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Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire

2023 Indian film by Prashanth Neel From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire

Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire is a 2023 Indian Telugu-language epic action drama film directed by Prashanth Neel and produced by Vijay Kiragandur under Hombale Films. The film stars Prabhas in the titular role, alongside an ensemble cast of Prithviraj Sukumaran, Shruti Haasan, Jagapathi Babu, Bobby Simha and Sriya Reddy. In the fictional dystopian city-state of Khansaar, where monarchy still exists, the film follows the friendship between Deva (Prabhas), the exiled prince of Khansaar, and Varadha (Prithviraj Sukumaran), the current prince of Khansaar. When a coup d'état is planned by his father's ministers and his relatives, Varadha enlists Deva's help to become Khansaar's undisputed ruler.

Quick Facts Directed by, Written by ...
Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire
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Theatrical release poster
Directed byPrashanth Neel
Written byPrashanth Neel
Dialogues by
  • Sandeep Reddy Bandla
  • Hanumaan Choudary
  • Dr. Suri
Based onUgramm
by Prashanth Neel
Produced byVijay Kiragandur
Starring
CinematographyBhuvan Gowda
Edited byUjwal Kulkarni
Music byRavi Basrur
Production
company
Distributed bysee below
Release date
  • 22 December 2023 (2023-12-22)
Running time
175 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTelugu
Budget₹270 crore[2]
Box office₹618.06−700 crore[a]
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The film's initial storyline was pitched from Neel's debut film Ugramm (2014) and is the maiden part of a two-part film.[3] It was officially announced in December 2020 under the title Salaar, however, in July 2023, its first instalment was titled as Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire. Principal photography commenced in January 2021, and occurred sporadically in several legs over nearly three years, before wrapping in late 2023. Filming locations included Telangana, Italy and Budapest. Production difficulties, ranging from the pandemic, reshoots and VFX delays, postponed Salaar's release date several times. The music is composed by Ravi Basrur, cinematography handled by Bhuvan Gowda and editing by Ujwal Kulkarni.

Part 1 – Ceasefire was theatrically released on 22 December 2023, coinciding with Christmas. The film received positive reviews from critics. It was a commercial success, earning ₹618.06−700 crore on a ₹270 crore budget making it the highest-grossing Telugu film of 2023, third highest-grossing Telugu film of all time, and the seventeenth highest-grossing Indian film of all time at the end of its theatrical run.[a]

Plot

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In 1985, Deva and Vardha Raja "Vardha" Mannar are inseparable companions in Khansaar, a puissant city-state, ruled by a monarchial form of government led by Vardha's father Raja Mannar. When Raja Mannar orders the annihilation of the Shouryaanga tribe, a violent mob pounces on Deva and his mother at their residence. Vardha intervenes and confers an important territory in his possession to the mob's leader in exchange for sparing their lives; he then ensures that the duo discreetly leave Khansaar for good but Deva vows to return whenever Vardha calls for him.

In 2017, NRI Krishnakanth realizes that his daughter Aadhya, unbeknownst to him, has gone to Varanasi to immerse her mother's ashes. Her arrival alerts Obulamma, a pivotal maidservant of Vardha's apparently-insane step-sister Radha Rama, who instructs their henchmen to abduct her. Krishnakanth enlists the assistance of Bilal, who secures Aadhya at his friend Deva's outhouse in Tinsukia, Assam, where she pretends to have come for employment at a school run by Deva's austere mother. However, she is eventually discovered and about to be abducted but Deva's mother, who has always restrained him from resorting to violence, reluctantly instructs him to rescue her, prompting him to subdue the goons. Disappointed with the turn of events, Deva's mother decides to abscond with him, but upon witnessing Aadhya and Bilal being carried off in a convoy, she again signals Deva to rescue her. Deva intercepts the convoy, which is actually sealed with the emblem of Khansaar, attracting the attention of Vardha, Obulamma and Radha Rama. The latter laughs out loud and reveals to have staged the events to pit Deva against Vardha as opposing the emblem of Khansaar means death, a rule Deva himself is told to have established seven years ago; she also asserts that only one of Vardha and Deva will survive the forthcoming confrontation. Meanwhile, Bilal recounts the story of Khansaar, Deva and Vardha to Aadhya.

