Choodalani Vundi
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Choodalani Vundi
| image = Choodalani Vundi.jpg
| caption = Theatrical poster
| writer = Story & Screenplay:
Gunasekhar
Dialogues:
Diwakar Babu
| starring = Chiranjeevi
Soundarya
Anjala Zaveri
Prakash Raj
| director = Gunasekhar
| producer = C. Aswini Dutt
| studio = Vyjayanthi Movies
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1998|08|27}}
| runtime = 148 minutes
| cinematography = Chota K. Naidu
| editing = Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao
| language = Telugu
| country = India
| music = Mani Sharma
}}
Choodalani Vundi ({{translation|I'd like to see}}) is a 1998 Indian Telugu-language action thriller film co-written and directed by Gunasekhar, and produced by C. Aswani Dutt under Vyjayanthi Movies. This film stars Chiranjeevi, Soundarya, Anjala Zaveri and Prakash Raj. The film has music composed by Mani Sharma with cinematography by Chota K. Naidu.{{Citation|title=Choodalani Vundi Movie: Showtimes, Review, Trailer, Posters, News & Videos {{!}} eTimes|newspaper=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-details/choodalani-vundi/movieshow/61317070.cms|access-date=2020-08-11|archive-date=14 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190914105922/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-details/choodalani-vundi/movieshow/61317070.cms|url-status=live}}
Released on 27 August 1998, the film was a blockbuster at the box office and became the highest grossing Telugu film of 1998.{{Cite web |date=30 September 1999 |title=Rediff On The NeT, Movies: Gossip from the southern film industry |url=https://m.rediff.com/movies/1999/sep/30take.htm |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=Rediff.com |quote=Then Chiranjeevi did Choodalani Vundi with her, which turned out to be last year's biggest hit.}}{{Cite news|title=Chiranjeevi starrer Choodalani Vundi clocks 22 years; Take a look at some working stills|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/chiranjeevi-starrer-choodalani-vundi-clocks-22-years-take-a-look-at-some-working-stills/articleshow/77780118.cms|access-date=2020-09-07|website=The Times of India|language=en}} The film was featured in the Indian Panorama mainstream section at the 30th International Film Festival of India.{{Cite news|last=Devipriya|date=January 1999|title=30th IFFI|url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm30IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=30IIFA.pdf|work=30th International Film Festival of India '99|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=23 March 2018|page=150|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130012630/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm30IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=30IIFA.pdf|archive-date=30 January 2013}} It received two South Filmfare Awards and three state Nandi Awards. In 2003, it was remade into Hindi as Calcutta Mail.{{Cite web|title='Anil, Rani are not stars. They're good actors'|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/sep/03sudhir.htm|access-date=2020-09-08|website=Rediff|language=en|archive-date=9 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609173044/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/sep/03sudhir.htm|url-status=live}}
Plot
Ramakrishna (Chiranjeevi) is a mechanic in Vijayawada whose life changes when he meets Priya (Anjala Zaveri) at a train station. She sees him and feels some inexplicable connection, and then runs away with him to flee her father Mahendra's (Prakash Raj) gangsters. They end up living in the forest with their son, but Mahendra, who is an underworld don, kidnaps her so that he can marry her off to another don's son. Ramakrishna confronts Mahendra, and in the ensuing struggle, Priya takes the bullet shot at Ramakrishna and dies. Their son loses his voice because of the shock, and Ramakrishna is imprisoned because the police have been corrupted by Mahendra, who is running a mafia state. Mahendra kidnaps the boy and takes him to Kolkata, where the story started. Ramakrishna, with the help of Padmavathi (Soundarya), whom he falls in love with, reunites with his son, and kills Mahendra.
