Gayatri is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by Madan and written by Diamond Ratna Babu. Produced by Mohan Babu, the film stars himself in a dual role as the hero and villain, along with Nikhila Vimal, Shriya Saran and Anasuya Bharadwaj. Mohan Babu's son Vishnu Manchu plays the younger version of one of his characters. The film also features Brahmanandam, Ali, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Tanikella Bharani and Posani Krishna Murali in supporting roles.[1][2][3][4] The film is an official remake of Bangladeshi movie Aynabaji directed by Amitabh Reza Chowdhury.[5][6] The music was composed by S. Thaman with cinematography by Sarvesh Murari. The film released on 9 February 2018.

Gayatri
Poster
Directed byMadan
Written byDiamond Ratnababu
Story byGousul Alam
Produced byMohan Babu
StarringMohan Babu
Vishnu Manchu
Nikhila Vimal
Shriya Saran
CinematographySarvesh Murari
Music byS. Thaman
Production
company
Release date
  • 9 February 2018 (2018-02-09)
Running time
125 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTelugu

This film is a tribute to director Dasari Narayana Rao, who died on 30 May 2017.

Plot

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Dasari Sivaji, a stage artist, runs an organization called Sarada Sadan to help destitute children. One day, he rescues a girl named Gayatri from goons who tried to kidnap her. Sivaji later gets a call from Gayatri, and he finds that her phone screen is his late wife Sharada. He realizes that Gayatri is his long-lost daughter. Sivaji comes to Gayatri's college graduation, where she says that she does not know what her father looks but knows he is a heartless brute as he sold her for 1,000 rupees in order to buy alcohol. Sivaji is distraught and walks away to a temple. Gayatri is later told by Sivaji's friend Prasad that Sivaji is her father. Prasad hands Sivaji's diary to Gayatri, and she learns about Sivaji's past.

Sivaji was an orphan who found his calling in acting. He falls in love with Sharada and marries her. However, one day, Sharada becomes hospitalized. The doctor tells Sivaji that she is suffering from pelvic cancer and he needs a large amount of money to finance her treatment. Giri, Sivaji's friend, tells him that a man was refused bail and that if Sivaji goes to jail for two days, the amount will be paid. However, he ends up saying in jail for two weeks. When Sivaji confronts Giri, the latter confesses to him that Sharada and her daughter, whom she was pregnant with, died. Sivaji gets upset and tries to commit suicide by getting hit by a train. Giri saves him but is killed while doing so. Before Giri dies, he reveals that the baby was alive and that he thought of selling the baby for a bottle of liquor. The baby, who was Gayatri, grew up in Ramanujam Orphanage. On her birthday, she is gifted a photo of her mother Sharada, who died as soon as she delivered her.

The film returns to the present; Gayatri and Prasad go to Sivaji's house to try to find him, but to no avail. Sivaji is still at the temple, but he gets attacked and captured by goons. Gayatri and Prasad also could not find Sivaji at the temple. The goons who captured Sivaji are the henchmen of his lookalike, Gayatri Patel. Sivaji later meets Patel in person. Soon after, Patel is arrested and sentenced to death for burning down a hospital, but Sivaji gets implicated in the case. Sivaji confesses to jailer Simhachalam that he is Sivaji and not Patel, but Simhachalam knew he was Sivaji. Simhachalam calls Patel, who tells Sivaji that Patel's death sentence was because a girl was a witness to the crime, and that girl was none other than Gayatri.

Patel disguises himself as Sivaji and goes to Gayatri's house, where she apologizes to "him" for misunderstanding him and reconciles, thinking that he is Sivaji. While Sivaji is in jail, news reporter Shreshta Jayaram tells him that Patel has gone to his house disguised as him and that Patel has killed Prasad. At Gayatri's house, Shreshta later interviews her and Patel. While interviewing Patel, Shreshta secretly tells Gayatri that Sivaji is in jail, waiting for Patel's death sentence and Patel took Sivaji's place as her father. However, Gayatri accuses Shreshta of calling her "father" an impostor. Meanwhile, in jail, Sivaji tells Shreshta that his last wish is to watch Sivaji's acting. Many people want Sivaji (Patel) to fulfill Patel's (Sivaji) wish. However, Patel wants to replace Sivaji and asks his lawyer to book his flight to the US. As Patel and Gayatri are in the car, the news reports say that Sivaji is ignoring Patel's plea. Patel is then questioned by numerous people, and Gayatri begs Patel to do the wish. Patel does so and is lauded with applause.

