Arjun (film)
Encyclopedia
Arjun ( Dubbed into Tamil as Varenda Madhuraiku and Dubbed into Malayalam as Arjun and Dubbed into Hindi as Maidaan-E-Jung ) is a Tollywood film released on 18 August 2004, and was directed by Gunasekhar
. This is the second time Mahesh Babu
and Gunasekhar have teamed up after delivering the blockbuster Okkadu
. The movie stars Mahesh Babu
, Shriya Saran
, Keerthi Reddy
, Raja
, Prakashraj, Saritha
and Murali Mohan
.
) and his twin sister Meenakshi(Keerthi Reddy
) finish college. During college days Meenakshi falls in love with her classmate, which she expresses later to her family when she is shown proposals from others. Arjun sets out to Madurai in Tamil Nadu where Uday is about to get married who also awaits for Meenakshi, to elope with. Arjun makes a dramatic appearance, with no apparent disapproval from the parents Meenakshi gets married to Uday. Meanwhile Arjun meets a girl, Shriya Saran
who happens to be from Madurai too. After the marriage Uday's parents (Prakashraj, Saritha
) secretly plan to kill Meenakshi as they had lost a chance to grab a millionaire's property by the arranged marriage. How Arjun meets the plans to kill his sister and saves each time is the crust of the story. In this film, the name of the character played by Mahesh Babu is not revealed till the end. The other roles call him with the name of the relation, but none call him Arjun, and this is revealed only at the end.
The Madurai Meenakshi temple shown in this film is a colossal set of the real one. It was created by art director Padma Sri Thotta Tharani.
The film was later dubbed in Tamil
as Varenda Maduraiku.
was an average grosser there. The film was released in 40 prints and it had a 50-day run in 35 centres and a 100-day run in 14 centres.
Gunasekhar
Gunasekhar is a Telugu film director. He directed the films Choodalani Vundi, Okkadu, Arjun, Sainikudu. In the South Indian Filmfare Awards, Gunasekhar won Filmfare Best Director Award for Okkadu and also he won several nandhi awards including national award for best children's film director for...
. This is the second time Mahesh Babu
Mahesh Babu
Mahesh Babu born Mahesh Babu Ghattamaneni on 9 August 1975 is an Indian film actor from Telugu Cinema. Born to Legendary Telugu actor Superstar Krishna, Mahesh Babu faced the camera at the age of four as a child artist in the movie Needa...
and Gunasekhar have teamed up after delivering the blockbuster Okkadu
Okkadu
Okkadu is a 2003 Telugu film which was directed by Gunasekhar. It stars Mahesh Babu, Bhoomika Chawla, and Prakash Raj. Music was composed by Mani Sharma and editing was done by A. Sreekar Prasad. M.S. Raju produced this film. This movie was later remade into the Tamil as Ghilli and became one of...
. The movie stars Mahesh Babu
Mahesh Babu
Mahesh Babu born Mahesh Babu Ghattamaneni on 9 August 1975 is an Indian film actor from Telugu Cinema. Born to Legendary Telugu actor Superstar Krishna, Mahesh Babu faced the camera at the age of four as a child artist in the movie Needa...
, Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran , also known by the mononym Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has worked in several of the regional industries of Indian cinema, having acted in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English, Malayalam and Kannada...
, Keerthi Reddy
Keerthi Reddy
Keerthi Reddy is an Indian actress. She also acted in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada movies.-Early life:Reddy was born to interior designer and mother a dress designer. Her grandfather is Ganga Reddy, Member of Parliament from Dichpally in Andhra Pradesh...
, Raja
Raja (actor)
Raja Abel is a Telugu film actor. He played the lead role in the Telugu movieAnand, which won 7 Nandi Awards in 2004.-Early life & Family:...
, Prakashraj, Saritha
Saritha
Saritha is a South Indian actress. She has acted in at least 141 feature films, and was cast in the television serial Selvi in 2005. Her mainstream career spanned from 1979 to 1989, when she took a break to marry Indian actor and producer Mukesh and raise their two sons...
and Murali Mohan
Murali Mohan
Murali Mohan Maganti is an Indian film actor, producer and a businessman from Telugu cinema. He has also been active in politics for the Telugu Desam Party of Andhra Pradesh, in India.-Early life:...
