Arjun Reddy is a 2017 Indian Telugu-language romantic drama film written and directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, and produced by his brother Pranay Reddy Vanga's company Bhadrakali Pictures. It stars Vijay Deverakonda and Shalini Pandey while Rahul Ramakrishna, Jia Sharma, Sanjay Swaroop, Gopinath Bhat, Kamal Kamaraju and Kanchana appear in supporting roles. The film tells the story of Arjun Reddy Deshmukh (Deverakonda), a wealthy high-functioning alcoholic surgeon with anger management problems. Arjun is on a self-destructive path after the marriage of his girlfriend Preethi Shetty (Pandey); the film focuses on his downfall and subsequent resurgence.

Arjun Reddy
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySandeep Reddy Vanga
Written bySandeep Reddy Vanga
Produced byPranay Reddy Vanga
Starring
CinematographyRaj Thota
Edited byShashank Mali
Music bySongs:
Radhan
Score:
Harshavardhan Rameshwar
Production
company
Bhadrakali Pictures
Release date
  • 25 August 2017 (2017-08-25)
Running time
182 minutes[1]
220-260 minutes (Unreleased Director's cut)[2]
CountryIndia
LanguageTelugu
Budget5–5.15 crore[a]
Box office51 crore[5]

Arjun Reddy was partially inspired by Sandeep Vanga's life as a physiotherapy student. He worked on the script for two years and it took four to five years for the film to materialise. Principal photography commenced on 20 June 2016 at Hyderabad and took 86 working days to complete. Other filming locations include Mangalore, Dehradun and New Delhi, filming also took place in Italy. Radhan and Harshvardhan Rameshwar composed the soundtrack and score, respectively. Raj Thota was director of photography and Shashank Mali edited the film.

Made on a budget of 5–5.15 crore; the film was released worldwide on 25 August 2017. It received widespread critical acclaim, but drew criticism for allegedly promoting toxic masculinity, misogynism and substance abuse among young people. The film was a huge box office success, grossing 51 crore globally, with a distributor share of 25.5 crore.

It received six nominations at the 65th Filmfare Awards South, including Best Telugu Film and Best Telugu Director for Vanga; the film's only win was Best Telugu Actor for Deverakonda. The film was remade in Hindi as Kabir Singh (2019) and twice in Tamil: as Adithya Varma (2019) and Varmaa (2020).

Plot

edit

Arjun Reddy Deshmukh is the youngest son of a Hyderabad-based wealthy business tycoon, who is working as a house surgeon at St. Mary's Medical College in Mangalore, India. Despite being a brilliant student, he has severe anger management problems that earn the wrath of the college dean. Arjun's aggressive nature also earns him a reputation among his juniors as a college bully. After a brawl alongside his friend Kamal against members of the opposing team during an inter-college football match the dean asks Arjun to either apologise or leave the college. Arjun initially chooses to leave the college, but stays back after meeting first-year student Preethi Shetty.

Arjun and his friend Shiva enter a third-year classroom and announce that Arjun is in love with Preethi and asserts that she is exclusive to him. Initially afraid, Preethi starts adjusting to Arjun's overbearing attitude. She eventually reciprocates his feelings and they develop an intimate relationship. Arjun graduates with an MBBS degree and leaves for Mussoorie to pursue a Master's degree in Orthopedic surgery. Over the course of three years, Arjun's and Preethi's relationship becomes stronger. Months later, Arjun visits Preethi's house, where her father sees them kissing and throws Arjun out.

Preethi's father opposes her and Arjun's relationship due to Arjun's brash behaviour and also because they belong to different castes. Arjun demands Preethi decide within six hours otherwise he will end their relationship. Following this incident, Preethi's parents seize her phone, preventing her from contacting Arjun. By the time she manages to visit Arjun's house, he is drunk, injects excessive morphine into himself, and becomes unconscious for two days. Preethi is then forcibly married to someone from her caste. Arjun learns about the marriage from Shiva and goes to her house. He is assaulted and gets arrested for making a scene. Arjun's father throws him out of the family home for ruining his reputation.

With Shiva's help, Arjun rents a flat and joins a private hospital as a surgeon. To cope with his emotions, he starts taking drugs, attempts one-night stands, buys a pet dog and names it after Preethi and drinks alcohol; all of which are unsuccessful. Within months, he becomes a successful surgeon and a high-functioning alcoholic who is feared by the hospital's staff members, one of the reasons being his high surgery count. Arjun's self-destructing behaviour and refusal to move on worries Shiva and Kamal. He persuades one of his patients, Jia Sharma, a leading film star, to have a no-strings relationship with him, which he ends when she falls in love with him.

On a day off, Arjun unwillingly agrees to perform a life-saving surgery and collapses from dehydration. The hospital staff examines his blood samples, which show traces of alcohol and cocaine. The hospital chief files a case against Arjun, who accepts the truth on the grounds of violating his professional ethics during an in-house court hearing, despite Shiva making arrangements to bail him out. Arjun's medical licence is cancelled for five years and he is evicted from the flat. The next morning, Shiva manages to reach Arjun to convey his grandmother's death; he meets his father, and they reconcile. Arjun gives up his self-destructive habits soon after.

