Ashta Chamma
Encyclopedia
Ashta Chamma is a critically acclaimed 2008
India
n comedy film
written and directed by Mohan Krishna Indraganti
. Filmed in Telugu
, the film deals with four quirky characters interwoven in a romantic narration. The film stars Colours Swathi
, Nani, Srinivas Avasarala
and Bhargavi in the lead with Tanikella Bharani
in a supporting role.
The film's idea is similar to that of The Importance of Being Earnest
.
-winning Grahanam (2005) and followed it up with Mayabazaar (2006). While working on the characters, the story became more female-centric and thereby departed from Wilde's narration. After working on the story's draft of 225 pages for about two months, he began fine-tuning it for another few months. The film was produced by Ram Mohan, his first production venture. Mohan, a management graduate from Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
, previously worked for UTV Software Communications
. While Kalyani Malik was hired to compose the music and the background score, Marthand K. Venkatesh
was chosen as film's editor
.
The film is named after Ashta Chamma
, a traditionally and leisurely played game from the south India
n state of Andhra Pradesh
. The game, which is otherwise known as Ludo
, was released as a part of the film's promotional efforts.
While Indraganti wanted Bhumika Chawla
to be cast in the leading role, he chose Colours Swathi
in the supporting role. However when he was unsuccessful in hiring Chawla for the film, he promoted Swathi to the lead role. Swati held a good opinion about Indraganti, whom she thought to be quite an educated director. After confirming Swathi for the role, Indraganti was scouting for three more actors to form the primary cast. During this period, Swathi completed the Tamil
film, Subramaniapuram
.
were "angry" on him when he got married. Even the heroine is one of them, though she is a die hard fan. Although her aunt (Jhansi) keeps telling her that it's not possible to get her married to Mahesh she pays no heed and stays depressed for days. Finally, she compromises with her aunt by demanding that her husband's name must be Mahesh. Her aunt relents and starts the search for the groom, though in vain.
Her neighbor, Anand, helps the heroine by searching a seemingly perfect "Mahesh". He becomes friends with him and sees that Mahesh is a classy, handsome guy. Soon, the neighbor introduces the two and the couple seem destined to be together forever—until the twists come with a new heroine, her relationship with "Mahesh" and his past. If their love lasts forever forms the rest of the story.
Nandi Awards
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
written and directed by Mohan Krishna Indraganti
Mohan Krishna Indraganti
Mohana Krishna Indraganti is an award-winning Telugu film director from India. His first directorial venture Grahanam in 2005 fetched him 11 awards with the prominent ones being the National Film Award, Nandi Award and Gollapudi Srinivas Memorial Award....
. Filmed in Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, the film deals with four quirky characters interwoven in a romantic narration. The film stars Colours Swathi
Colours Swathi
Swati Reddy , also known as Colours Swathi, is an Indian film actress and television presenter. Her nickname and fame come from her role in the television show Colours, which was telecasted on the Telugu station Maa TV in Andhra Pradesh...
, Nani, Srinivas Avasarala
Srinivas Avasarala
Srinivas Avasarala is a script-writer, director and actor.-Career:Srinivas Avasarala is a telugu actor and an aspiring director. He starred in the film Ashta Chamma, a Telugu adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. His portrayal of Anand, Algernon in the original play, won him...
and Bhargavi in the lead with Tanikella Bharani
Tanikella Bharani
Tanikella Bharani is a critically acclaimed, multi-faceted actor from Tollywood and a writer. He is a playwrighter, a dialogue writer, screen writer, poet, magazine editor, an actor and a director...
in a supporting role.
The film's idea is similar to that of The Importance of Being Earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest (2002 film)
The Importance of Being Earnest is a 2002 British-American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Oliver Parker, based on Oscar Wilde's classic comedy of manners play of the same name. The original music score is composed by Charlie Mole...
.
