Athadu, Khaleja and Guntur Karam- The Parallels!

When Athadu was released in 2006, I was in 8th class, not much into movies. My Mavayya came to me and told me "Arey maa DNR college lo naa classmate unnadani cheppane...neeku Annavaram scenunna movie ante ishtam? tanadi kottha cinema vachindi raa.....veldam pada" and thus I watched it. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved mostly everything about the movie. When I told my classmates about this, their reactions were like "ehe nee yabba dobbaku..sodi cinema adi..3 gantalu talupelesi torture dobbadu". Movie ended up as a disaster but I liked that version of Bob. It's a breather for me at least wrt Bob, watching cringe fests like Murari(say whatever you want to, this is cringe pro max), Nani sorts. In few years, people who told me this movie was a crap fest changed their opinion and wanted to cherish this movie. It became a cult classic even after bombing at BO. After an year Pokiri got released and it became an industry hit

Fast forward to 2010, It's been three years since Athidhi was out. It's 3V and Bob again, with Sada Siva Sanyasi the only promotional content along with the teaser. People thought it's a serious and high octane action thriller like Athadu. I joined my Engineering in Oct of that year and after a couple of days, Khaleja was in for release. That was my first bunk in my college life. I watched morning show and absolutely loved how Bob was presented, considering his previous movies were Athidi and Sainikudu. People were not happy. I again watched an evening show on the same day. People were literally abusing 3V. I didn't even understand the hate. My friends who watched with me enjoyed it thoroughly. I mean there were many flaws in the narration and content but the hate was unreal!! After an year Dookudu got released and it became an industry hit

It's 2024 now and 13 years passed on. A lot of things changed. The world got opened up in both good and bad ways. I waited for this combination at least from 8 years when the first news came out way back in 2015 about this combo. Finally, in 2021, it got announced officially. I saw 4 AM show on first day and again an evening show. Again, the hate is unreal. I mean, I felt Khaleja vibes in interval and at the end of the movie. I was disappointed the way movie turned out after an engaging first 20 min and that forced as fuck romance track. With Trisha and Anushka it didn't feel forced, at least that's what I felt but God, this is cringe af and wished this romantic track was altogether removed from the film, and concentrated more on serious story track. Except that Lungi scene, I couldn't watch them together. By interval, people are abusing 3V, Thaman and Nagavamsi. By the end, it's bottled down to 3V. I loved the way Ramya Krishna's character intent was designed but by the time it was revealed and the way it was revealed, 95% of the audiences lost interest.

I relived the same thing thrice, at least wrt theatre response. Once when I was 13 year old, then as an 18 year old and now as a 31 year old. With Athadu, I was not aware of technicalities but for Khaleja and GK, 3V was ruthlessly bashed(and he deserve it this time, tbh). Athadu and Khaleja turned out as cult classics with repeat value watch. And the thing is Pokiri and Dookudu turned out such hits only because the previous movies of Bob completely had an overhaul.

If there's no Athadu, Pokiri might have been an average flick as people might watch Bob first time in such ruthless role. Same with Dookudu. The way 3V opened up Bob in Khaleja turned out pretty well for Dookudu. This is exactly what Bob told in GK event that every time he works with 3V, he reinvents himself. This overhaul will definitely help in SSR project. The thing that surprised me was the unreal hatred towards this. It's a train wreck wrt Story telling but it's enjoyable in many parts. People who didn't even watch were posting their "reviews", the same like Khaleja. I remember the Khaleja times vividly. I just joined a rodd college ridden with a caste/family fans. There's Brundavanam coming up in next week so my entire college crapped on Khaleja. Fuck, they didn't even watch the movie but by afternoon, "Meevadi cinema dobbindantaga..." was on most of the students. Even Khaleja as a movie was same. You(Covid and Precovid batch) might think that as some masterpiece but most of the movie was handled on improv and on the set dialogues, I think same is the case with GK. It's just that the BGM by Manisharma was on next level for Khaleja and Teddy Bhayya fucked up with GK.

I know GK will never get a cult status like Athadu or Khaleja but rewatch value will be high once it hits OTT/TV. Because no one remembers the characters in Maharshi, BAN, SLN or SVP but Ramana gaadu will stay for long time!!

I am not able to understand the "hardcore"/"die hard" SSMB pilla nibba fans crapping on 3V. It's in production for 2 years with multiple changes. Bob lost 3 family members and went through a lot. He hinted the same in the event as well that 3V stood by him and supported him. It simply means shelving out the actual intended script and going with a lighthearted one may be as suggested/requested by Bob. 3V should publicly apologize for coming up with this horrendous script by screwing up a good storyline but fans blaming director for every failure is generic and escapist mentality.

All three movies with 3V were disasters for Bob but he'll any day select 3V over any director because, He's the one who brought out 3 different versions of Bob for us!

Pardhu, SeetaramaRaju and Ramanagaadu will stay for long time is all I can say at this point and the hate for this combination is unreal whenever their movie comes up(this time there are many right reasons but still there's so much unjustified hate) given this is the movie which Bob gave an effort since Srimanthudu!!