Gaddalakonda Ganesh


Gaddalakonda Ganesh is a 2019 Indian Telugu-language action thriller film directed by Harish Shankar and produced by Ram Achanta and Gopichand Achanta on 14 Reels Plus banner. The movie is a remake of the 2014 Tamil film Jigarthanda which itself was inspired by the South Korean movie A Dirty Carnival. The film features Varun Tej, Atharvaa, Pooja Hegde, and Mirnalini Ravi. This film marks the Telugu debut of Atharvaa and Ravi. The movie was titled as Valmiki but after several controversies and a court case, the title was changed to Gaddalakonda Ganesh.

Plot

In a cinema studio, an assistant director and also an aspiring film director named Abhilash aka Abhi gets insulted by one of the director, there he challenges that he will become a good Director with a good film in few days. And another producer likes Abhi's hardworking and suggests him to do a gangster movie what today audience encourage. He decides to direct the biopic of gangster. In a search of gangster, he finds the ruthless gangster named Gaddalakonda Ganesh aka Gani lives in the town of Gaddalakonda. Abhi lands in Gaddalakonda and starts learning about Gani with the help of his friend Chintakayyi. Abhi traps Bujjama, the granddaughter of Gani's chef and she falls in love with Abhi who realises this and reciprocates her feelings.
After some hilarious scenes, Abhi and Chintakayyi befriends with Thuppaki, one of the Gani's henchman. Later the duo learns that the Thuppaki is helping Prabhakar, one of the Gani's rival don to kill Gani for the position of Gani. However, Gani acknowledge this, plans and kill Thuppaki. Gani also kidnaps Abhi and his friend. Abhi says the truth and Gani feels happy that they were taking the biopic of him and he narrates the whole story including his criminal activities.
From childhood, Gani starts to beating people for money. Later he does settlements for M.L.A. Gani also fan of Sridevi. Later Gani falls for Sridevi aka Devi, an computer student but she doesn't accepts him of his aimless behaviour. Later she also reciprocates his feelings after rescuing her from ragging. But the Devi's father refuses to accept their relationship due to caste system. Devi and Gani decided to elope from Gaddalakonda and Gani refuses to kill someone for the M.L.A because he wants to leave behind his rowdyism. The M.L.A informs polices about Gani's whereabouts. The polices comes to railway station and beats up Gani while Devi's father threatening Devi to marry the bridegroom whom did he chooses otherwise he orders to police to kill Gani. Devi reluctantly married to police officer who is belongs to her caste. The another M.L.A, with the lawyer comes to police station and says that Gani's M.L.A informs polices the Gani's whereabouts. He then go to his M.L.A and slits his throat in front of his mother. Then Gani's mother complaints against him. But Gani claims in court that his mother was mute. From that day onwards she refuses to speak with Gani.
Now in present, Bujjama learns about Abhi and confronts the latter. In the party for Abhi returning to Hyderabad, Bujjama exasperated Gani to act as a protagonist in his biopic. Gani decides to act as a protagonist in his biopic which is against to Abhi's wishes. However Abhi changes his mind by listening the theatre operator's words and his passion about to direct a movie but he can't do due to his maladaptation. Then Abhi appoint the acting coach Muni Manikyam for Gani and his gang. Later the acting coach praises Gani for his acting skill due to his ruthless behaviour and also the acting coach humiliated Gani and his gang while they were training.
The shooting begins. The title of the film is Settimaar. By understanding the difficulties in directing the movie, Bujjama reconciles with Abhi. But things takes turn when Gani also changes his mind and fall for Bujjama. In the audio launch, Gani announced that he gifted a villa to Abhi and wants to marry Bujjama.
The movie is released and opened with tremendous response. At the same time, Abhi elopes with Bujjama. Gani comes to know about this and decides to kill Abhi. But meanwhile, Gani's craze increases due to his acting skills. The people who fear Gani are now asking for selfies with him and his autograph. The little daughter of Thuppaki, who also fears when Gani comes to fondling her, gives a kiss and praises his acting skills. Gani's mother who refused to talk to him in the past speaks to him. By seeing all these, Gani spares Abhi and Bujjama and gives up his rowdy carrier. Prabhakar's henchman asks him to include him in Gani's next movie which is being directed by Sukumar. Abhi's paternal uncle takes Gani's criminal evidences and handes it over to the D.C.P, who turns out to be Devi's husband. Devi takes the evidence and grindes it in a blender.when the D.C.P asks devi why she had grind the evidence,
She replies that since the D.C.P couldn't keep his promise to not incriminate Gani for which in return Devi wouldn't think about Gani.This indicates that Devi is in still loving Gani. Later Devi also praises him. Abhi uses Gani's gang for threatening stars like Nithin to act in his film. Abhi marries Bujjama and Gani remains single.

Cast

Announcement

On 26 January 2019, the movie officially launched. Dil Raju, Sukumar graced the launch and proceedings took place at Ramanaidu Film Studios.
The production on the film started from February 2019. Atharvaa joined on set for shooting in March 2019. Similarly involvement of Pooja Hegde was confirmed by the team in July. Mickey J. Meyer replaced Devi Sri Prasad as music director who was initially announced.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack is composed by Mickey J. Meyer and lyrics by Bhaskarbhatla Ravikumar and Vanamali. The song "Elluvachi Godaramma" is a remix of the song of the same name from the 1982 film Devatha.

Controversies

Protests and release stalled

being from Boya Community, many people from that community protested to change the name of the movie as they are showing the lead actor in negative role. When shooting for the film in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, the Boya community attacked the film crew and shooting was cancelled.
The release of the movie was stalled in Anantapur and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh by their respective district collectors as Boya community was protesting for title change of the movie.

Court case

In September 2019, Boya Hakkula Porata Samithi filed a petition in the Telangana High Court and Andhra Pradesh Valmiki Boya Sangam In AP High Court with PIL No:139/2019 by State General Secretary Kranthi Naidu Boya contending that the title hurt sentiments as the name of great saint as Valmiki was being used for a character that donning the role of a villain.

Title change

With many controversies over the movie's title and release stalling in some areas, the title was changed to Gaddalakonda Ganesh from Valmiki only hours prior to the release of the film.

Marketing and release

In June 2019, 14 Reels Plus released pre teaser on social media platforms. On 15 August 2019 the team released teaser and started promoting with releasing singles from the album. The official trailer of the film was unveiled by 14 Reels Plus on 9 September 2019.
The film was scheduled to be released on 13 September 2019, however to avoid direct clash with Gang Leader it was postponed by a week, scheduling the release on 20 September.

Reception

Neeshita Nyayapati writing for The Times of India has given 3.5/5 rating praising Varun Tej's performance as gangster.
Banda Kalyan writing for Sakshi gave 3/5 rating point out only drawback of the film is forced comedy and how people are simply laughing onscreen while watching a film about a gangster.
Sangeetha Devi writing for The Hindu suggested this adaptation raises a toast to the cinema more importantly showcases the power of the director.