While leaving for a vacation, Arjun sees a pregnant Preethi sitting in a park. Convinced that she is unhappy with her marriage, Arjun meets her after returning from his vacation. Preethi reveals that she left her husband days after their marriage and continued to work in a clinic. She tells Arjun that he is the child's father, and they reunite. The pair marries, and Preethi's father apologises for misunderstanding their love for each other.

Cast

edit
  • Vijay Deverakonda as Dr. Arjun Reddy Deshmukh, an alcoholic surgeon
  • Shalini Pandey as Dr. Preethi Shetty, Arjun's love interest
  • Rahul Ramakrishna as Shiva, Arjun's best friend
  • Jia Sharma as Jia Sharma, an actress who consults Dr. Arjun and later falls in love with him
  • Sanjay Swaroop as Dhanunjay Reddy Deshmukh, Arjun's father
  • Kamal Kamaraju as Gautham Reddy Deshmukh, Arjun's brother
  • Kanchana as Arjun's grandmother
  • Gopinath Bhat as Devdas Shetty, Preethi's father
  • Kalyan Subrahmanyam as Kamal, Arjun's friend
  • Amit Sharma as Amit
  • Aditi Myakal as Vidya, Arjun's friend
  • Anisha Alla as Keerthi, Arjun's friend
  • Sravya Mrudula as Shruthi, Preethi's friend
  • Bhushan Kalyan as Dean of St. Mary's college
  • Priyadarshi Pulikonda as Vipul (cameo appearance)

Production

edit

Development

edit

Love stories are generally plot-driven, here it is driven by the character Arjun Reddy. It is a powerful name. During college years, you get to hear seniors talk about a legendary character and that name has a recall value. These days our Telugu film titles are lengthy and are from lyrics. I didn't want that. Arjun Reddy was thought to be a faction film. I am juxtaposing that connotation with a love story.

 —Vanga on the film's title, in an interview with The Hindu in September 2016.[6]

After discontinuing his studies as a physiotherapist, Sandeep Vanga worked in the 2010 Telugu film Kedi as an assistant director.[1][7] He worked on the script of Arjun Reddy for two years and for four to five years approached producers who were not willing to finance the project until Vanga's brother Pranay Reddy agreed to do so.[1] Pranay and Vanga's father invested in the film equally. The project was made under the production banner of Bhadrakali Pictures.[7][8]

Arjun Reddy was partially inspired from Vanga's life as a physiotherapy student: "It is not my story but there are a lot of references from my life [...] Some of my medical college friends saw the film and said that Arjun reminds them of me."[1] After working on a scene, he used to wait for a week as he believed that for a film with twists and turns, the narrative would have a chance to jump, thereby giving scope for cinematic liberties. For the same, whenever the idea for a plot twist came to him, Vanga used to work on it for three to four weeks.[7]

In a September 2017 interview with Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu, Vanga said he believed that Telugu cinema uses dialects spoken in Guntur and Vijayawada. Since he was unaware of the way of speaking in both the places, he wrote the dialogue in a Hyderabad Telangana accent.[4] He made use of words that were rarely spoken in colloquial Telugu like yaralu (sister-in-law) to make Arjun look "real and rooted".[9] Some of the dialogue was written in Tulu.[10] With a dark mood prevailing for 100 minutes, Vanga wanted a happy ending for the film, with two or three options for the climax. He said he "didn't have the heart" to end the narrative on a sad note, considering the darkness Arjun was subjected to.[1] The initial edit was 220 minutes long; this was reduced to 186 minutes.[1]

Cast and crew

edit

Vanga initially approached Sharwanand to play the film's lead role.[11] Sharwanand was at first apprehensive of Vanga handling the responsibilities of directing and producing the project but after reading the script, he changed his mind. He sent the script to many producers, who considered the project too risky to fund.[7][12] After Sharwanand left the project, Vanga signed Vijay Deverakonda to play Arjun Reddy. Deverakonda's breakthrough film Pelli Choopulu (2016) had not yet been released, and many were against Vanga for casting him, citing it a risky move for a home production.[13] In an interview with Indo-Asian News Service, Devarakonda called the portrayal of Arjun Reddy exhausting, noting that, "I had to be constantly probing into the darkest areas of my consciousness, digging out feelings and tapping into emotions I had never touched in myself".[14] He did not have any cinematic references but watched films like The Godfather (1972), Scarface (1983) and Goodfellas (1990) to remain in an alpha male zone.[9]

Arjun and Preethi had an age difference of four years, which Vanga wanted to showcase effectively. He chose Shalini Pandey to play Preethi; she was pursuing a career in theatre in Jabalpur.[7] Pandey's father was apprehensive of her signing a film contract; the shoot delayed by five months. Pandey was firm in her decision, which strained her relationship with her father.[15] Vanga wanted her to dub for her role, to which she agreed because it would help her own the character completely.[16] Vanga conducted an eight-day acting workshop with Deverakonda and Pandey.[6] Kanchana was cast as Arjun's grandmother in November 2016; Arjun Reddy marked her comeback to Telugu cinema after Shri Datta Darshanam (1985). The producers persuaded her to join the project after a series of long discussions.[17]

