Santosham (2002 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Santosham

| image = Santosham.jpg

| caption = 7th Week successful running release poster

| screenplay = Dasaradh
Gopimohan
Trivikram Srinivas

| story = Dasaradh

| producer = K. L. Narayana

| director = Dasaradh

| starring = Nagarjuna
Gracy Singh
Shriya Saran
Prabhu Deva

| music = R. P. Patnaik

| cinematography = S. Gopal Reddy

| editing = K. V. Krishna Reddy

| studio = Sri Durga Arts

| distributor = Annapurna Studios
Supreme Audio
EVP International
{{Small|(Worldwide)}}

| released = {{Film date|df=y|2002|5|9}}

| runtime = 150 minutes

| country = India

| language = Telugu

| budget =

}}

Santosham ({{translation}} Happiness) is a 2002 Indian Telugu-language comedy drama film directed by Dasaradh who co-wrote the film with Gopimohan and Trivikram Srinivas. It stars Nagarjuna, Gracy Singh and Shriya Saran in lead roles, with Prabhu Deva and K. Viswanath playing the supporting roles. The music was composed by R. P. Patnaik. The film won two Nandi Awards and two Filmfare Awards South.

Released on 9 May 2002, the film was well received by critics and was declared a Blockbuster at the box office.{{Cite web |last1=Sunil |first1=Sreya |last2=Jeevi |title=Research - Telugu cinema in the first half of 2002 |url=https://www.idlebrain.com/research/anal/tollywood2002firsthalf.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Idlebrain.com}} It became the highest grossing film in Nagarjuna's career and was one of the highest grossing films of the year. It was a welcome break for Nagarjuna from the consecutive flops he suffered since 2000. It was dubbed in Tamil as Santhosha Vanille and in Hindi as Pehli Nazar ka Pehla Pyaar. The film was remade in Kannada as Ugadi (2007).

Plot

Karthik is a rich architect in Ooty. He falls in love with Padmavathi "Padhu". Padhu is hesitant to accept and reciprocate Karthik's love, as she doesn't know what kind of a person he is. Padmavathi has a younger cousin named Bhanu. Bhanu encourages their love and gives courage to Padhu's feelings. When Padhu reveals her love, her father Ramachandrayya enraged, resists and asks her to marry the guy he has chosen for her. Motivated by Bhanu's words, Padhu leaves a letter to her parents and elopes to marry Karthik. Angered by her actions, Ramachandrayya breaks family ties with her.

Karthik and Padmavathi get married and migrate to New Zealand, and later give birth to a kid named Lucky. Padmavathi is very eager to get back to her parents and get their blessings. Padhu, unfortunately, dies in a car accident. Ramachandrayya has a huge joint family. A few of the family members opine that inviting Karthik and his kid for a marriage to happen at their place would allow getting a closer look at Lucky.

When Karthik visits Ramachandrayya's place he gets mixed responses from different people in the house. Ramachandrayya doesn't like Karthik and others like him. Over some time, Karthik impresses them all and when he is about to go back to New Zealand, Ramachandrayya expresses his repentance for whatever happened and says that he is accepting Karthik as his son-in-law.

Bhanu has fallen in love with Karthik. She meets Karthik, a widower now. She still has feelings for him. But at the same time, there is Pawan - a childhood friend of Bhanu - who is deeply in love with her. Karthik returns to New Zealand. Bhanu along with Pawan visits Karthik. During that period, Bhanu gets closer to Karthik. When Karthik realizes her intentions, he fixes Pawan as her fiancée for her. Now Bhanu is about to marry Pawan.

Bhanu loves Karthik, but Karthik hesitates to repeat the history by marrying a girl against the wishes of her family. Just as Karthik is about to leave for good with his son, Ramachandrayya stops him from leaving and pleads with him to marry Bhanu. Also, Pawan comes and pleads with Karthik to marry Bhanu as he can tell that Bhanu is not happy about the marriage. The film has a happy ending with Karthik and Bhanu marrying.

