Karthavyam(1991)
Karthavyam is a 1991 Indian Telugu-language political action film directed by Mohan Gandhi. It stars Vijayashanti as ASP Vyjayanthi, an honest IPS officer, and Vinod Kumar in a supporting role. The story follows Vyjayanthi as she battles a corrupt local leader, Muddu Krishnayya, and his violent son Chakravarthy in a small Andhra town. The film is loosely inspired by the real-life career of police officer Kiran Bedi. Vijayashanti won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance. The film was a major commercial success, grossing over ₹7 crore against a ₹90 lakh budget. It was also screened at the 14th International Film Festival of India. The film was later remade in Hindi as Tejasvini (1994) and in Tamil as Bhavani (2011).
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, ManoramaMax, Eros Now, YouTube, Airtel Xstream Play
- Theatrical Release
- 1 January 1991
- Director
- Mohan Gandhi
- Language
- Telugu
- Runtime
- 1h 57m
- Rating
- 3.4/10
Storyline
ASP Vyjayanthi is a sincere police officer posted to a town ruled by the corrupt Muddu Krishnayya. She wants to bring him and his son to justice. But the entire system is against her. She must fight bribes, threats, and a rigged legal system to do her duty.
“One woman. One duty. No fear.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Karthavyam
Cast reunions in this film: Sai Kumar & Babu Mohan (2 films together), and Babu Mohan & Nirmalamma (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film was originally titled 'Karthavyam' but was released as 'Karthavyam' after some title disputes.
- Vijayashanti performed many of her own stunts, including action sequences typically done by male heroes at the time.
- The film's success led to a wave of female-centric police dramas in Telugu cinema throughout the 1990s.
- Director Mohan Gandhi was primarily known for comedy films, making this serious action drama a notable shift.
- The movie was shot in a remarkably short schedule to capitalize on Vijayashanti's star power after a previous hit.
- It was one of the earliest Telugu films to be dubbed into Tamil and become a commercial success there.
- The National Award win for Vijayashanti was a rare honor for a mainstream commercial Telugu film actress at that time.