Rahul Ramakrishna, who worked as a lyricist for Pelli Choopulu, was cast as Arjun's friend Shiva. Ramakrishna's career as a journalist helped him understand several dialects, which in turn had a positive effect on his performance.[18] He called Shiva's friendship with Arjun "loyal and unconditional", which gives them the liberty to deride each other at times.[19] Amit Sharma was chosen after a three-hour audition; Vanga felt he "had the apt attitude and arrogance" for the role of Amit, Arjun's nemesis.[20] Bhushan Kalyan played the role of the college's dean.[21] Tulu actor Gopinath Bhat was cast as Preethi's father.[10] Sanjay Swaroop, Kamal Kamaraju, Jia Sharma and Priyadarshi Pulikonda were cast in other important roles.[22]

Nagesh Banell was initially the film's director of photography.[23] He was replaced by Raj Thota later, who worked for 85% of the film.[7] Deverakonda recommended him; he did the clash work for Pelli Choopulu whose cinematography was handled by Banell.[b][24][25] Vanga worked on the film's sound design and worked with Sachin Hariharan of Sync Cinema.[7] Harshavardhan Rameshwar composed the background score.[26] Shashank Mali edited the film.[27]

Filming

edit

Principal photography commenced in Hyderabad on 20 June 2016.[28] Kanchana joined the film's sets on 30 November 2016.[17] The protagonists' college life portions were filmed at the three heritage buildings of the University college of Hampankatta, Mangalore.[29] Other filming locations included Dehradun and Delhi in India and parts of Italy.[8] According to Deverakonda, Vanga wanted to set the film in a coastal city and chose Mangalore—mirroring his student life in Dharwad—and stayed there for ten days to finalise the locations.[30] In an interview with Idlebrain.com, Vanga said, "When you write a script, you think about a particular location. But, it scared me when we got worst of locations for some of the scenes. But it didn't matter because our attention would be on characters. I realised that when content is clear, locations doesn't matter most of the times."[7]

The principal photography was completed in 86 working days,[4] and was made on a budget of 5–5.15 crore.[a] Vanga preferred long, uninterrupted takes; the pre-Intermission sequence was seven minutes long. According to Deverakonda, if filmed in conventional style, Vanga would have finished the film in 200 working days.[26] For a few scenes, Thota used a hand-held camera weighing 25 kilograms (55 lb), which adversely affected his hands.[24] The classroom fight scene featuring Deverakonda, Pandey and Sharma was filmed in a single take; Sharma wanted Deverakonda to actually hit him to make the scene look natural. He said their experience in theatre helped their performances.[20] The crew wanted to film the intermission scene, in which Arjun urinates in his pants, authentically but a delay in the shoot led to the insertion of a medical hosepipe in Deverakonda's trousers.[31]

Music

edit
Arjun Reddy
Soundtrack album by
Released21 August 2017 (2017-08-21)
Recorded2017
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length28:05
LanguageTelugu
LabelAditya Music
ProducerRadhan
Radhan chronology
Radha
(2017)
Arjun Reddy
(2017)
Manasuku Nachindi
(2018)

The soundtrack of Arjun Reddy consists of seven songs, all of which were composed by Radhan.[32] Ananta Sriram, Rambabu Gosala and Shreshta wrote the lyrics of two songs each while Mandela Pedaswamy was the lyricist of "Mari Mari".[32] Shreshta wrote the lyrics for "Madhurame" and "Gundelona"; she composed the latter's tune, which lacked instrumental support. "Gundelona" is the debut of Sowjanya as a playback singer.[33][34]

As a part of the film's marketing, the first single from the soundtrack, titled "Mangaluru – Mussorie" (later known as "Dhooram") was released on 23 April 2017.[35] Three more singles— "The Breakup Song" (later known as "Teliseney Na Nuvvey"), "Emitemito" and "Madhurame"—were released on 19 June 10 and 31 July 2017, respectively.[36][37][38] Srivathsan Nadadhur, writing for The Hindu, said "The Breakup song", along with "Break-Up" from Rarandoi Veduka Chudham (2017) and "Badulu Cheppave" from Ninnu Kori (2017) is an instance in which Telugu cinema "continued in Kolaveri mode too intermittently" in the first half of 2017.[39] The film's soundtrack was marketed by Aditya Music and was released at an audio-release promotional event in Hyderabad on 21 August 2017.[40]

The film's music received a positive response from critics. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu wrote that Radhan's music, which varies from "classical strains to more trippy beats", was one of the factors, along with the cinematography, that brought Arjun Reddy to life.[41] Neeshita Nyayapati writing for The Times of India said the songs "deserve a special mention" and that Radhan did a "brilliant job".[42] Namrata Suri of The News Minute wrote that Arjun Reddy has one of the "most original soundtracks composed by Radhan", and that "Madhurame" and "The Breakup song" are the memorable songs from the film.[43] In December 2017, Nadadhur commented; "For a film so brutally raw and honest, Arjun Reddy got its aura from its music as much as the swag of Vijay Deverakonda". He added that the heavy metal undertone matched up to the "extremities and mood swings of its lead character". Nadadhur also praised the use of semi-classical and jazzy touches in the soundtrack.[44]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Dhooram"Ananta SriramNikhita Gandhi03:01
2."Teliseney Na Nuvvey"Rambabu GosalaLV Revanth04:09
3."Emitemito"Ananta SriramAlphons Joseph03:21
4."Madhuram"ShreshtaSameera Bharadwaj05:40
5."Mari Mari"Mandela PedaswamyGowthami02:54
6."Oopiri Aaguthunnadey"Rambabu GosalaLV Revanth04:05
7."Gundelona"ShreshtaSowjanya03:55
Total length:28:05