Production
Prior to this film, Indraganti debuted with the National Film AwardNational Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
-winning Grahanam (2005) and followed it up with Mayabazaar (2006). While working on the characters, the story became more female-centric and thereby departed from Wilde's narration. After working on the story's draft of 225 pages for about two months, he began fine-tuning it for another few months. The film was produced by Ram Mohan, his first production venture. Mohan, a management graduate from Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad , better known as IIM Ahmedabad or simply IIM-A, is a business school located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is the second Indian Institute of Management to be established, in 1961.-History:...
, previously worked for UTV Software Communications
UTV Software Communications
UTV Software Communications Ltd., also known as United Television or UTV, is an Indian media and entertainment company owned by The Walt Disney Company India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.-History:...
. While Kalyani Malik was hired to compose the music and the background score, Marthand K. Venkatesh
Marthand K. Venkatesh
Marthand K. Venkatesh is an Indian Film editor who mostly works for Tollywood.-Brief lifesketch:Venkatesh is son of noted Telugu film editor K. M. Marthand. He used to assists his father in editing for the films produced by Suresh Productions. Telugu film director K. Raghavendra Rao gave him the...
was chosen as film's editor
Film editing
Film editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
.
The film is named after Ashta Chamma
Ashta Chamma (board game)
Ashta Chamma is an board game of India, played during the era of kings. This game was used to improve eye-to-eye coordination, and to teach teenagers war tactics and strategy. This game is divided for Juniors and Seniors...
, a traditionally and leisurely played game from the south India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
n state of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. The game, which is otherwise known as Ludo
Ludo (board game)
Ludo is a simple board game for two to four players, in which the players race their four tokens from start to finish according to dice rolls. Like other cross and circle games, it is similar to the Indian Pachisi, but simpler...
, was released as a part of the film's promotional efforts.
While Indraganti wanted Bhumika Chawla
Bhumika Chawla
Bhumika Chawla is an Indian actress. She made her film debut in the Telugu film Yuvakudu and has since then worked in various Indian film industries and appeared in over thirty films in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Bhojpuri, Punjabi and Malayalam...
to be cast in the leading role, he chose Colours Swathi
Colours Swathi
Swati Reddy , also known as Colours Swathi, is an Indian film actress and television presenter. Her nickname and fame come from her role in the television show Colours, which was telecasted on the Telugu station Maa TV in Andhra Pradesh...
in the supporting role. However when he was unsuccessful in hiring Chawla for the film, he promoted Swathi to the lead role. Swati held a good opinion about Indraganti, whom she thought to be quite an educated director. After confirming Swathi for the role, Indraganti was scouting for three more actors to form the primary cast. During this period, Swathi completed the 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...
film, Subramaniapuram
Subramaniapuram
Subramaniapuram is a 2008 Tamil film produced, written, and directed by M. Sasikumar. The low budget film received critical acclaim for its original script, expert direction, screenplay, editing, accurate sets and costumes to resurrect Madurai from the 1980s. Sasikumar cast then relatively new...
.
Plot
The movie starts with a small introduction that all the female fans of actor 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...
were "angry" on him when he got married. Even the heroine is one of them, though she is a die hard fan. Although her aunt (Jhansi) keeps telling her that it's not possible to get her married to Mahesh she pays no heed and stays depressed for days. Finally, she compromises with her aunt by demanding that her husband's name must be Mahesh. Her aunt relents and starts the search for the groom, though in vain.
Her neighbor, Anand, helps the heroine by searching a seemingly perfect "Mahesh". He becomes friends with him and sees that Mahesh is a classy, handsome guy. Soon, the neighbor introduces the two and the couple seem destined to be together forever—until the twists come with a new heroine, her relationship with "Mahesh" and his past. If their love lasts forever forms the rest of the story.
Awards
Filmfare- Swathi won the Best Actress award
- Nominated for best film
Nandi Awards
Nandi Awards
The Nandi Awards is the most Prominent award ceremony for Telugu films, Telugu Theater & Television, presented annually in Andhra Pradesh, India. "Nandi" means "bull", the awards being named after the big granite bull at Lepakshi — a cultural and historical symbol of Andhra Pradesh.Nandi...
- Akkineni Award for best home-viewing feature film
- Best Leading Actress-Swathi