Cast
{{colbegin}}
- Chiranjeevi as Ramakrishna
- Soundarya as Padmavathi
- Anjala Zaveri as Priya
- Prakash Raj as Mahendra
- Brahmanandam as House Owner
- Dhulipala as Mahendra's father
- Brahmaji as Surya, Mahendra's assistant
- Venu Madhav
- Sajja Teja as Ramakrishna's son{{cite news |title=Teja Sajja reveals a secret about Megastar Chiranjeevi's Indra |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/teja-sajja-reveals-a-secret-about-megastar-chiranjeevis-indra/articleshow/77149199.cms |website=The Times of India |language=en |access-date=3 April 2021 |archive-date=10 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010163249/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/teja-sajja-reveals-a-secret-about-megastar-chiranjeevis-indra/articleshow/77149199.cms |url-status=live }}
- Monica Bedi (special appearance in the song "Raamma Chilakamma")
{{colend}}
Production
After Ramayanam (1997), Gunasekhar wrote Choodalani Vundi as his next film which impressed Aswini Dutt and decided to produce it. The fans of Chiranjeevi initially had mixed feelings since Chiranjeevi and Aswini Dutt was supposed to do a film with Ram Gopal Varma which got shelved and the film's director Gunasekhar was a young director.{{cite web |date=27 August 2023 |title=Choodalani Vundi: 'చూడాలని ఉంది' సినిమాకు 25 ఏళ్లు.. ఈ సీన్ అప్పట్లో ట్రెండ్ |url=https://www.sakshi.com/telugu-news/movies/chiranjeevi-choodalani-vundi-movie-celebrate-25-years-1751966 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827082200/https://www.sakshi.com/telugu-news/movies/chiranjeevi-choodalani-vundi-movie-celebrate-25-years-1751966 |archive-date=27 August 2023 |access-date=17 December 2024 |website=Sakshi |language=Telugu}}
The scene where Chiranjeevi conveys his love to Anjala Zaveri at a railway station was shot at Nampally Railway Station.{{cite web|url=https://www.eenadu.net/telugu-news/movies/25-years-for-chiranjeevi-choodalani-vundi/0208/123157403|website=Eenadu|title=Choodalani Vundi: డైలాగ్ లేకుం డా చిరం జీవి సీన్.. ఆ మాటకు షాకైన అశ్వనీదత్|access-date=17 December 2024|language=Telugu|date=27 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103230401/https://www.eenadu.net/telugu-news/movies/25-years-for-chiranjeevi-choodalani-vundi/0208/123157403|archive-date=3 November 2023}} A set resembling a large apartment complex in Calcutta was built at Annapurna Studios. The same location was used to build a Varanasi street set for Vyjayanthi Movies' next collaboration with Chiranjeevi, Indra (2002).{{Cite web |last=C. Vanaja |date=2002 |title=News Capsule |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020206051642/http://www.telugucinema.com/movies/news/tidbits.html |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=Telugucinema.com}}
The title Choodalani Vundi was suggested by Chiranjeevi.{{cite web |date=2 July 2002 |title=Interview with Aswini Dutt by Jeevi |url=https://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/inter_aswinidutt.html |access-date=17 December 2024 |website=Idlebrain}}
Soundtrack
The soundtrack and score were composed by Mani Sharma. The film's single, Yamaha Nagari written by Veturi with the vocals of Hariharan, is a rendition of Patnam Subramania Iyer's carnatic music composition Raghuvamsa Sudha. The song depicts the culture and beauty of the city of Kolkata.{{Cite news|date=2017-04-23|title=పరహింస పరాయణ చంద్రశ్రీ|url=https://www.sakshi.com/news/funday/choodalani-vundi-movie-song-470191|access-date=2020-09-08|website=Sakshi|language=te|archive-date=2 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170602175542/http://www.sakshi.com/news/funday/choodalani-vundi-movie-song-470191|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2020-08-27|title=మెగాస్టార్ చిరంజీవి సూపర్ హిట్ చిత్రం 'చూడాలని వుంది' విడుదలైన 22 ఏళ్లు..|url=https://telugu.news18.com/photogallery/movies/megastar-chiranjeevi-choodalani-vundi-movie-completes-22-years-ta-589384-page-10.html|access-date=2020-09-08|website=News18 Telugu|archive-date=21 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421094234/https://telugu.news18.com/nodeapi/pv-candidate|url-status=live}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Choodalani Vundi
| type = Soundtrack
| artist = Mani Sharma
| cover =
| released = 1998