Release

edit

Arjun Reddy was given an 'A' (adult) certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification due to the abundance of expletives and innuendoes.[45][46] Vanga complained that the board took his creative struggle for granted. He considered writing a letter to the board asking what was taken into consideration before certification.[47] The board complained that the producers of the film had not submitted their promotional material for censoring before using it.[7] Asian Cinemas and KFC Entertainments acquired the film's distribution rights for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.[48] Nirvana Cinemas distributed the film in overseas markets.[49] The teaser of the film was released on 27 February 2017,[50] and the trailer was released on 12 August 2017.[51]

Days before the film's release, Indian National Congress party's Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumantha Rao tore promotional posters featuring the lead pair kissing each other that had been pasted on TSRTC buses. He found them objectionable and said they adversely affected the minds of young people.[52] It led the film's promoters to remove such posters across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.[53]

Arjun Reddy was released worldwide on 25 August 2017, notably clashing with Indian films Vivegam and A Gentleman.[54] In Hyderabad, 55 paid premieres were held a day before the release, surpassing the record set by Baahubali 2: The Conclusion which had 33 premiere shows.[47] The film's digital rights were acquired by Amazon Prime Video, which made it available online on the 50th day of theatrical release.[55] Star Maa purchased the satellite rights for 3.5 crore. The film had its global television premiere on 21 January 2018, with a TRP rating of 13.6.[56] The film was substantially edited for in its television premiere, drawing criticism from its audience.[57]

In 2024, Vanga hinted at a possible release of the film's full version on its 10th anniversary.[58]

Reception

edit

Box office

edit

Arjun Reddy opened to a 100% occupancy in some areas of India, including districts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.[59] At the United States box office, the film debuted with earnings of US$194,051 from its premieres and of US$709,347 in two days.[60] By the end of its first weekend, it grossed US$954,677 in the US,[61] and A$111,521 in Australia. Arjun Reddy grossed 19 crore globally, with a distributor share of 10.42 crore in its first weekend. The film was declared commercially successful as it earned a profit of 73.66% for its distributors.[62] Arjun Reddy's earnings exceeded US$1 million on its fourth day of theatrical release in the US, becoming the 32nd Indian Telugu-language film to do so.[63]

By the end of its first week, the film grossed 34.3 crore and a distributor share of 18.5 crore, providing a return of nearly 200% to its distributors.[64] After earning US$1,681,996 in 17 days in the US, Arjun Reddy became the fourth highest grossing Telugu film of the year in that country.[65] By then, it had grossed a worldwide total of 45 crore and a distributor share of 25 crore.[66] In its complete global theatrical run, Arjun Reddy grossed a total of 51 crore and earned a distributor share of 26 crore.[5]

Critical response

edit

Arjun Reddy received highly positive reviews from critics.[67] Writing for Film Companion, Baradwaj Rangan said that while the pre-interval sequences were generic, the "prickly" latter portions justified both the film's title and the running time. Rangan called Arjun Reddy a film that "digs deep [and] rings true" and said it "really comes into its own" in the second half.[68] S. Shiva Kumar of The Hindu wrote that Vanga's storytelling had a "conviction and confidence probably only a debutante will have". He found the performances, especially those of Deverakonda and Kanchana, "pitch perfect".[69] Sangeetha Devi Dundoo said the film is "too raw and real to be absolutely fictional" and commented: "Hours after watching Arjun Reddy, it’s hard to shake off its effect. It’s like a hangover, albeit in a good way."[41]

Indo-Asian News Service gave the film five stars out of five, called it the "most original, experimental and daring work to come out Telugu cinema in a long time", and said the protagonist's "rise, fall and rise ... is nothing short of poetic and heart wrenching".[70] Neeshita Nyayapati gave the film four stars out of five and commented: "With Arjun Reddy, Sandeep Vanga has managed to tell a story that is seldom told, without sleaze or cheesy lines or [over the top] drama".[42] Srivatsan of India Today also gave the film four stars out of five and wrote: "Lo and behold, Arjun Reddy—the film and Vijay Deverakonda, is something that the Telugu industry deserved in the first place", and praised the "brutal and honest" filmmaking.[71] Suresh Kavirayani of Deccan Chronicle also gave the film four stars out of five and commended the performances and the filmmaking but was apprehensive of the second half's pace.[72] The Times of India, also gave four stars stating "Arjun Reddy is the dawn of a new era of films for the Telugu film industry."[73]

