2021 | South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Debutant Producer – Telugu | Studio 99 | Won | |
| 18 September 2021 | South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Debutant Actress | Ananya Nagalla | Nominated | |
| 18 September 2021 | South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Debutant Director | Raj R | Nominated | |
| 18 September 2021 | South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Debutant Producer | Studio 99 (Raj R & Sri Adhikari) | Won |
References
- ^ "2019లో భారీ వసూళ్లు రాబట్టిన సినిమాలివే." [Highest grossing films of 2019]. Sakshi (in Telugu). 31 December 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- "100 Greatest Performances of the Decade". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "The Making of Mallesham". The New Indian Express. 25 July 2019.
- ^ Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (15 June 2019). "Behind the scenes of 'Mallesham', the Telugu biopic on an ikat weaver". The Hindu.
- "Priyadarshi's 'Mallesham' trailer is here and it's promising!". The Times of India. 29 May 2019.
- "Mallesham Movie Review {4/5}: A biopic pulled off well". The Times of India.
- "'Mallesham' movie review: A heart-warming and inspiring story". The New Indian Express. 22 June 2019.
- Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (20 June 2019). "'Mallesham' review: A biopic that spells hope". The Hindu.
- "Biggest Hits in 2019: Box Office Collections Wise | Telugu Hit Movies List in 2019 - Sakshi".
- "Critics Choice Film Awards 2020: Complete nominations list". The Indian Express. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- "Critics' Choice Film Awards 2020: Complete winners list". The Indian Express. 28 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- "Zee Cine awards Telugu 2020: Samantha Akkineni, Chiranjeevi and Nani win top laurels". Hindustan Times. 12 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- "SIIMA 2021 Full Winners List: Mahesh Babu – Rashmika Mandanna Win Best Actor And Actress Award". India.com. 20 September 2021.