| recorded = 1998
| genre = Soundtrack
| length = 31:59
| label = Aditya Music
| producer = Mani Sharma
| prev_title = Ganesh
| prev_year = 1998
| next_title = Manasichi Choodu
| next_year = 1998
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Telugu Track Listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| all_writing =
| total_length = 31:59
| title1 = Yamaha Nagari
| extra1 = Hariharan
| length1 = 6:43
| lyrics1 = Veturi
| title2 = Ramma Chilakammma
| extra2 = Udit Narayan, Swarnalatha
| length2 = 4:47
| lyrics2 = Veturi
| title3 = Oh Mariya
| extra3 = Shankar Mahadevan, Kavitha Krishnamurthy
| length3 = 5:52
| lyrics3 = Chandrabose
| title4 = Simbale Simbale
| extra4 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Chithra
| length4 = 4:37
| lyrics4 = Veturi
| title5 = Manasa Ekkadunnav
| extra5 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Chithra
| length5 = 5:02
| lyrics5 = Veturi
| title6 = Abbaba Iddu
| extra6 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Sujatha
| length6 = 4:58
| lyrics6 = Veturi
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Tamil Track Listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| all_writing =
| total_length = 31:59
| title1 = Namathu Nagaram
| extra1 = Unni Krishnan
| length1 = 6:43
| lyrics1 =
| title2 = Vamma Muniyamma
| extra2 = Mano, Swarnalatha
| length2 = 4:47
| lyrics2 =
| title3 = Oh Mariyaa
| extra3 = Mano, Anuradha Sriram
| length3 = 5:52
| lyrics3 =
| title4 = Kanniley kanniley
| extra4 = Krishnaraj, Chithra
| length4 = 4:37
| lyrics4 =
| title5 = Uthathu than
| extra5 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Chithra
| length5 = 5:02
| lyrics5 =
| title6 = Appappa satham
| extra6 = Unni Krishnan, S.P. Sailaja
| length6 = 4:58
| lyrics6 =
}}
Reception
Giddaluri Gopalrao of Zamin Ryot gave a positive review for the film. He praised Chiranjeevi for picking up a new theme and Gunasekhar for executing it.{{Cite news|title=చూడాలని వుంది: చూడొచ్చండి|language=te|work=Zamin Ryot|url=http://www.zaminryot.com/pdf/1998/Sep/11-Sep-1998.pdf|access-date=2020-08-11|archive-date=18 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118074706/http://www.zaminryot.com/pdf/1998/Sep/11-Sep-1998.pdf|url-status=live}} Christopher Domingo of Full Hyderabad opined that "Choodalani Vundi is an entertaining masala movie that is worth watching".{{Cite web|url=https://movies.fullhyderabad.com/choodalani-vundi/telugu/choodalani-vundi-movie-reviews-1025-2.html|title=Choodalani Vundi review: Choodalani Vundi (Telugu) Movie Review - fullhyd.com}}{{cite web | url=http://andhratoday.com/movie/choodala.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990204014250/http://andhratoday.com/movie/choodala.htm | archive-date=4 February 1999 | title=Reviews }}
The film became a commercial success and had a theatrical run of 100 days. The film was dubbed into Tamil language under the title Calcutta and twice in Hindi as Meri Zindagi Ek Agneepath in 2005 and 2018.
Awards
- Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Telugu {{Ndash}} Mani Sharma{{Cite news |title=Choodalani Vundi Awards: List of Awards won by Telugu movie Choodalani Vundi |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-details/choodalani-vundi/movieawards/61317070.cms |access-date=2020-08-11 |website=The Times of India}}
- Filmfare Award for Best Art Director – South {{Ndash}} Thota Tharani
- Best Music Director {{Ndash}} Mani Sharma{{Cite web |title=Nandi Film Awards G.O and Results 1998 |url=https://www.apsftvtdc.in/nandi-film-awards-1998.html |access-date=2020-08-11 |website=APFTVTDC |archive-date=4 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304212515/https://www.apsftvtdc.in/nandi-film-awards-1998.html |url-status=dead }}
- Best Audiographer {{Ndash}} Madhu Sudhan
- Best Choreographer {{Ndash}} Saroj Khan
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=0245835|title=Choodalani Vundi}}
{{Gunasekhar}}
Category:1990s Telugu-language films
Category:Indian romantic drama films
Category:Films directed by Gunasekhar
Category:Telugu films remade in other languages
Category:Films about kidnapping in India
Category:Indian action thriller films
Category:Films scored by Mani Sharma
Category:Films shot in Kolkata
Category:1998 action thriller films