In 1127, barbarous dacoits from Mannar, Shouryaanga and Ghaniyaar tribes seized control over an area, which they called Khansaar . Warriors from the three tribes have always protected Khansaar from annexation, even during the British Raj. In 1947, after the Indian independence movement, Raja Mannar's father Siva Mannar declared Khansaar's autonomy, erasing its existence from the map; to avoid internal conflicts, he classified Khansaar into 101 provinces, commissioning Kapus to govern the provinces and 8 Doras to superintend 10-12 Kapus each; he declared himself as Karta, the king. He also authored Nibandhana, a constitution for Khansaar, bringing it into effect. In 1985, after Siva Mannar's demise, Raja Mannar assassinated Dhaara Raisaar, a Shouryaanga tribesman destined to be the next Karta, and exterminated the entire tribe to avoid revolution. He designated his own allies from Mannar and Ghaniyaar tribes as Doras and Kapus, thereby imposing his authority over Khansaar.

In 2010, Bhaarava, Radha Rama's husband, insists Raja Mannar to reconcile with Vardha and his brother Baachi, whom he has expelled for giving away his territory in 1985. Raja Mannar orders Ranga, a deranged Dora, to give up his seat for Vardha, enraging him; he then leaves Khansaar on some duty, appointing Radha Rama as the Regent. To avoid tussles for the throne in her father's absence, Radha Rama proposes initiating a ceasefire but faces heavy opposition from the Doras, who claim their right to vote for the ceasefire according to the Nibandhana. An election is scheduled after nine days and all the Doras including Raja Mannar's eldest son Rudra Mannar bring in mercenaries from various countries to challenge their claim as soon as the voting ends. Much to the chagrin of his allies, Vardha only calls for Deva, who is currently residing with his mother in Bharuch, Gujarat. Deva arrives at Khansaar and tolerates Vardha's humiliation for most of the time on his insistence. However, when Vishnu, son of a Ghaniyaar Dora Naarang, who persistently chooses girls from a scheduled tribe to rape, tries to molest a girl, Deva fights and kills him. As a result, Deva, Vardha and all the allies are incarcerated; Rudra instigates Naarang against Vardha and asks him to kill him during the trial for Vishnu's death. Deva consistently pleads with Naarang to spare Vardha but beheads him when he refuses to back off.

On the day of voting, Raja Mannar returns and votes in favour of ceasefire but Vardha casts his deciding vote in favour of its termination. Vardha and Deva escape execution and murder Ranga and his cruel drug-addicted henchmen. Elsewhere, Raja Mannar reveals to Radha Rama that the Shouryaanga tribe lives on, having escaped the genocide, and that Bhaarava is a Shouryaanga tribesman, who has been conspiring against them all along. They capture Bhaarava's right-hand Thiru, who reveals to them that Deva is the son of Dhaara and the actual heir to the throne of Khansaar and that Vardha sacrificed his territory to rescue Dhaara's family. Elsewhere, Ghaniyaar tribesmen Vaali, Gurung and Cheeka join hands against the Mannars while Rudra joins hands with his maternal uncle Om. Just as Vardha's allies discover that Deva is a Shouryaanga, Vardha declares him as his Salaar.

Cast

Production

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Development

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Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire is the first collaboration of Prabhas (L) with Prashanth Neel.

