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Sita Ramam

2022 Telugu film by Hanu Raghavapudi From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sita Ramam
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Sita Ramam (transl. Sita and Ram) is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language period romantic drama film directed by Hanu Raghavapudi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Raj Kumar Kandamudi. Produced by C. Aswini Dutt under the banners of Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema, the film stars Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur in the titular roles, alongside Rashmika MandannaSumanth Vennela Kishore, and Sunil in supporting roles.[5]

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Plot

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In 1964, during the backdrop of Operation Gibraltar, Pakistani extremist Ansari seeks to incite communal violence in Kashmir by sending radicalized teenagers to pose as locals. Lieutenant Ram, an orphan serving in the Indian Army, earns recognition when he prevents riots by exposing Ansari’s plan. A radio broadcast invites the public to write to him, and he begins receiving letters, including one from a woman signing as Sita Mahalakshmi, who affectionately claims to be his wife.

Intrigued, Ram sets out to find her. On a train to Hyderabad he meets the writer, later identified as Princess Noor Jahan, who had used a pseudonym. They grow close despite her family arranging her marriage to the Prince of Oman. When their relationship becomes public, Noor admits her love for Ram and renounces her royal privileges.

Ram is soon assigned to a covert operation in Pakistan to eliminate Ansari. After completing the mission, he is captured along with fellow officer Vishnu Sharma. Pakistani General Abu Tariq arranges the release of only one prisoner, and Ram persuades Vishnu to return to India. Subsequent attacks on Indian bases lead to Ram being accused of treason, and he is later executed in prison for refusing to betray his country.

In 1985, Afreen, a Pakistani student in London, learns through her grandfather Tariq’s will that she must deliver Ram’s final letter to Sita in Hyderabad to claim her inheritance. Tracing their story with the help of her Indian classmate Balaji, she discovers that she is Waheeda, the sister of one of Ansari’s recruits whom Ram had once tried to protect. The letter reveals that Ram knew of Sita’s true identity and remained loyal to India until his death.

Afreen delivers the letter to Sita, who has lived with Ram’s memory ever since. The revelation clears his name, and Sita receives a posthumous honor for his service. Afreen reconciles with her past and works to restore Ram’s reputation.

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Cast

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Production

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Development

Director Hanu Raghavapudi conceived the idea for Sita Ramam in 2007 after purchasing a second-hand book that contained an unopened inland letter. The letter, written by a mother to her son, inquired about his well-being while he lived in a hostel. In an interview with The Hindu, Raghavapudi explained that the discovery prompted him to imagine the narrative possibilities of a letter carrying information that could alter lives.[7] The decision to set the story against a military backdrop was later suggested by Rajkumar Kandamudi. Costume designer Sheetal Sharma was engaged to design the film’s period-appropriate wardrobe.[8] The project was formally announced in July 2020, and in April 2022, its title was revealed as Sita Ramam.[9][10][11]

Casting

Dulquer Salmaan was cast in the lead role of Lieutenant Ram, marking his second collaboration with Vyjayanthi Movies following Mahanati (2018).[12] Mrunal Thakur was signed to portray Sita Mahalakshmi, making her debut in Telugu cinema. She replaced Pooja Hegde, who had earlier been considered for the role but withdrew due to scheduling conflicts.[13] Raashi Khanna was also briefly considered for the role of Afreen, which was ultimately offered to Rashmika Mandanna.[14] Playback singer and voice artist Chinmayi Sripada provided dubbing for Thakur’s character.

Filming

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A major portion of the film was shot in Srinagar and at Dal Lake

Principal photography began in April 2021 in Kashmir, with the first schedule concluding in July of that year. Major locations included Srinagar's Dal Lake, Jalali House, and the Thajwas Glacier in Sonamarg.[15][16] Subsequent filming schedules took place in Russia and Hyderabad, with the final schedule completed in April 2022.[17] Certain portions of the song “Kaanunna Kalyanam” were reshot for the Tamil-language version, where the sequence was presented as “Kannukkule.”[18]

Soundtrack

Main article: Sita Ramam (soundtrack)

The film’s score and soundtrack were composed by Vishal Chandrasekhar. Audio rights were acquired by Sony Music India. The first single, “Oh Sita Hey Rama,” was released on 9 May 2022. A reprise version of “Ala Nemaliki,” titled “Inthandam Reprise” and sung by S. P. Charan, was subsequently issued as part of the album’s promotional releases.[19]

