“Raja The Great” a 2017 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film, emerged as a collaborative effort between writer-director Anil Ravipudi and producer Dil Raju under the Sri Venkateswara Creations banner. The movie showcases Ravi Teja in the lead role as a visually impaired man, sharing the screen with Mehreen Pirzada and Raadhika.
Notably, Vivan Bhatena makes his Telugu debut in the film, and the supporting cast includes Rajendra Prasad, Prakash Raj, and Sampath Raj, with the musical compositions crafted by Sai Karthik. Additionally, the film introduces Teja’s son Mahadhan as a child actor. Commencing production in April 2017, the film unfolded its scenes against the vibrant backdrop of Hyderabad and the picturesque locales of Darjeeling.
A global release on October 18, 2017, witnessed mixed reviews from both critics and audiences. While accolades were showered upon the cast’s performances, action sequences, and entertainment value, critiques were directed towards the writing and uneven tonal shifts. Despite the mixed reception, the film emerged as a commercial triumph, surpassing ₹50 crore in gross revenue and establishing itself as the highest-grossing film in Ravi Teja’s career.
The narrative revolves around Lucky, the well-guarded daughter of SP Prakash, whose life takes a perilous turn when her father encounters the brother of a formidable gangster, Devaraj. This encounter becomes a catalyst for tragedy, leading to Prakash’s demise and putting Lucky in Devaraj’s crosshairs. Seeking refuge in Darjeeling, Lucky finds solace in the home of her father’s friend, Prasad.
To safeguard her, the police department assembles a special team, and here enters Raja, a blind man trained by his mother, Anantha Lakshmi, with the ambition of making him a police officer. Raja’s unique skills are enlisted to protect Lucky, and as the narrative unfolds, the visually impaired protagonist, with his friend Bujji and a team of officers, journeys to Darjeeling.
Raja’s encounter with Lucky becomes transformative, as he employs tricks to lift her spirits and resolves the challenges faced by Prasad. The storyline takes unexpected turns as Lucky gains confidence in Raja’s ability to protect her and decides to confront her adversaries. The plot further thickens with a cat-and-mouse game, where Raja faces off against Devaraj’s goons, protecting Lucky and gathering evidence against the menacing antagonist.
As the tension escalates, Devaraj resorts to kidnapping Anantha Lakshmi and Lucky, setting the stage for a final confrontation. Raja’s intelligence and strategic prowess come to the forefront as he rescues his mother and Lucky, culminating in a face-off with Devaraj. Despite emerging victorious, Raja refrains from taking a life, and the narrative closes with the promise of his continued involvement in future police operations, as orchestrated by IG Viswaraj.
Director | Anil Ravipudi |
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Story | Anil Ravipudi |
Screenplay | Anil Ravipudi |
Dialogues | Anil Ravipudi |
Cinematography | Mohana Krishna |
Editor | Tammiraju |
Music | Sai Karthik |
Producer | Dil Raju |
Cast | Ravi Teja Mehreen Pirzada Raadhika SarathkumarVivan BhatenaRajendra PrasadPrakash RajSampath RajTanikella BharaniAliPosani Krishna Murali Raghu BabuPrudhvi RajJaya Prakash ReddySrinivasa ReddyPudipeddi Sai Kumar Rajeev KanakalaRavi PrakashBharath ReddyBanerjeeSurya Kumar BhagvandasGautham RajuSatyam RajeshPrabhas SreenuChitram SeenuAnnapurna Pavitra LokeshVidyullekha RamanKarate KalyaniHari TejaSurekha VaniShanoor SanaMallela RajithaRaghu KarumanchiAnish John Kokken Bithiri SathiChammak ChandraHarsha ChemuduSampoornesh BabuSaptagiriThagubothu RameshRaashi KhannaAnil Ravipudi |
Release Type | Theatre |
Language | Telugu |
Production | Sri Venkateswara Creations |
Budget | 45 Crores INR |
Box Office | 52 Crores INR |
OTT Platform | Disney+ Hotstar |
OTT Release Date | January 5, 2018 |