Hemanth Kumar, in his review for Firstpost gave 3.75 stars out of five and praised the storytelling in particular, saying: "There are no gimmicks, no surprises, no twists. And in doing so, we are forced to absorb the film at a more personal and subconscious level."[74] Latha Srinivasan, in her review for NewsX, wrote that the protagonist is "unconventional, free-spirited and tries to break the shackles of traditional societal norms". She said the romance is "rooted in deep emotions" and gave the film 3.5 stars out of five.[75] Giving three stars out of five, K. Naresh Kumar of The Hans India was critical of the film's pace and a few subplots in the second half. He wrote: "As a tale of a love-struck man, who falters and finally figures out what is best for him, the experiment that the director undertakes is tedious, stretching out time and again".[76] Murali Krishna CH, in his review for the Cinema Express, praised the unpredictability of the first half but was apprehensive of some emotional scenes in the second half; he found them a "serious flaw" after the intermission.[77]

Controversies

edit

Toxic masculinity

edit

The film has drawn criticism for its alleged misogyny and glorification of toxic masculinity. Sowmya Rajendran, in her review for The News Minute, panned its "utterly colourless" female characters and validation of abusive behaviour, writing: "The film treats women as property, to be under the protection and control of men ... [it] will have us believe that women have no opinions about anything that happens to them or around them."[78] Malini Raghu of Deccan Herald concurred, stating: "portraying [Reddy] as just a wounded and short-tempered but affectionate boy is not acceptable to many [...] The female lead's gullibility is annoying, especially to women. All she does is keep mum and boost her man's ego."[79] Vishnupriya Bhandaram of Firstpost found the film's depiction of misbehavior as an alpha male attribute to be "deeply problematic",[80] while Sify's Ashley Tellis classified it as "part of the culture of misogyny that has always existed in Telugu (and Tamil and all Indian film cultures)."[81] Speaking to The Asian Age, Neelima Menon opined that "it's problematic when you add celebratory background score to an act of verbally abusing a woman with sexually coloured remarks, or beating her up, or decide to make these acts sound heroic."[82] Writing for Mashable, Pramit Chatterjee summed up the film as "the flag-bearer of 21st-century toxic masculinity".[83]

In 2019, actress Parvathy criticised Arjun Reddy at a roundtable organised by Film Companion for glorifying misogyny, abuse and toxic masculinity in the films at International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Her comments against Arjun Reddy were met with widespread appreciation and criticism with many noting that she was brave enough to address the issue in front of Deverakonda.[84] Later, Deverakonda criticised social media trollers during an interview for blowing the issue out of proportion while simultaneously emphasising on how much he respected Parvathy and her work.[85]

Glorification of substance and sexual abuse

edit

Post-release, Hanumantha Rao lodged a complaint against the film, stating that it promoted sexual abuse in colleges and substance abuse in hospitals. He also asked K. Chandrashekar Rao, the chief minister of Telangana, to stop the film's screening across the state.[86] A week after the film's release, D. Nagaraju from Khammam accused the film's makers of plagiarising his script and demanded compensation of 2 crore.[87] In Vijayawada, women's organisations held a protest against the film, complaining of its "objectionable" content that could have a negative impact on young people.[88]

Legacy

edit
Critics heavily praised the performance of Vijay Deverakonda (left) and Sandeep Reddy Vanga's direction (right) in particular.

Arjun Reddy eventually gained huge popularity and was praised by many celebrities across Indian cinema. The film's success provided major breakthrough and elevated Devarakonda to superstardom and brought huge recognition for Sandeep Reddy Vanga and made him one of the most sought out film directors across Indian cinema. The film attained huge cult following among youth in Telugu cinema for its storytelling, characterisation, innovative screenplay and shotmaking techniques, and has been recognized by many to have introduced new style of filmmaking and has set standards for other Indian films, eventually making it a trendsetting and pathbreaking film.[89]

Accolades

edit
Ceremony Category Nominee Result Ref.
Zee Cine Awards Telugu Best Actor Vijay Deverakonda Won [90]
Best Debut Actress Shalini Pandey Won
65th Filmfare Awards South Best Film – Telugu Bhadrakali Pictures - Arjun Reddy Nominated [91]
[92]
Best Director – Telugu Sandeep Vanga Nominated
Best Actor – Telugu Vijay Deverakonda Won
Best Lyricist – Telugu Shreshta (for "Madhurame") Nominated
Best Male Playback Singer – Telugu L. V. Revanth (for "Teliseney Na Nuvvey") Nominated
Best Female Playback Singer – Telugu Sameera Bharadwaj (for "Madhurame") Nominated
Sakshi Excellence Awards Most Popular Actress of The Year Shalini Pandey Won [93]
7th South Indian International Movie Awards Best Director (Telugu) Sandeep Vanga Nominated [94]
Best Actor (Telugu) Vijay Deverakonda Nominated
Best Comedian (Telugu) Rahul Ramakrishna Won
Best Female Debut (Telugu) Shalini Pandey Nominated
Best Debut Director (Telugu) Sandeep Vanga Won
16th Santosham Film Awards Best Male Playback Singer L. V. Revanth (for "Teliseney Na Nuvvey") Won
Zee Telugu Apsara Awards Debut Heroine of the Year Shalini Pandey Nominated [95]
Best Find of the Year Won
49th Cinegoers Awards Best Debut Director Sandeep Vanga Won
Best Youth Icon Hero Vijay Deverakonda Won
Best Debut Comedian Rahul Ramakrishna Won