Cast

Nagarjuna as Karthik
Gracy Singh as Padmavathi / Paddu, Karthik's wife (Voice Dubbed by Sunitha)
Shriya Saran as Bhanu (Voice Dubbed by Savitha Reddy)
Prabhu Deva as Pavan, Bhanu’s fiancee
Kota Srinivasa Rao as Himsaraju / Vikram
Brahmanandam as Giri from Mangalagiri
Sunil as Kranthi Kumar / Seetayya
Suhasini as Parvathi, Karthik's mother
Sarath Babu as Panduranga Rao, Karthik's father
Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao as Venkat Rao, Ramachandrayya’s first brother and Bhanu’s father
Chandra Mohan as Chandram, Ramachandrayya’s second brother and Seetayya’s father
Pruthvi as Sriram, Karthik’s brother-in-law
K. Viswanath as Ramachandrayya, Paddu’s father
Ahuti Prasad as Prasad, Paddu’s first brother
Banerjee as Suri, Paddu’s second brother
Preeti Nigam as Rani, Prasad’s wife
Sumithra as Lakshmi, Paddu’s mother
Sudha as Savitri, Bhanu’s mother
Tanikella Bharani as Abbulu’s father
Melkote as Paddu’s manager
L. B. Sriram as Paddu’s grandfather
Vajja Venkata Giridhar as Wedding Abbulu
Madhu Mani as Malika, Suri’s wife
Indu Anand as Chandram’s wife and Seetayya’s mother
Anitha Chowdary as Anitha, Karthik’s sister
Lahari as Durga{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/hyderabad-times/straight-answers/articleshow/18489222.cms|title=Straight answers|date=8 August 2002|work= The Times of India}}
Aajaam
Swapna
Devisri
Saraswatamma
Master Akshay as Lucky, Karthik and Paddu’s son
Sophiya Haque as in item song

Production

The film was shot in New Zealand and Ooty.

Soundtrack

{{Infobox album

| name = Santosham

| type = film

| artist = R. P. Patnaik

| cover =

| alt =

| released = 2002

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Soundtrack

| length = 29:59

| label = Supreme Music

| producer = R. P. Patnaik

| prev_title = Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu

| prev_year = 2002

| next_title = Jayam

| next_year = 2003

}}

The music was composed by R. P. Patnaik.{{Cite web|url=https://www.idlebrain.com/movie/postmortem/santosham.html|title=Post Mortem - Santosham by Dasaradh|work=Idlebrain.com}} The music was released on SUPREME Music Company.

{{Track listing

| headline =

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| total_length = 29:59

| all_writing =

| all_lyrics =

| all_music =

| title1 = Nuvvante Nakishtamani

| lyrics1 = Sirivennela Sitaramasastri

| extra1 = Rajesh, Usha

| length1 = 5:01

| title2 = Dhimdhinaktari Naktithom

| lyrics2 = Kulasekhar

| extra2 = Shankar Mahadevan

| length2 = 4:22

| title3 = So Much To Say

| lyrics3 = Chandra Siddhartha

| extra3 = Rajesh

| length3 = 1:57

| title4 = Devude Digivachina

| lyrics4 = Kulasekhar

| extra4 = KK, Usha

| length4 = 4:00

| title5 = Ne Tolisariga

| lyrics5 = Sirivennela Sitaramasastri

| extra5 = Usha

| length5 = 4:51

| title6 = Mehbooba Mehbooa

| lyrics6 = Vishwa

| extra6 = Mano, Bhargavi, Vishwa

| length6 = 4:07

| title7 = Emaindho Emo Naalo

| lyrics7 = Kulasekhar

| extra7 = Rajesh

| length7 = 1:15

| title8 = Diri Diri Diridee

| lyrics8 = Kulasekhar

| extra8 = KK, Usha

| length8 = 4:21

}}

Reception

A critic from Sify wrote that "Debutant director Dasarath has done a fairly decent job, and the music of R.P.Patnaik has good hummable melodies".{{cite web | url=https://www.sify.com/movies/santhosham-review-telugu-pclurehcicecc.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516232921/https://www.sify.com/movies/santhosham-review-telugu-pclurehcicecc.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=16 May 2022 | title=Santhosham | website=Sify }} A critic from Idlebrain.com wrote that "First half of the film is entertaining. The beginning of second half is little boring. But the director got the audiences back into his grip half an hour before climax".{{cite web | url=http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mr-santosham.html | title=Telugu Cinema - Review - Santosham - Nagarjuna, Gracy Singh, Sriya, Prabhudeva - RP Patnaik - Dasarath |work=Idlebrain.com|date=9 May 2002 }} A critic from Full Hyderabad wrote that "I recommend this movie to people who enjoy musical/romantic movies and to Nag fans".{{Cite web|url=https://movies.fullhyderabad.com/santhosham/telugu/santhosham-movie-reviews-2031-2.html|title=Santhosham review: Santhosham (Telugu) Movie Review - fullhyd.com}} Andhra Today wrote "Though the story has an old formula the director gives a feel-good treatment for the entire movie with a good mix of entertainment and fun.The director showed lot of confidence in deftly handling various situations in the movie".{{cite web|url=http://www.andhratoday.com/movie/santosham.htm|title=SANTOSHAM|website=Andhra Today|access-date=29 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030822084632/http://www.andhratoday.com/movie/santosham.htm|archive-date=22 August 2003}}

Awards

;Nandi Awards - 2002{{Cite web |url=http://ipr.ap.nic.in/New_Links/Film.pdf|title=నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)|trans-title=A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)|publisher=Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh|access-date=21 August 2020 | language=Telugu}}