In November 2020, Neel was reported to begin production for his next directorial ventures with either N. T. Rama Rao Jr. or Prabhas soon.[9] On 2 December, Hombale Films announced that Neel would collaborate with Prabhas next, on a Telugu-language film (Neel's first) titled Salaar.[10][11]

A muhurtam pooja ceremony was held on 15 January 2021 with the presence of the film's cast and crew in Hyderabad.[12] Ravi Basrur was roped in to compose the score, in his fourth consecutive film with Neel, while Bhuvan Gowda and Ujwal Kulkarni were approached to handle the cinematography and editing, respectively.[13] Initialed to be a one-part movie, on 8 July 2023, the production house announced that Salaar would be released in two parts, with the first subtitled Ceasefire.[14]

Casting

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Shruti Haasan (L) was cast to play the lead actress role, pairing opposite Prabhas for the first time. Prithviraj Sukumaran (R) made his return to Telugu cinema after Police Police (2010).

On casting Prabhas, Neel stated "I was drawn to his innocence. Prabhas exudes more innocence compared to most other actors. To draw out this innocence and show it on screen will be fantastic.",[15] while Prabhas stated that his character is "extremely violent", something that he "haven't really done before".[16] The latter was reported to get more fit and muscular for his role.[17] He was further reported to play a dual role, which was later denied.[18]

On 28 January 2021, Prabhas wished Shruti Haasan a happy birthday, and welcomed her to the Salaar team.[19][20] She played the role of Aadhya and received a remuneration consisting ₹8 crore (US$930,000).[21][22] Prabhas, during a press meet for Radhe Shyam in Kochi, revealed that Prithviraj Sukumaran would play other lead role alongside Prabhas in the film thus, marking Prithviraj's return to Telugu cinema after Police Police (2010).[23][24]

Madhu Guruswamy,[25] Jagapathi Babu,[26] Easwari Rao,[23] Sriya Reddy,[27] Tinnu Anand,[28] Bobby Simha,[29] Ramachandra Raju,[30] Saptagiri were cast to play prominent roles.[31] Mime Gopi and John Vijay's presence in the promotional trailer revealed their inclusion.[32]

Filming

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A part of Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire was filmed in Matera, Italy.

Principal photography commenced on 27 January 2021 at a set in Godavarikhani, a town in Telangana.[33] Haasan joined the production two days later.[34] An action sequence featuring Prabhas was reportedly filmed. A day later, an on-set picture of Prabhas was leaked to social media and went viral, prompting tight security to be arranged during filming.[35] On 8 February, cinematographer Bhuvan Gowda announced that the first leg had concluded.[36]

The second leg commenced on 3 August 2021 in Hyderabad, with the filming of a scene featuring Prabhas and Shruti.[37] Since the filmmakers wanted Salaar to look "next level at any given angle", it became the first Indian film shot via Dark Centric Theme technology.[38][39] By 12 August, the second leg concluded.[40]

Shortly after the release of Prabhas' film Radhe Shyam in March 2022, filming was halted, mainly due to him getting a knee surgery done in Spain and later joining the sets of Kalki 2898 AD.[41] By May 2022, 30 percent of filming was reportedly completed.[42] The third leg was reported to begin on 24 May,[17] but commenced instead on 18 May. The studio shared a behind-the-scenes video that day, which showcased the crew setting up a set for an action sequence.[43] The fourth leg commenced on 28 June in Hyderabad. The schedule reportedly had a huge set erected for an action sequence, which featured Prabhas, Shruti and various fighters, stunt-choreographed by the duo Anbariv. It was reported that the schedule would be a lengthy one.[44] In December, producer Vijay Kiragandur revealed that 85 percent of filming was finished.[27]

Filming was reported to be in the final leg in early February 2023, and set to conclude by the month end.[45] In this leg, the crew shot a 20-minute-long action sequence in the middle of the sea, at a cost of around ₹10 crore (US$1.2 million).[46] Haasan joined the sets on 10 February, after being busy for the post-production and release works for Veera Simha Reddy and Waltair Veerayya.[47] She completed filming her portions by 23 February.[48] In mid March, production moved to Matera, Italy; filming would then continue in Naples, then Rome and Budapest.[49] The initial release date of 28 September 2023 was postponed due to reshoots in mid-September. It was reported that after watching the final edit, Neel felt that there was room for improvement.[50] In late October, a "big war sequence" was filmed, featuring over 750 vehicles, including jeeps, tanks and trunks.[51] Principal photography wrapped after a total of 114 working days over nearly three years.[52]