Remakes

edit

Arjun Reddy was remade in Hindi by Vanga himself as Kabir Singh, which was released on 21 June 2019.[96] The film was first remade in Tamil by Bala as Varmaa; however in early 2019 the production company E4 Entertainment shelved the film's release due to creative differences with Bala,[97] and relaunched the film as Adithya Varma with Gireesaaya directing, which was released on 21 November 2019.[98] Despite initially being shelved, Varmaa was released on 6 October 2020.[99] In June 2019, producer S. Narayan bought the Kannada remake rights of the film.[100] E4 Entertainment also holds the rights to make a Malayalam version.[101] In 2021, Yuva Films, a Nepali film production company was reported to be producing a Nepali version of Arjun Reddy.[102] The main character and his toxic masculinity was spoofed in the Malayalam movie Super Sharanya.[103][104]

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b Jayakrishnan of The Times of India estimates the film's budget as 5 crore,[3] whereas Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu says that 5.15 crore was spent to produce the film.[4]
  2. ^ Clash work is a practice of hiring a junior cinematographer when a film's director of photography handles other commitments simultaneously and is unavailable for the principal photography.[24]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f Nathan, Archana (29 August 2017). "'Producers told me to forget this story:' Fortunately, the director of 'Arjun Reddy' ignored them". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Shocking original run time of Arjun Reddy". 123Telugu. 23 August 2017. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2024. "Arjun Reddy to Re-Release in Theaters with deleted scenes". Twitter. 28 August 2020. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2024. "Arjun Reddy Director is Planning to Re-Release Vijay Deverakonda's Blockbuster Movie with Its Original Run Time of 3 Hours and 45 Minutes". Latestly.com. 27 August 2020. Archived from the original on 1 September 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  3. ^ Jayakrishnan (10 September 2017). "Arjun Reddy box office collection week 2: Vijay Devarakonda starrer collects Rs 41.5 crore worldwide". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (9 September 2017). "Three hours and a huge hit later". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Telugu film 'Arjun Reddy' reaches the Rs 50 crore club". The News Minute. 16 October 2017. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  6. ^ a b Sunita Chowdary, Y. (27 September 2016). "Breakups and after". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Interview with Sandeep Reddy Vanga about Arjun Reddy". Idlebrain.com. 24 August 2017. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  8. ^ a b Kavirayani, Suresh (15 May 2016). "Vijay as Arjun Reddy". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  9. ^ a b Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (30 August 2017). "Fearless in front of the camera". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  10. ^ a b "This Telugu film will have dialogues in Tulu". The Hans India. Indo-Asian News Service. 14 June 2016. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  11. ^ Nyayapati, Neeshita (19 August 2017). "Vijay Devarakonda was not the first choice for 'Arjun Reddy', Sharwanand was". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  12. ^ Tanmayi, Bhawana (1 October 2017). "When Mahanubhavudu talks about obsessions". Telangana Today. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  13. ^ Jonnalagedda, Pranita (17 August 2017). "Director Sandeep Vanga to watch out for!". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  14. ^ K Jha, Subhash (19 December 2017). "'Arjun Reddy' exhausted the hell out of me: Vijay Deverakonda interview". The News Minute. Indo Asian News Service. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  15. ^ Murali Krishna, CH (30 August 2017). "I'm open to a live-in relationship: Arjun Reddy star Shalini Pandey". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  16. ^ Jonnalagedda, Pranita (12 August 2017). "Shalini Pandey: Driven by passion". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  17. ^ a b "Veteran actor Kanchana set for comeback in Vijay Deverakonda's Arjun Reddy". Hindustan Times. Indo Asian News Service. 29 November 2016. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  18. ^ Ranjith, Gabbeta (22 September 2017). "My role as Shiva in Arjun Reddy is the usual me: Rahul Ramakrishna". Telangana Today. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  19. ^ Sunita Chowdary, Y (29 August 2017). "Redefining friendship". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  20. ^ a b Watson, Shweta (12 September 2017). "I asked Vijay to really punch me: Amit Sharma". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  21. ^ Sunita Chowdary, Y (28 March 2017). "Bhushan Kalyan: In a creative space". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  22. ^ "'Arjun Reddy' Kannada remake to star Yash?". The News Minute. 13 September 2017. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  23. ^ "First Look: Vijay Devarakonda as Arjun Reddy". Sify. 12 May 2016. Archived from the original on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  24. ^ a b c Kavirayani, Suresh (6 September 2017). "Tollywood's got a new cameraman". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  25. ^ Nadadhur, Srivatsan (12 October 2016). "An eye on the lens: Nagesh Banell". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  26. ^ a b Kumar, Hemanth (3 September 2017). "Vijay Deverakonda: Arjun Reddy gave me the confidence to speak my mind". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  27. ^ "'Arjun Reddy' TV premiere leaves fans disappointed". The News Minute. 3 February 2018. Archived from the original on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  28. ^ "Vijay Deverakonda turns surgeon". The Hindu. Indo Asian News Service. 14 June 2016. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  29. ^ Kampila, Raviprasad (4 November 2017). "Mangaluru's heritage buildings now a destination for moviemakers". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  30. ^ Madhu, Daithota (15 September 2017). "I lied that I was a Tuluva in college to escape from being made fun of for not speaking fluent Telugu". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  31. ^ K Jha, Subhash (31 August 2017). "A lot of grey areas in my personality: Vijay Deverakonda". