Mrigaraju(2001)
Mrigaraju is a 2001 Indian Telugu-language action adventure film directed by Gunasekhar. The film stars Chiranjeevi as Raju, a hunter, with Simran, Sanghavi, and Nagendra Babu in supporting roles. Set in the jungle of Adavipalli, the story follows Raju as he is hired to kill a man-eating lion that is halting the construction of a railway bridge. The plot also involves a corrupt forest ranger, a local smuggler, and Raju's estranged wife Aishwarya, who is the project engineer. The film is inspired by the 1996 American film The Ghost and the Darkness. It was released during the Sankranthi festival on January 11, 2001, and was a box-office bomb despite a budget of ₹15 crore. The music was composed by Mani Sharma.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Sun NXT, Airtel Xstream Play, VI Movies and TV
- Theatrical Release
- 1 January 2001
- Director
- GunaSekhar
- Language
- Telugu
- Rating
- 4.8/10
Storyline
A man-eating lion terrorizes a village and stops a railway bridge from being built. Raju, a skilled hunter, is called in to kill the lion. But the lion is not alone, and Raju must face a second, more dangerous beast while also dealing with corrupt officials and his estranged wife.
“One hunter. Two lions. One family to save.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Mrigaraju
Cast reunions in this film: Simran & Sanghavi (4 films together), and Simran & Chiranjeevi (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film was inspired by the 1996 Hollywood movie 'The Ghost and the Darkness', which itself was based on the true story of the Tsavo maneaters.
- This was the first and only time director Gunasekhar collaborated with actor Chiranjeevi in his career.
- The film's climax was shot in the dense forests of Kerala, requiring elaborate safety measures for the cast and crew.
- Mani Sharma's background score used unique tribal-inspired percussion to heighten the jungle atmosphere.
- The movie was dubbed and released in Tamil as 'Vettaikkaaran', which directly translates to 'The Hunter'.
- A Hindi-dubbed version titled 'Rakshak, The Protector' was also released to reach a wider audience.
- Despite its star power, the film underperformed at the box office compared to Chiranjeevi's other major hits of that era.