.
Plot
Arjun(Mahesh BabuMahesh Babu
Mahesh Babu born Mahesh Babu Ghattamaneni on 9 August 1975 is an Indian film actor from Telugu Cinema. Born to Legendary Telugu actor Superstar Krishna, Mahesh Babu faced the camera at the age of four as a child artist in the movie Needa...
) and his twin sister Meenakshi(Keerthi Reddy
Keerthi Reddy
Keerthi Reddy is an Indian actress. She also acted in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada movies.-Early life:Reddy was born to interior designer and mother a dress designer. Her grandfather is Ganga Reddy, Member of Parliament from Dichpally in Andhra Pradesh...
) finish college. During college days Meenakshi falls in love with her classmate, which she expresses later to her family when she is shown proposals from others. Arjun sets out to Madurai in Tamil Nadu where Uday is about to get married who also awaits for Meenakshi, to elope with. Arjun makes a dramatic appearance, with no apparent disapproval from the parents Meenakshi gets married to Uday. Meanwhile Arjun meets a girl, Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran , also known by the mononym Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has worked in several of the regional industries of Indian cinema, having acted in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English, Malayalam and Kannada...
who happens to be from Madurai too. After the marriage Uday's parents (Prakashraj, Saritha
Saritha
Saritha is a South Indian actress. She has acted in at least 141 feature films, and was cast in the television serial Selvi in 2005. Her mainstream career spanned from 1979 to 1989, when she took a break to marry Indian actor and producer Mukesh and raise their two sons...
) secretly plan to kill Meenakshi as they had lost a chance to grab a millionaire's property by the arranged marriage. How Arjun meets the plans to kill his sister and saves each time is the crust of the story. In this film, the name of the character played by Mahesh Babu is not revealed till the end. The other roles call him with the name of the relation, but none call him Arjun, and this is revealed only at the end.
Soundtrack
This film consists of 6 songs, all composed by Mani Sharma:- Okka Matta (Picturized on MaheshMahesh BabuMahesh Babu born Mahesh Babu Ghattamaneni on 9 August 1975 is an Indian film actor from Telugu Cinema. Born to Legendary Telugu actor Superstar Krishna, Mahesh Babu faced the camera at the age of four as a child artist in the movie Needa...
) - Oh Cheli (Picturized on SriyaShriya SaranShriya Saran , also known by the mononym Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has worked in several of the regional industries of Indian cinema, having acted in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English, Malayalam and Kannada...
and Mahesh)..this song was shot in Moscow. - Madhura Madhura (picturized on Keerthi ReddyKeerthi ReddyKeerthi Reddy is an Indian actress. She also acted in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada movies.-Early life:Reddy was born to interior designer and mother a dress designer. Her grandfather is Ganga Reddy, Member of Parliament from Dichpally in Andhra Pradesh...
and Mahesh in the temple setting) - Raa Raa (Sriya and Mahesh: shot outside the temple setting)
- Hey Pilla (picturized on Mahesh and sriya)
- Dum Dumare (picturized on Mahesh, Sriya, and Keerthi Reddy)
Cast
- Mahesh BabuMahesh BabuMahesh Babu born Mahesh Babu Ghattamaneni on 9 August 1975 is an Indian film actor from Telugu Cinema. Born to Legendary Telugu actor Superstar Krishna, Mahesh Babu faced the camera at the age of four as a child artist in the movie Needa...
... Arjun - Shriya SaranShriya SaranShriya Saran , also known by the mononym Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has worked in several of the regional industries of Indian cinema, having acted in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English, Malayalam and Kannada...
... Roopa - Keerthi ReddyKeerthi ReddyKeerthi Reddy is an Indian actress. She also acted in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada movies.-Early life:Reddy was born to interior designer and mother a dress designer. Her grandfather is Ganga Reddy, Member of Parliament from Dichpally in Andhra Pradesh...
... Meenakshi - RajaRaja (actor)Raja Abel is a Telugu film actor. He played the lead role in the Telugu movieAnand, which won 7 Nandi Awards in 2004.-Early life & Family:...
