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Dammu
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| Dhammu | |
|---|---|
Theatrical Poster | |
| Directed by | Boyapati Srinu |
| Written by | Story & Screenplay: Boyapati Srinu Dialogues: M. Rathnam |
| Produced by | K. S. Rama Rao K. A. Vallabha |
| Starring | N.T. Rama Rao Jr. Trisha Karthika Nair |
| Cinematography | Arthur A. Wilson |
| Edited by | Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao |
| Music by | M. M. Keeravani |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Sri Venkateswara Film Distributors (Nizam)[1] Ficus Inc. (Overseas)[2] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 155 minutes[4] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
| Box office | ₹35 crores distributors' share[5] |
Dhammu[a][6] (transl. Guts) is a 2012 Indian Telugu-language action drama film co-written and directed by Boyapati Srinu. The film stars N. T. Rama Rao Jr., Trisha, Karthika Nair, Nassar, Sampath Raj, Rahul Dev, Kishore, Suman, Brahmanandam, Ali, Bhanupriya, Kota Srinivasa Rao and Venu Thottempudi.
Dhammu was released theatrically on 27 April 2012 and received mixed to negative reviews from critics who praised cast performance and action sequences, but criticized its screenwriting, excessive violence, and double-meaning dialogues. Regardless, the film was a commercial success grossing over ₹58 crore at the box office with a distributor's share of ₹35 crore.[7] It was the 15th highest-grossing Telugu film at the time of release in terms of distributor's share.[7] The film was unofficially remade in Bengali (Bangladesh) as Rajababu - The Power starring Shakib Khan, Apu Biswas and Bobby. The film was dubbed into Tamil titled Singamagan.
Plot
[edit]Rama Chandra is an orphan who leads a simple life along with his friend. He falls in love with Sathya, who is a rich girl. Sathya imposes a condition that Rama Chandra's family history should be important. At this very moment, Rama Chandra learns that a rich and powerful royal Suryavamsi family seeks to adopt an heir, where he seizes the chance.
Rama Chandra goes there and realizes that Suryavamsi family has a violent past and a bitter dispute with another rich and powerful royal Chandravamsi family headed by a Chandravamsi King and also realizes that thousands of people in the area are now dependent on him for their very survival. Rama Chandra also discovers that he is actually the real heir to the family. Despite his hatred towards violence, Rama Chandra tries his best to solve the problems peacefully, but the rival gang does not give him a chance. Vexed with the violence, Rama Chandra nearly kills the Chandravamsi King's eldest son and kills King's youngest son, where he opens the Chandravamsi King's eyes by placing a sword on his middle son. Chandravamsi King realizes that his mistakes and apologizes to Rama Chandra and the family, thus ending the violent nature of the village.
Cast
[edit]- N. T. Rama Rao Jr. as Rama Chandra / Raja Vasireddy Vijayadwaja Srisimha
- Trisha as Sathya
- Karthika Nair as Neelaveni
- Nassar as Chandravamsi King
- Brahmanandam as Jaanaki
- Bhanupriya as Rama Chandra's mother
- Venu Thottempudi as Rama Chandra's brother-in-law
- Abhinaya as Rama Chandra's first elder sister
- Hari Teja as Rama Chandra's second elder sister
- Chitralekha as Rama Chandra's third elder sister
- Suman as Suryavamsi King/Raja Surya Pratap Singh
- Kota Srinivasa Rao as Raja of Veera Durgam Fort
- Ahuti Prasad as Neelaveni's father
- Ali as Rama Chandra's friend
- Rahul Dev as Police Officer
- Sampath Raj as Chandravamsi King's elder son
- Kishore as Chandravamsi King's second son
- Sridhar Rao as Chandravamsi King's third son
- Tanikella Bharani as Head Priest
- Chalapathi Rao as Krishnam Raju
- Subhalekha Sudhakar as Sathya's father
- Prabhakar as Chandravamsi King's henchmen
- Snigdha as Sathya's friend
- Kolla Ashok Kumar as Rama Chandra's servant
- Chatrapathi Sekhar
- Prasad Babu
- Shanoor Sana as Kaikeyi
- Sandhya Janak[8]
- Rahul Mahajan (uncredited appearance)
- Maryam Zakaria as item number
Production
[edit]Dhammu has music scored by M. M. Keeravani.[9] Shruti Hassan, who was originally signed to play the female lead, walked out citing date issues.[10] Later the producers approached Kajal Aggarwal who also couldn't accommodate bulk dates for the film.[11] The producers finalised Trisha as the first female lead.[12] According to reports, Bhanupriya, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Venu Thottempudi and Subhalekha Sudhakar play supporting roles.[13]
Soundtrack
[edit]| Dammu | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 29 March 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 2012 | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 29:32 | |||
| Language | Telugu | |||
| Label | Vel records Sony Music Entertainment[14] | |||
| Producer | M. M. Keeravani | |||
| M. M. Keeravani chronology | ||||
| ||||
The soundtrack of the film was released on 29 March 2012 at Shilpakala Vedika in Hyderabad. M. M. Keeravani's music label, Vel Records, and Sony Music Entertainment secured the film's audio rights. The lyrics for all the songs were written by Chandrabose.