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  32. ^ a b "Arjun Reddy". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  33. ^ Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (7 September 2017). "Songwriter chronicles". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  34. ^ Tanmayi, Bhawana (21 October 2017). "Lyricist Shreshta is all set to work with biggies of the industry". Telangana Today. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  35. ^ "Mangaluru – Mussoorie (From "Arjun Reddy") – Single". iTunes. 23 April 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  36. ^ "The Breakup Song (From "Arjun Reddy") – Single". iTunes. 19 June 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  37. ^ "Emitemitemito (From "Arjun Reddy") – Single". iTunes. 10 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  38. ^ "Madhuram (From "Arjun Reddy") – Single". iTunes. 31 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  39. ^ Nadadhur, Srivathsan (29 June 2017). "Music in Telugu films: Some sunshine amid rain". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  40. ^ Arjun Reddy Pre Release Event (Event). India: Aditya Music. 21 August 2017. Archived from the original on 26 October 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  41. ^ a b Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (26 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy movie review: A landmark film". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  42. ^ a b Nyayapati, Neeshitha (26 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  43. ^ Suri, Namrata (28 December 2017). "A year of change: The best of Telugu cinema in 2017". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  44. ^ Nadadhur, Srivathsan (27 December 2017). "Telugu film music in 2017: This sounds right!". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  45. ^ "Shocking duration for Arjun Reddy". The Hans India. 12 August 2017. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  46. ^ Jayakrishnan (18 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy gets A certificate". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  47. ^ a b Murali Krishna, CH (24 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy being compared to Baahubali 2". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  48. ^ Tanmayi, Bhawana (26 July 2017). "Arjun Reddy gears up for release". Telangana Today. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  49. ^ "Arjun Reddy Box Office Collection: Vijay Devarakonda's film makes a strong show at international market". Business Today. 3 September 2017. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  50. ^ "Arjun Reddy's teaser is intense!". The Times of India. 26 February 2017. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  51. ^ "Arjun Reddy's trailer to be released on Saturday evening". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  52. ^ Paul, Papri (21 August 2017). "Hanumanth Rao tears down 'Arjun Reddy' poster while Vijay Deverakonda asks him to chill". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  53. ^ H Hooli, Shekhar (23 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy kissing poster removed: Makers offer apology for using controversial photo". International Business Times. India. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  54. ^ "Vivegam, Arjun Reddy rule Friday box office collections; A Gentleman has Rs 4 crore opening". Firstpost. 26 August 2017. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  55. ^ Nadadhur, Srivatsan (26 December 2017). "Telugu films in 2017: The prime debate". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  56. ^ H Hooli, Shekhar (1 February 2018). "Arjun Reddy registers superb TRPs: Vijay's movie shatters the record of Mahesh Babu's Spyder". International Business Times India. Archived from the original on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  57. ^ Tanmayi, Bhawana (22 January 2018). "Maa TV makes Arjun Reddy appear like a saint". Telangana Today. Archived from the original on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  58. ^ "Vijay Deverakonda gives an ultimatum to Sandeep Reddy Vanga about the 'full cut' of Arjun Reddy". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 1 September 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  59. ^ H Hooli, Shekhar (25 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy box office collection day 1: Vijay's film creates history in US, starts with a bang in India". International Business Times India. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  60. ^ H Hooli, Shekhar (27 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy vs Vivegam US box office collection: Vijay's film beats Ajith's movie with a big margin". International Business Times India. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  61. ^ H Hooli, Shekhar (29 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy US box office collection: Vijay's film beats Vivegam, A Gentleman in first weekend". International Business Times India. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  62. ^ H Hooli, Shekhar (28 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy 1st weekend box office collection: Vijay's film attains blockbuster status in just 3 days". International Business Times India. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  63. ^ H Hooli, Shekhar (30 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy day 5 box office collection: Vijay scores his 2nd $1 million grosser in US after Pelli Choopulu". International Business Times India. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  64. ^ H Hooli, Shekhar (1 September 2017). "Arjun Reddy 7-day box office collection: Vijay's movie crosses Rs 30 crore mark in first week". International Business Times India. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  65. ^ H Hooli, Shekhar (11 September 2017). "Arjun Reddy US box office collection: Vijay's film beats Gautamiputra Satakarni to be 4th highest Telugu grosser". International Business Times India. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  66. ^ H Hooli, Shekhar (12 September 2017). "Box office collection: Arjun Reddy emerges big winner; Paisa Vasool, Yuddham Sharanam, MMA flop". International Business Times India. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  67. ^ "Arjun Reddy: Women organisations protest against Vijay Deverakonda-starrer; demand ban". Firstpost. 2 September 2017. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  68. ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (1 September 2017). "Arjun Reddy Movie Review". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  69. ^ Shiva Kumar, S (31 August 2017). "It is a 'different' film". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  70. ^ "Arjun Reddy movie review: Intense, raw and unbelievably honest. 5 stars". Hindustan Times. Indo Asian News Service. 26 August 2017. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  71. ^ Srivatsan (30 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy movie review: Vijay Deverakonda's film deserves to be celebrated". India Today. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  72. ^ Kavirayani, Suresh (29 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy movie review: This film is a sensation!". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  73. ^ "Arjun Reddy Review {4/5}: The movie is the dawn of a new era of films for the Telugu film industry", The Times of India, retrieved 11 July 2020