Post-production

In December 2022, Vijay Kiragandur stated that visual effects work would take around six months.[27] By August 2023, post-production work was moved to Basroor village in Karnataka, where composer Ravi Basrur's studio is located, reportedly to ensure security and prevent leaks.[53] Shruti Haasan began dubbing her portions in mid-August 2023, and did so in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi. She completed her dubbing work by early September.[54] Prithviraj Sukumaran would do likewise by 10 December.[55]

Approximately 600 VFX shots were still pending in mid-September which, along with the reshoots, caused the postponement of the original 28 September release date.[50]

Soundtrack

Further information: Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire (soundtrack)

The music and background score is composed by Ravi Basrur, in his fourth collaboration with Neel after Ugramm, KGF: Chapter 1 and KGF: Chapter 2. The audio rights were acquired by Divo.[56] The first single titled "Sooreede" was released on 13 December 2023.[57] Three more singles—"Prathi Gaadhalo", "Sound of Salaar" and "Vinaraa"—followed on 21, 22 and 26 December respectively.[58][59][60] The entire soundtrack album was released on 31 December 2023.[61]

Marketing

When the teaser of Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire was released on 6 July 2023, it had more than 83 million views in 24 hours, breaking the record for an Indian film.[62] The first trailer of the film was released on 1 December 2023.[63] The second trailer was released on 18 December 2023.[64]

Release

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Theatrical

Salaar Part 1 – Ceasefire was theatrically released on 22 December 2023 in standard and IMAX formats.[65] It was released in Telugu along with dubbed versions of Kannada, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam languages.[66][67][68] The film received an A (adults only) certification from the Central Board of Film Certification on the account of intense action sequences and violence.[69] The makers expected a U/A (parental guidance) classification, but were unwilling to make cuts, and since the board had updated their rules, the makers accepted the adult classification.[70][71]

Earlier in August 2021, it was announced that the film was going to release on 14 April 2022.[72] The film was later postponed due to Neel and Hombale's film, KGF: Chapter 2 which was scheduled to release on that date.[73] In March 2022, producer Vijay Kiragandur in an interview with Pinkvilla stated that the film was postponed to the second quarter (April–June) of 2023 due to production delays owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.[74] In August 2022, the release date was announced as 28 September 2023 but postponed to 22 December 2023.[65][75] On 5 July 2024, the film released in Japan, achieving the third-biggest opening for an Indian film.[76][77]

Distribution

It was released by the production house Hombale Films in Karnataka.[78] The film was distributed in North America by Moksha Movies and Prathyangira Cinemas jointly.[79] AA Films acquired the distribution rights in North India[80] while Prithviraj Productions acquired the distributed rights in Kerala.[81] Mythri Movie Makers acquired the Nizam area distribution rights.[82] The film was distributed across Andhra Pradesh by Sree Siri Sai Cinemas, Lakshmi Narasimha Sri Manikanta Films, Geeta Film Distributor, KSN Tele Films, Sri Vengamamba Cinemas and Shilpakala Entertainments.[83][84] The Tamil Nadu distribution rights were acquired by Red Giant Movies.[85]

Home media

Salaar earned ₹350 crore (US$41 million) from non-theatrical distribution rights including satellite, digital and audio before release.[86] Disney Star acquired the satellite rights of Telugu and other dubbed versions. The digital streaming rights were acquired by Netflix for five languages.[87] The film was premiered on Netflix from 20 January 2024 in Telugu and dubbed versions of Kannada , Tamil and Malayalam languages.[88] An English dubbed version began streaming from 5 February 2024.[89] The Hindi dubbed version was premiered on Disney+ Hotstar from 16 February 2024.[90] The original Telugu-language version of the film was premiered on television on 21 April 2024 on Star Maa.[91] The Hindi-language version was premiered on 25 May 2024 on Star Gold.[92] The film was also released in Japanese Blu-ray version on 4 December 2024.[93]

