Vinayakudu
Vinayakudu (2008 film poster).jpg
Directed bySai Kiran Adivi
Written bySai Kiran Adivi
Produced bySaritha Patra
StarringKrishnudu
Sonia
Poonam Kaur
Samrat Reddy
CinematographyP.G. Vinda
Edited byMarthand K Venkatesh
Music bySam Prasan
Release date
  • 21 November 2008 (2008-11-21)
CountryIndia
LanguageTelugu

Vinayakudu is a 2008 Telugu-language romantic drama film written and directed by Sai Kiran Adivi. The film stars Krishnudu and Sonia of Happy Days fame in the lead roles and Poonam Kaur plays the role of Sonia's friend. The film released on 21 November 2008 to critical and commercial acclaim. The film is about a fat man falling in love with an arrogant woman.

The film was partially re-shot in Tamil by Balasekaran as Vinayaka with extra scenes filmed with Santhanam.[1][2][3] It spawned a sequel titled Village Lo Vinayakudu with Krishnudu.[4] In 2020, Adivi expressed interest in remaking the film in Hindi.[5]

Plot[edit]

Karthik (Krishnudu), a soft, ever-happy kind of guy, comes to Hyderabad for a job interview at Hi-Rise, an ad agency. He gets selected, and in the office the next day, he sees Kalpana (Sonia) and likes her. He's generally not taken seriously by anyone because of his soft-spoken nature and his rotund personality, but he's the kind who doesn't take that seriously! Kalpana too doesn't care for him and finds faults with him, due to their initial interactions at work. Slowly though, she starts interacting with him more. Her parents, who leave to USA to visiting her brother's family (Mahesh & Aparna), initiate a matrimonial alliance for Kalpana with Rajeev (Samrat Reddy). Kalpana meets Rajeev and they both observe that they have a lot of tastes in common. Meanwhile, another thread of a budding relation is seen between Karthik's friend Altaf (Suryatej) and Kalpana's friend Sandhya a.k.a. Sandy (Poonam Kaur). At about the same time that Kalpana realizes Rajeev is not for her, she gets closer to Karthik but the hell gets loose suddenly due to a petty altercation between Altaf and Sandy. Eventually, Karthik and Kalpana lose even the friendly relation they have. What's the big fat love story then and how it evolves forms the rest of the story.

Cast[edit]

Tamil version

Production[edit]

Sonia Deepti was first cast after director Sai Kiran Adivi was impressed with her performance in Happy Days (2007).[6] Adivi worked as an assistant director for Happy Days where he got to know actor Krishnudu, who was signed to make his lead debut after Adivi's assistant Sekhar recommended him.[7][8] Poonam Kaur was cast in an important role.[9] Post-production work began in September of 2008.[10]

Awards[edit]

Nandi Awards - 2008[11][12]

Soundtrack[edit]

Vinayakudu
Soundtrack album
Recorded2008
GenreFeature film soundtrack
ProducerSam Prasan

The soundtrack of the film was scored by Sam Prasan.[13] The audio release was held at a function on September 3rd.[14][15]

Track Song Singer(s) Lyricist Duration (min:sec)
1 "Hum Hain Hyderabadi" Hema Chandra Avinash 3:33
2 "Saradaga Ee Samayam" Chitra, P. Unnikrishnan Vanamali 4:37
3 "Varaveena" Raghu, Hema Chandra, Sridevi & Sahithi Avinash 3:52
4 "Naalo Vedane " Kunal Ganjawala Avinash 5:02
5 "Varaveena" Instrumental 3:38
6 "Naalo Vedane " Instrumental 5:03

Reception[edit]

Radhika Rajamani of Rediff called the film "an okay watch" while praising the lead pair's performances.[16] A critic from 123 Telugu called the film "timepass" and "a brave attempt.[17] A critic from GreatAndhra wrote that "It' a well written, well handled and in one line to say' a well made movie'".[18] Deepa Garimella of Full Hyderabad wrote that "To its credit, Vinayakudu is a brave, brave attempt at the unconventional".[19] A critic from Filmibeat praised the lead pair and the direction.[20] A critic from Indiaglitz stated that "But still on a whole, the debutant director Sai Kiran has hit the bull's eye almost with his very first venture".[21]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Fat chance!". The Times of India. 3 May 2010.
  2. ^ "Balasekaran directs unique love story". Indiaglitz. 23 April 2010.
  3. ^ "Vinayaga Movie Review". Friday Moviez. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022.
  4. ^ Narasimham, M. L. (10 October 2009). "Same hero, different story". The Hindu.
  5. ^ "Sai Kiran Adivi's "Vinayakudu" set for a Bollywood remake after 12 years?". The Times of India. 11 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Sonia bags her second film after Happy Days". Filmibeat. 18 April 2008.
  7. ^ "Interview with Krishnudu". Idlebrain. 3 September 2008.
  8. ^ Rajamni, Radhika. "'The film would have been incomplete without Krishnudu'". Rediff.
  9. ^ "Happy days for Sonia". The Times of India. 25 March 2008.
  10. ^ "Vinayakudu ready to touch the hearts". Filmibeat. 19 September 2008.
  11. ^ "నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964 - 2008)" [A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964 - 2008)] (PDF) (in Telugu). Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh. 13 March 2010. p. 74. Retrieved 3 January 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "Nandi awards 2008 announced". Idlebrain. 24 October 2008.
  13. ^ http://www.raaga.com/channels/telugu/album/A0001356.html
  14. ^ "'Vinyakudu' music out". Indiaglitz. 4 September 2008.
  15. ^ "Vinayakudu Audio Launch". Ragalahari.
  16. ^ Rajamni, Radhika. "Just about okay". Rediff.
  17. ^ "Vinayakudu : Big Fat CUTE Love Story !!!". 123Telugu. 21 November 2008.
  18. ^ Arikatla, Venkat (22 November 2008). "'Vinayakudu' Review: It's Touching And Good". GreatAndhra.
  19. ^ Garimella, Deepa. "Vinayakudu Review". Full Hyderabad.
  20. ^ "Vinayakudu - Review". Filmibeat. 24 November 2008.
  21. ^ "Vinayakudu Review". Indiaglitz. 21 November 2008.

External links[edit]