  74. ^ Kumar, Hemanth (25 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy movie review: Vijay Devarakonda-starrer heralds a new chapter in Telugu cinema". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  75. ^ Srinivasan, Latha (1 September 2017). "Arjun Reddy movie review: A sensational film that pushes all boundaries". NewsX. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  76. ^ Naresh Kumar, K. (27 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy: Bold, different and tad too long". The Hans India. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  77. ^ Murali Krishna, CH (26 August 2017). "Arjun Reddy: A youthful masterpiece". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  78. ^ Rajendran, Sowmya (4 September 2017). "'Arjun Reddy' may be a 21st century epic but why are its women stuck in the past?". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  79. ^ Raghu, Malini (23 June 2019). "Why 'Kabir Singh' and 'Arjun Reddy' are sexist, toxic". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  80. ^ Bhandaram, Vishnupriya (4 September 2017). "Arjun Reddy: How Vijay Devarakonda's film is a nod to toxic masculinity". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  81. ^ Tellis, Ashley (26 July 2018). "Arjun Reddy, Sri Reddy & Telugu cinema's hatred for women". Sify. Archived from the original on 2 December 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  82. ^ "Terribly toxic trends". The Asian Age. 23 June 2019. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  83. ^ Chatterjee, Pramit (27 May 2019). "Let's Discuss 'Kabir Singh', 'Arjun Reddy' and Their Love For Toxic Masculinity". Mashable. Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  84. ^ "Parvathy Menon slammed Arjun Reddy". India Today. 28 November 2019. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  85. ^ ""I love Parvathy. But I dislike that people are celebrating at my cost," says Vijay Deverakonda while addressing the Arjun Reddy controversy". Bollywood Hungama. 28 November 2019. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  86. ^ "Ban 'Arjun Reddy' for promoting drugs, says Congress leader who tore posters of the film". The News Minute. 30 August 2017. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  87. ^ Paul, Papri (31 August 2017). "'Arjun Reddy' gets embroiled in plagiarism controversy". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  88. ^ "Women's groups protest against 'Arjun Reddy' in Vijayawada, demand ban on film's screening". The News Minute. 1 September 2017. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  89. ^ "'Arjun Reddy' completes three years: Recollect these kick-ass SCENES from Vijay Deverakonda's cult film". The Times of India. 25 August 2020. Archived from the original on 1 September 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024. "Three years for cult classic Arjun Reddy". 25 August 2020. Archived from the original on 1 September 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  90. ^ Hooli, Shekhar H (January 2018). "Zee Telugu Golden Awards 2017 winners list and photos". International Business Times. India. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  91. ^ "Nominations for the 65th Jio Filmfare Awards (South) 2018". Filmfare. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original on 4 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  92. ^ "Winners of the 65th Jio Filmfare Awards (South) 2018". Filmfare. 16 June 2018. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  93. ^ "Sakshi Excellence Awards 2017: Shalini Pandey Gets Most Popular Actress of The Year Award". Sakshi Excellence Awards. 16 August 2018. Archived from the original on 22 June 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  94. ^ Narayanan, Nirmal (15 September 2018). "SIIMA Awards 2018 Telugu Kannada winners list live updates: Baahubali 2 and Rajakumara turn best movies [Photos]". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  95. ^ "At Zee Telugu Apsara Awards 2018, Kajal Aggarwal and Tamannaah win honours". Hindustan Times. 9 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  96. ^ Kotecha, Ronak (20 June 2019). "Kabir Singh Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  97. ^ "E4 Entertainment not happy with Bala's Varmaa; to re-shoot the Arjun Reddy remake with a new team". Cinema Express. 7 February 2019. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  98. ^ Suganth, M. (22 November 2019). "Adithya Varma Movie Review : A well-made, if overtly faithful, remake with Adithya Varma". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  99. ^ Suganth, M (6 October 2020). "Movie Review : Bala's Varmaa gets Arjun Reddy all wrong". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  100. ^ "Vijay Deverkonda's Arjun Reddy to next go to Sandalwood after Bollywood and Kollywood!". In.com. 26 June 2019. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  101. ^ V, Narayanan (22 November 2019). "For the Tamil cinema lover, there's action, family drama and horror-comedy to end the year". Business Line. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  102. ^ "Yuwa Films announces auditions for South Indian film Arjun Reddy's Nepali remake". The Himalayan Times. 22 February 2021. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  103. ^ V.S, Goutham (7 January 2022). "Super Sharanya movie review: Why is Sharanya Super?". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  104. ^ "'Super Sharanya' review: Girish A D returns with another charmer". The New Indian Express. 11 January 2022. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
edit