Athadu(2005)
Athadu is a 2005 Indian Telugu-language action comedy thriller film written and directed by Trivikram Srinivas. It stars Mahesh Babu as a hitman who is framed for a politician's murder and assumes a new identity. The supporting cast includes Trisha, Sonu Sood, Prakash Raj, and Nassar. The film follows Nandu, a contract killer hired to stage a fake assassination, which turns into a real murder. He escapes and is mistaken for a missing man named Pardhu by his family in a village. The plot weaves action, romance, and family drama as Nandu tries to clear his name. The music was composed by Mani Sharma, and the cinematography was handled by K. V. Guhan. Athadu received critical acclaim for its screenplay, action sequences, and Mahesh Babu's performance. It won three Nandi Awards and a Filmfare Award for Best Director. The film was a commercial success, collecting a distributor share of approximately ₹22 crore. It is one of the most telecast Telugu films on television. The film was released on 10 August 2005.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- MX Player, Prime Video, aha, Airtel Xstream Play, YouTube (iDream Movies)
- Theatrical Release
- 10 August 2005
- Director
- Trivikram Srinivas
- Language
- Telugu
- Runtime
- 2h 55m
- Rating
- 7.7/10
Storyline
Nandu is a hitman hired to stage a fake attack on a politician. The plan goes wrong and the politician is killed. Nandu is framed for the murder. He escapes and takes the identity of a dead man named Pardhu. He finds a new family and falls in love. But his past catches up with him. He must clear his name and protect the people he loves.
“He is not who you think he is.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Athadu
Cast reunions in this film: Nassar & Prakash Raj (41 films together), Prakash Raj & Kota Srinivasa Rao (24 films together), Nassar & Kota Srinivasa Rao (21 films together), Prakash Raj & Sunil Varma (19 films together), Nassar & Sayaji Shinde (17 films together), and Prakash Raj & Mahesh Babu (17 films together).
Trivia
- The film's original title was 'Athadu' but it was briefly considered to be named 'Shankar Dada MBBS' before release.
- Mahesh Babu's character was initially offered to several other leading actors before he came on board.
- A key action sequence was shot in a specially constructed village set to control the filming environment.
- The film's background score uses a recurring whistle motif that became instantly recognizable to audiences.
- It was the first Telugu film to be released with digital cinema prints in some theaters.
- The character of 'Pardhu' played by Sayaji Shinde was inspired by real-life political figures of the time.
- Despite mixed initial reviews, the film developed a strong cult following over the years for its dialogue and style.