Welcome Obama

{{More plot|date=February 2024}}

Lucy, an American woman, comes to India looking for a surrogate mother to bear her a child. She makes a deal with Yashodha, an impoverished single mother.

Yashodha has an accidental fall when pregnant and the doctors conjecture that there is a risk of the baby being born deformed, leading to Lucy revoking the contract and returning to the United States.

In time, Yashodha delivers a healthy and active boy named Krishna, and everyone calls him "Obama" due to his fair skin. Years later, Lucy gets to know about the boy and comes to India to take him with her. But Yashodha, having developed a strong bond with Krishna, refuses to send him back. How Lucy responds to this forms the rest of the story.

• Urmila Kanetkar as Yashodha
• Rachel as Lucy
• Esteban as Krishna
• Sanjeev as Yashodha's brother
• Balabhadrapatruni Ramani
• Bhuvana Chandra
• Anantha Sriram

Welcome Obama, directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao and produced by Bharati Krishna under Sandalwood Media, is a remake of the Marathi film Mala Aai Vhhaychy! (2011). Urmila Kanetkar, the lead actress of that film, was chosen to reprise her role.{{Cite news |last=Jha |first=Lata |date=11 September 2017 |title=Ten Marathi films remade in other languages |work=Mint |url=https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/KYhiSTqNNAPN9bzm8JlAhP/Ten-Marathi-films-remade-in-other-languages.html |url-status=live |access-date=25 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401105234/https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/KYhiSTqNNAPN9bzm8JlAhP/Ten-Marathi-films-remade-in-other-languages.html |archive-date=1 April 2019}} British actress Rachel was chosen to portray an American woman, and French child actor Esteban was cast as the surrogate child.{{Cite web |date=17 March 2013 |title=Singeetam Srinivasa Rao to direct Marathi film Mala Aai Vhhaychy in Telugu |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/marathi/movies/news/Singeetam-Srinivasa-Rao-to-direct-Marathi-film-Mala-Aai-Vhhaychy-in-Telugu/articleshow/19005073.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190626093927/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/marathi/movies/news/Singeetam-Srinivasa-Rao-to-direct-Marathi-film-Mala-Aai-Vhhaychy-in-Telugu/articleshow/19005073.cms |archive-date=26 June 2019 |access-date=25 July 2019 |website=The Times of India}} The dialogues were written by Rohini. Cinematography was handled by S. S. Darshan.{{Cite web |date=24 April 2013 |title=Audio release of 'Welcome Obama' to be released in May |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/audio-release-of-welcome-obama-to-be-released-in-may-605168.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190725061417/https://www.news18.com/news/india/audio-release-of-welcome-obama-to-be-released-in-may-605168.html |archive-date=25 July 2019 |access-date=25 July 2019 |website=News18}} Welcome Obama was shot on Eastmancolor film, as opposed to being shot digitally.{{Cite news |last=Dundoo |first=Sangeetha Devi |date=19 September 2013 |title='My life is not drab' |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/my-life-is-not-drab/article5145963.ece |url-status=live |access-date=25 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207011202/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/my-life-is-not-drab/article5145963.ece |archive-date=7 February 2014}} Shooting was completed in 33 days.{{Cite web |date=20 September 2013 |title=Singeetham Srinivasa Rao interview |url=http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/singeethamsrinivasarao.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190725060655/http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/singeethamsrinivasarao.html |archive-date=25 July 2019 |access-date=25 July 2019 |website=Idlebrain.com}}

The soundtrack was composed by Singeetham Srinivasa Rao who also worked as lyricist.{{Cite web |title=Welcome Obama (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/welcome-obama-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/675993306 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190725060424/https://music.apple.com/us/album/welcome-obama-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/675993306 |archive-date=25 July 2019 |access-date=25 July 2019 |website=Apple Music}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Track listing

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| title1 = Oh God

| extra1 = Karthik

| length1 = 4:40

| title2 = Puttindi Palakadalilo

| extra2 = Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, Nikhila Singeetam

| length2 = 4:28

| title3 = Bujji Bujji Nadakalatho

| extra3 = Chinmayi

| length3 = 4:54

| title4 = I Am a Hero

| extra4 = Pravasti

| length4 = 3:26

| title5 = Aakasaanante

| extra5 = Chinmayi

| length5 = 3:58

}}

Welcome Obama was released on 20 September 2013.{{Cite web |date=September 2013 |title=Welcome {{sic|nolink=y|Obamma}} Movie Review |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/welcome-obamma/movie-review/22896642.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190725052107/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/welcome-obamma/movie-review/22896642.cms |archive-date=25 July 2019 |access-date=25 July 2019 |website=The Times of India}} Sandeep Atreysa of Deccan Chronicle wrote, "Certainly, this is not a runof-the-mill story Telugu audiences would watch often. But what went wrong? Slow-paced narration in the first half and a bad comedy track in second half."{{Cite news |last=Atreysa |first=Sandeep |date=21 September 2013 |title=Experiment goes wrong |url=https://www.pressreader.com/india/deccan-chronicle/20130921/281659662735388 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240201083901/https://www.pressreader.com/india/deccan-chronicle/20130921/281659662735388 |archive-date=1 February 2024 |access-date=1 February 2024 |work=Deccan Chronicle |via=PressReader}} Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu wrote, "There was a time when Singeetam Srinivasa Rao gave us some of the most entertaining films that broke new grounds both in storytelling and technical departments [...] Now, at the age of 82, when the filmmaker with unbeatable fervour comes up with a story that discusses surrogacy, it is natural to expect a social family drama that tugs at your heart strings while making observations about surrogacy. But as the drama unfolds, you are left looking for the missing magic of a once-brilliant filmmaker."{{Cite news |last=Dundoo |first=Sangeetha Devi |date=21 September 2013 |title=Welcome Obama: Magic sorely missing |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/welcome-obama-magic-sorely-missing/article5153973.ece |url-status=live |access-date=25 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928233958/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/welcome-obama-magic-sorely-missing/article5153973.ece |archive-date=28 September 2017}}

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|id=12704560}}

{{Singeetam Srinivasa Rao}}

Category:2010s Indian films

Category:2010s Telugu-language films

Category:2013 drama films

Category:2013 films

Category:Films about surrogacy

Category:Films directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao

Category:Indian drama films

Category:Indian pregnancy films

Category:Telugu remakes of Marathi films