Gayatri and Patel then visit the jail. Finally, Gayatri reunites with Sivaji. It is revealed that Gayatri was worried about the safety of the hospital children, and that was why she was rude to Shreshta earlier. Simhachalam realizes Sivaji's humanitarian nature and decides to have Patel hanged. While Sivaji and Gayatri are leaving, Patel attacks Sivaji, and both get into a fight. The police were not able to distinguish between the two men and could not save Sivaji. Finally, Gayatri manages to shoot down Patel. The film ends with Sivaji and Gayatri leaving the jail.

Cast

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Production

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After a break of two years, Mohan Babu announced the film Gayatri, where he will be playing a dual role, the hero and the villain, produced by himself under the banner Sree Lakshmi Prasanna Pictures co-starring his son Vishnu Manchu and Shriya Saran. Actors Brahmanandam, Posani Krishna Murali, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Tanikella Bharani, and Ali were signed to play important roles with S. Thaman providing the music. The film was shot at Tirupati and Ramoji Film City. Actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, who was shooting for Jai Simha, visited Gayatri crew and wished success.[7] Action director Kanal Kannan captured a fight sequence between Mohan Babu's that lasted for 11 days using Nero motion control rig used extensively for VFX.[8] The first look of the film was launched on 25 December 2017[9] and Vishnu Manchu-Shriya Saran's first look was launched on 1 January 2018.[10]

Soundtrack

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Gayatri
Soundtrack album by
Released2018
Recorded2018
GenreSoundtrack
Length26:57
LanguageTelugu
LabelSilly Monks Music
ProducerS. Thaman
S. Thaman chronology
Sketch
(2018)
Gayatri
(2018)
Achari America Yatra
(2018)

The music was composed by S. Thaman and released on Silly Monks Music.

Track-List[11]
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Jai Hanuman"Suddala Ashok TejaShankar Mahadevan5:25
2."Thella Thella"Ramajogayya SastryMadhu Balakrishnan4:02
3."Oka Nuvvu Oka Nenu"Ramajogayya SastryJubin Nautiyal, Shreya Ghoshal5:39
4."Vekuvamma"Suddala Ashok TejaS. P. Balasubrahmanyam4:09
5."Sarasamaha"Ramajogayya SastryRamya Behara4:31
6."Ravana Brahmma"Ramajogayya SastryMano3:11
Total length:26:57

Reception

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Deccan Chronicle rated the film with 2.5 stars and wrote, "the film is strictly for Mohan Babu fans only and for others, the choice remain with us".[12] Firstpost wrote that the film could have been a taut thriller, but doesn't quite hit the mark saying Gayatri is a film tailor-made for Mohan Babu.[13] New Indian Express wrote that the "film packs a punch for the commendable performance of Mohan Babu and makes for a decent watch".[14]

References

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  1. ^ Kavirayani, Suresh (30 January 2018). "When a film fails, even the wife neglects you: Mohan Babu". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Vishnu Manchu reveals the career risk he took for Mohan Babu's Gayatri". 6 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Gayatri (Gayathri) movie review and rating by audience: Live updates". International Business Times. 9 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Gayatri trailer out: Mohan Babu looks intimidating in this gangster drama".
  5. ^ "Aynabaji is getting a Telegu remake". The Daily Star. 8 August 2017.
  6. ^ "'Aynabaji' to be remade in India". NTV Online. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Vishnu Manchu and Shriya Saran start shooting for Mohan Babu's 'Gayatri'". Sify. Archived from the original on 29 November 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  8. ^ Pudipeddi, Haricharan (10 January 2018). "At 67, Mohan Babu stuns crew of Gayatri with thrilling a stunt sequence". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Mohan Babu is Ferocious as Villain in Gayatri: Vishnu Manchu". News 18. 25 December 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  10. ^ Nyayapati, Neeshita (1 January 2018). "After Dr Mohan Babu's first look on Christmas, Vishnu Manchu". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  11. ^ "Gayatri – All Songs – Download or Listen Free – Saavn". 28 January 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  12. ^ KAVIRAYANI, SURESH (11 February 2018). "Gayatri movie review: It's Mohan Babu all the way". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  13. ^ Kumar, Hemanth (9 February 2018). "Gayatri movie review: Plot takes a backseat in what can only be called a show reel for Mohan Babu". Firstpost. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  14. ^ "'Gayatri' movie review: Tailor made for Mohan Babu". New Indian Express. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
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