... Uday - Prakash RajPrakash RajPrakash Raj , better known by his stage name Prakash Raj, is a National Award winning actor, director and producer who has worked in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam films. Though he was born in a Tulu family he achieved fame through Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films. He got introduced to...
... Bala Nayagar - SarithaSarithaSaritha is a South Indian actress. She has acted in at least 141 feature films, and was cast in the television serial Selvi in 2005. Her mainstream career spanned from 1979 to 1989, when she took a break to marry Indian actor and producer Mukesh and raise their two sons...
... Andal - Murali MohanMurali MohanMurali Mohan Maganti is an Indian film actor, producer and a businessman from Telugu cinema. He has also been active in politics for the Telugu Desam Party of Andhra Pradesh, in India.-Early life:...
... Anandrao
Crew
- Director: GunasekharGunasekharGunasekhar is a Telugu film director. He directed the films Choodalani Vundi, Okkadu, Arjun, Sainikudu. In the South Indian Filmfare Awards, Gunasekhar won Filmfare Best Director Award for Okkadu and also he won several nandhi awards including national award for best children's film director for...
- Screenplay: GunasekharGunasekharGunasekhar is a Telugu film director. He directed the films Choodalani Vundi, Okkadu, Arjun, Sainikudu. In the South Indian Filmfare Awards, Gunasekhar won Filmfare Best Director Award for Okkadu and also he won several nandhi awards including national award for best children's film director for...
- Story: GunasekharGunasekharGunasekhar is a Telugu film director. He directed the films Choodalani Vundi, Okkadu, Arjun, Sainikudu. In the South Indian Filmfare Awards, Gunasekhar won Filmfare Best Director Award for Okkadu and also he won several nandhi awards including national award for best children's film director for...
- Dialogue: Paruchuri BrothersParuchuri BrothersParuchuri Brothers are a very famous dialogue-writing duo for Telugu Tollywood films. They are Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao and Paruchuri Gopala Krishna. They have written story and dialogues for over 333 films. They have made a huge contribution to Telugu Cinema...
- Producer: G. Ramesh Babu
- Music: Mani SharmaMani SharmaMani Sharma Yanamandra is a music director known for his works in Tollywood. He has composed music for over 140 films. He is popularly known as "Swara Brahma" for his contributions to music in Tollywood. Mani Sharma started his career as a music director in 1998. Before that Sharma used to work...
- Choreography: Raju SundaramRaju SundaramRaju Sundaram is a Kollywood cine artiste who acts, directs, and choreographs for films. He is an eldest son of dance master Mugur Sundar, and elder brother to Prabhu Deva and Nagendra Prasad.-Birth:...
& Raghava Lawrence - Editor: A. Sreekar PrasadA. Sreekar PrasadAkkineni Sreekar Prasad better known as Sreekar Prasad is an National Award winning Indian film editor.-Brief lifesketch:He was born to editor A. Sanjivi. Veteran L. V. Prasad was his maternal uncle. He was a graduate in Literature and started his film editing career in Telugu films...
- Director of Photography: Sekhar V. Joseph
- Lyrics: Veturi Sundararama Murthy
- Art Director: Thotta TharaniThotta Tharani- Film career :Thota Tharani has been involved in the art of set design since he was just twelve when he helped his father. Be it the creation of a realistic set of the Dharavi Slums or the colourful transparent bus of Kaadhalan, Tharani succeeds in creating the right ambience and the right...
- Stunts: VijayanVijayan (fight master)Vijayan is an Indian film action choreographer, responsible for conceiving stunt and action sequences in films. He is also the president of the Film Employees' Federation of South India...
Production
The film was produced by Mahesh's brother Ramesh. This was Mahesh's last film released before he tied the knot with Namratha Shirodhkar. On the other hand, this was the first movie (and the last as on July 2008) for Keerthi Reddy after his marriage.The Madurai Meenakshi temple shown in this film is a colossal set of the real one. It was created by art director Padma Sri Thotta Tharani.
The film was later dubbed in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
as Varenda Maduraiku.
Box-office performance
The dubbed version of the movie released later in Tamil NaduTamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
was an average grosser there. The film was released in 40 prints and it had a 50-day run in 35 centres and a 100-day run in 14 centres.