Release

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Theatrical

Sita Ramam was released theatrically on 5 August 2022 in Telugu, along with dubbed versions in Tamil and Malayalam.[20][21] A Hindi-dubbed version was later released on 2 September 2022.[22]

The film was initially banned in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates following objections that it offended religious sentiments.[23][24] The ban in the United Arab Emirates was subsequently lifted, and the film opened there on 11 August 2022.[25] A pre-release promotional event was held in Hyderabad on 3 August 2022, attended by actor Prabhas.[26] Additional promotional activities were organized in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Vizag, Chennai and Kochi.[27][28]

Distribution

Theatrical distribution rights were handled regionally, with Asian Cinemas acquiring rights for the Nizam area, Annapurna Studios for the Krishna and Uttarandhra regions, Lyca Productions for Tamil Nadu, and Wayfarer Films for Kerala.[a][29] Pen Studios secured the Hindi-language distribution rights, while Radhakrishna Entertainments distributed the film in the United States.[30][31] Worldwide theatrical rights were sold for approximately ₹18.70 crore.[32]

Home media

Amazon Prime Video acquired the film’s digital streaming rights.[33] The film premiered on the platform on 9 September 2022 in Telugu, with dubbed versions in Tamil and Malayalam.[34] The Hindi-language version premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on 18 November 2022.[35] Star Maa obtained the satellite broadcast rights.[36]

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Reception

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Critical response

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Mrunal Thakur and Dulquer Salmaan, whose performances as Sita and Ram were frequently singled out for praise by critics.

Sita Ramam received critical acclaim for its performances, direction, music, cinematography, and period setting, though some criticized its pacing and narrative structure.[37] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of 7 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.7/10.[38]

Manigandan K. R. of IANS, in a review carried by Daijiworld, rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and described Sita Ramam as "a brilliantly-crafted, beautiful love story that leaves you completely overwhelmed by the time you walk out of the theatre." and praised the music, cinematography, direction of Hanu Raghavapudi (magnificent) and the acting of the leads Dulquer (fantastic performance) and Mrunal (looks the part and plays it to perfection) .[39] Neeshita Nyayapati of The Times of India rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, describing it as “a story that’s moving and a film that’s visually aesthetic and pleasing.”[40] Jayadeep Jayesh of Deccan Herald also gave it 3.5 stars, noting similarities to Veer-Zaara (2004) while commending its distinct identity.[41] Idlebrain.com’s Jeevi rated the film 3 out of 5, calling it “a classy tale of eternal love,” while Priyanka Sundar of Firstpost assigned the same rating, highlighting it as “a visually beautiful tale of love and loss.”[42][43]

Mixed reviews noted strengths in the film’s visual design and performances but expressed reservations about writing and execution. Soundarya Athimuthu of The Quint rated it 2.5 out of 5, describing it as “a poignant love story laced with socio-political messaging.”[44] Janani K of India Today and Balakrishna Ganeshan of The News Minute also rated it 2.5, with Ganeshan criticizing the screenplay as uneven, though acknowledging its mythological parallels.[45][46] Manoj Kumar R. of The Indian Express gave it 2 stars, observing that the film “leverages the good looks of its actors to make it tolerable.”[47] Gautama Bhaskaran of News18 rated it 1.5 stars, calling it “a puffed-up plot, peppered with coincidences.”[48]

Other critics emphasized the film’s emotional resonance. Writing for Hindustan Times, Haricharan Pudipeddi described it as “a tale of love that also takes a mature and sensitive take on the conflict between India and Pakistan.”[49] Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu wrote that the film “brims with earnestness and is helped by charming performances from Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur.”[50] Manorama News’ Princy Alexander referred to it as “a heartfelt romantic tale in a strife-torn setting,” while 123Telugu called it “a beautiful love story” with “scintillating performances” and “poetic writing.”[51][52]

Box office

Sita Ramam was released on 5 August 2022 and opened to strong box office results. On its first day, the film grossed approximately ₹5.25 crore (US$620,000) worldwide, including US$400,000 from the United States market.[53][54] Within nine days, it had surpassed US$1 million at the U.S. box office.[55]

The film went on to gross around ₹50 crore worldwide within ten days of release, and it was widely reported as a commercial success.[56] The Hindi-dubbed version, released a month later on 2 September 2022, earned ₹8.19 crore domestically.[57]

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Accolades

More information Award, Date of ceremony ...
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See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    Undivided Krishna district
  2. [b]
    Awards, festivals and organizations are in alphabetical order.
  3. [c]
    Date is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.
  4. [d]
    Awarded posthumously

References

External links

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