Kondaveeti Donga(1990)
Kondaveeti Donga is a 1990 Indian Telugu-language vigilante action drama film directed by A. Kodandarami Reddy. The film stars Chiranjeevi, Vijayashanti, Radha, Sharada, Mohan Babu, Rao Gopal Rao, and Amrish Puri. It follows Kondaveeti Raja, an orphan who becomes an IAS officer and returns to his tribal village to find it oppressed by corrupt landlords. Disillusioned with the legal system, he adopts a Robin Hood persona to steal from the rich and empower the poor. The film was released in 70 mm format with 6-track stereophonic sound, a technical rarity at the time. It received positive reviews and was later dubbed into Tamil as Thangamalai Thirudan and into Malayalam as Kodanadu Kallan. The soundtrack by Ilaiyaraaja remains popular decades later.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Prime Video, Sun NXT, Eros Now, Aha, YouTube, Plex, Hungama
- Theatrical Release
- 1 January 1990
- Director
- A. Kodandarami Reddy
- Language
- Telugu
- Runtime
- 2h 31m
- Rating
- 5.0/10
Storyline
An orphan raised by a tribal village returns as an IAS officer to find his people crushed by three ruthless landlords. When the law fails to deliver justice, he becomes a masked vigilante who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. His actions transform the village, but a police officer and a doctor both fall in love with him, complicating his mission.
“The thief who stole for justice.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Kondaveeti Donga
Cast reunions in this film: Radha & Ilayaraja (35 films together), Ilayaraja & Vijayashanti (8 films together), Mohan Babu & Kaikala Satyanarayana (5 films together), Chiranjeevi & Kaikala Satyanarayana (5 films together), Nagendra Babu & Chiranjeevi (4 films together), and Ilayaraja & Mohan Babu (3 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Kondaveeti Donga' translates to 'Thief of Kondaveedu', referencing a historic fort in Andhra Pradesh.
- This was the first Telugu film where actor Chiranjeevi performed a fight sequence entirely on horseback.
- Director A. Kodandarami Reddy and Chiranjeevi collaborated on over 15 films, making this a frequent director-actor pairing.
- The movie's plot involving a folk-tale hero was inspired by popular village stories told in the Rayalaseema region.
- A special crane was imported for the shooting to capture the large-scale climax sequence involving a chariot.
- The film's soundtrack by composer Chandrabose included a folk-dance number that became popular in rural areas.
- Despite being an action film, it carried a strong social message about standing against exploitation and blind faith.