Pelli is a 1997 Indian Telugu-language film directed by Kodi Ramakrishna. The film stars Vadde Naveen, Maheswari and Pruthvi. The film was commercially successful[1][2] and won a Filmfare Award and two Nandi Awards. It was a remake of Sleeping With the Enemy (1991) and later was remade in Tamil as Aval Varuvala (1998), in Kannada as Maduve (2000) and in Hindi as Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe (2002).
| Pelli | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Kodi Ramakrishna |
| Produced by | Rama Lingeswara Rao |
| Starring | Vadde Naveen Maheswari |
| Cinematography | Kodi Lakshman (as Kodi Lakshman Rao) |
| Edited by | Suresh Tata |
| Music by | S. A. Rajkumar |
Release date | 1 August 1997 |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
Plot edit
Naveen, a UTI Bank manager sees Maheswari, a sales girl in a shopping mall and promptly falls in love and wants to marry her. Soon he goes in search of her, only to find her in a colony living with Janakamma, who he believes is her mother. Naveen, with the help of the colony residents, tries to win her love. Learning of his intention, Janakamma tries to convince Maheswari to marry Naveen to which Maheswari refuses. It is revealed that Janakamma is the mother-in-law of Maheswari to whom she married off her only son Pruthvi. After enduring physically and emotionally abusive marriage, Mahewsari fatally wounded Pruthvi, knocking him unconscious. Both Janakamma and Maheswari flee from the scene and start a fresh life as mother and daughter thinking that he is dead. Maheswari falls in love with Naveen and agrees to marry him.
Pruthvi finds them and shows up at the engagement party and blackmails Maheswari to get his ten lakh loan sanctioned by Naveen, or else he would tell everyone the truth that they are still married. Meanwhile, Janakamma is convinced that the only way of stopping her son from ruining Naveen and Maheswari's wedding is to kill him. The wedding and Pruthvi's birthday fall on the same day. Janakamma makes payasam for Pruthvi as she always does on his birthday and puts poison in it. Pruthvi, suspicious of his mother being with him instead of at the wedding, asks her to drink the payasam first to which she obliges. He then drinks it and dies. Janakamma arrives at the wedding in time and dies just after the ceremony.
Cast edit
- Vadde Naveen as Naveen
- Maheswari as Maheswari
- Prithvi as Pruthvi (Voiced by Mano)
- Sujatha as Janakamma, Pruthvi's mother
- Bramhanandam as Nammakala Sambasiva Rao aka Nasa
- Giribabu as Military Major
- Mallikarjuna Rao as Sanyasi
- Jayalalita as Saralamma
- Kovai Sarala as Meena, Nasa's wife
- Ananth Babu as Director
- Y. Vijaya as Nalini, Maheswari's boss
Production edit
Pelli is loosely based on the 1991 American film Sleeping With the Enemy (1991).[1]
Music edit
| Pelli | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 1997 |
| Length | 25:14 |
| Producer | S. A. Rajkumar |
All lyrics are written by Sirivennela Sitaramasastri; all music is composed by S. A. Rajkumar[3]
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Yavvana Veena" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 04:33 |
| 2. | "Paita Kongu" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra | 04:30 |
| 3. | "Kondaa Konaa" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra | 04:54 |
| 4. | "Jaabilamma" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 03:53 |
| 5. | "Rukku Rukku" | Mano | 04:23 |
| 6. | "Anuraagame" | K. J. Yesudas | 04:21 |
Reception edit
The film was reviewed by Zamin Ryot.[4] A critic from Andhra Today said that "The movie, a good entertainer until the arrival of Prithvi on the scene takes on a serious turn. The director Kodi Ramakrishna proves an expert in combining humor and sentiment".[5]
Awards edit
- Best Male Playback Singer – Telugu - Mano - "Rukku Rukku Rukmini"
Remakes edit
The film was remade in Kannada as Maduve (1998), in Tamil as Aval Varuvala (1998) and in Hindi as Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe (2002).
References edit
- ^ a b "నిన్న వేణు.. ఇప్పుడు వడ్డే నవీన్.. రీఎంట్రీ ఇస్తున్న సీనియర్ హీరోలు". Namaste Telangana (in Telugu). 30 July 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ "జూనీయర్ ఎన్టీఆర్ సోదరిని పెళ్ళి చేసుకున్న వడ్డే నవీన్.. కానీ..!". News18 (in Telugu). 6 February 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ "Pelli (1997)". raaga.com. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
- ^ "Review" (PDF). Zamin Ryot (in Telugu). 15 August 1997. p. 9.
- ^ "PELLI". Andhra Today. Archived from the original on 13 February 1998.
- ^ "నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)" [A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)] (PDF). Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh. Retrieved 21 August 2020.(in Telugu)