Reception

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Critical response

Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire received generally positive reviews from critics.[94] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 73% of 22 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire leavens its non-stop action with well-written characters who keep things engaging even as the set pieces threaten to overwhelm."[95]

Paul Nicodemus of The Times of India gave the film 3.5/5 and wrote "It is a riveting watch for those with a taste for grand and epic narratives. Fans of Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran will find much to admire in this intense and captivating film. It's a film that will entertain and impress with its scale, but might require some patience in the initial stages."[96] Janany K of India Today gave the film 3.5/5 and wrote "Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire is a mass masala action entertainer that celebrates Prabhas's stardom. Now, get ready for Salaar: Part 2 - Shouryaanga Parvam".[97] S. Devasankar of Pinkvilla gave the film 3/5 and wrote "Prashanth Neel's Telugu debut is nothing short of a masterpiece, a visual spectacle. The film engages fans with brilliantly choreographed action sequences without losing track of the underlying story and drama. Prithviraj Sukumaran was right when he said that Salaar at its core is a drama. The drama definitely works out, and the filmmaker has hit it out of the park, with the help of his star-studded cast."[98]

Bollywood Hungama gave the film 3/5 and wrote "On the whole, Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire boasts of whistle-worthy moments that will be loved by the masses. However, the excessive violence, a needlessly complicated second half and a limited showcasing due to Dunki will affect its box office prospects to an extent."[99] Mayur Sanap of Rediff gave the film 3/5 and wrote "[Prashanth] Neel ups the ante on all of the formulaic elements from KGF by instilling them with more ambition and technical dazzle that sustain his bonkers vision."[100] Sangeetha Deva Dundoo of The Hindu wrote "Salaar is tailored to cater to lovers of mass action entertainers. There is a lot of indulgent ‘build up’ with nearly every character — the mother, Obulamma, Rama, the businessman who fears for his daughter Aadya, the children, and several aides — talks in exalted terms about Deva at regular intervals. At one point, I wanted the film to cut the chase and tell us what makes him a fiery warlord."[101]

Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave the film 2.5/5 and wrote "Solid star turns from Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran are the main draws of Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire. The rest of the film's appeal lies in the lure of unbridled excess."[102] Sonil Dedhia of News18 gave the film 2.5/5 and wrote "Overall, Salaar is only for Prabhas fans and for those who feel an assault on the senses is a form of cinema. But if you love your eardrums and have had your fill of the super-heroic exploits of an underdog-turned-top dog hero, you can give this film a probable miss."[103] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 2/5 and wrote "Salaar Part 2 promises more, more, more. Are we ready for it? Most of part one is eye-glazing enough, making you numb to the murder and mayhem: all noise, meaning very little."[104]

Monika Rawal Kukreja of Hindustan Times wrote "Prabhas makes a stellar comeback, film snatches Animal's 'most violent movie of the year' crown."[105]

Box office

Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire earned ₹95 crore (US$11 million) domestically on the first day while it collected a total of ₹178.70 crore (US$21 million) worldwide.[106][107] The film emerged as the highest-grossing Telugu film of 2023, fourth highest-grossing Telugu film of all time, sixth highest-grossing South Indian film of all time, Fifth highest-grossing Indian film of 2023 and 15th highest-grossing Indian film of all time.[108] It has grossed ₹618.06–700 crore worldwide.[a]

Sequel

The sequel of the film, titled Salaar: Part 2 – Shouryaanga Parvam, was revealed at the end of the film.[109][110] In January 2024, Kiragandur confirmed that the script is ready. In November 2024, Hombale Films announced that the sequel will release in 2026.[111] The filming of the sequel continued from August 2024 in Ramoji Film City.[112][113][114]

Notes

  1. Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire's reported worldwide grosses vary between ₹618.06 crore (₹617 crore plus an additional ₹1.06 crore[4] (¥18.22 million) from its Japanese release, as reported by Pinkvilla[5][6]) – ₹700 crore (Firstpost[7] and India Today[8])

References

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