| No. | Title | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sound of Vel" (Instrumental) | 00:46 | |
| 2. | "O Lily" | Baba Sehgal | 04:30 |
| 3. | "Ruler (Movie Version)" | Prudhvi Chandra, Revanth, Sahiti, Geetha Madhuri | 04:55 |
| 4. | "Raja Vasi Reddy" | M. M. Keeravani, Krishna Chaithanya | 04:44 |
| 5. | "Vaastu Bagunde Baby" | Rahul Sipligunj, Sravana Bhargavi, Shivani | 04:32 |
| 6. | "Dhammu" | Rahul Sipligunj, Sravana Bhargavi, Shivani | 04:21 |
| 7. | "Ruler (CD Version)" | M. M. Keeravani, Geetha Madhuri | 05:44 |
| Total length: | 29:32 | ||
Release
[edit]The Telugu and Tamil versions released on 27 April 2012. Dammu released on approximately 2550 screens worldwide which was a record in Tollywood.[15] It released in approx of 140+ theatres in Karnataka which is considered to be a record by out of state movie.[16]
Critical reception
[edit]B.V.S. Prakash of Deccan Chronicle wrote "Dhammu (Valour), as one of the Telugu films that made high on action and low on contents".[17] Sify wrote "Boyapati uses the same formula of Tollywood action movies with good dialogues, high voltage fight sequences and wraps ups with interesting twist and NTR's charged up performance".[18]
Mahesh K. S. of 123Telugu gave 3.25 out of 5 stars and wrote "‘Dhammu’ will work well with fans and mass movie lovers. We have seen a highly charged performance from Tarak after a long time and he carries the film completely on his shoulders. Good action sequences, dialogues and sentiment will work well at the Box office. On the flip side, tempo goes down a bit in the second half and care should have been taken here."[19] Radhika Rajamani of Rediff gave 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Director Boyapati Seenu's new film Dammu has an outdated and clichéd storyline, regressive content, and mindless and excessive violence".[20]
Box office
[edit]Domestic
[edit]Dhammu earned a total share of ₹8.04 crore on its opening day at the AP+Nizam box office which was an all time record day 1 opening.[21] It earned a share of ₹14.31 in its opening weekend in AP+Nizam.[22] Within 1 week, the film grossed over ₹20.8 crore at the AP+Nizam box office and ₹23.9 in India. [23] In 10 days, it collected a share of ₹27.65 crore at the domestic box office out of which ₹24.1 crore came from AP+Nizam alone.[24] In 2 weeks, the film collected a share of ₹29.95 crore domestically.[25] By the end of its theatrical run, Dammu collected a total share of ₹29.25 at the AP+Nizam box office and additional ₹3.95 crore from ROI for a total share of ₹33.20 crore in India.[7]
Overseas
[edit]Dhammu earned a total share of ₹1.80 crore at the overseas market.[7]
Pre-release revenues
[edit]After selling distribution and satellite rights, the film earned pre-release revenue up to ₹45 crore (US$5.3 million).[26]
Home media
[edit]The satellite and digital rights were sold to Zee Telugu and ZEE5 for ₹6.6 crore (US$780,000), the highest buy-over for any film in 2012.[27] The VCDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs of the film were released through Bhavani Company into the market on 10 August 2012, six days after completing 100 days in theatres.[28]
Awards
[edit]| Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Bhanupriya | Nominated |
Notes
[edit]- ^ Alternatively spelt Dammu.
References
[edit]- ^ "Dil Raju releasing Dammu & Racha ~ Telugu Cinema News Updates". Zustcinema.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "NTR's "Dammu" Overseas by Ficus". idlebrain.com. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "Dammu Movie Release Date on April 27th". Archived from the original on 11 April 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
- ^ "DAMMU". British Board of Film Classification.
- ^ "Dhammu Total Collections". Andhraboxoffice. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "Dhammu".
- ^ a b c d "Dhammu Total Collections". andhraboxoffice. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Tollywood's favorite mommy". The Times of India. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
- ^ "'Dammu' shooting to resume in Sept". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ Suresh Kavirayani (18 October 2011). "Shruti Haasan walks out of Dammu". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
- ^ "Kajal opposite NTR in Dammu!". Sify. Archived from the original on 23 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ "Trisha salvages career". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2 November 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
- ^ "Venu to play NTR's bava in Dammu". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 31 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ^ "Dhammu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - EP". Apple Music.
- ^ "Dhammu Shows". Super Good Films. 27 April 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "Dammu release in Karnataka may pose threat to Kannada films". CNN-IBN. 27 April 2012. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ B.V.S. Prakash (28 April 2012). "Dammu review: Jr NTR still the angry young man". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "Movie Review:Dammu review". Sify. Archived from the original on 21 April 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "Review : Dhammu – NTR's high voltage entertainer". 123Telugu.
- ^ "Review: Dammu is strictly for NTR Jr fans – Rediff.com Movies". Rediff.com. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "Dhammu 1st Day Total Collections". andhraboxoffice. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Dhammu 1st Weekend Total Collections". andhraboxoffice. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Dhammu 1st Week Total Collections". andhraboxoffice. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Dhammu 10 Days worldwide Total Collections". andhraboxoffice. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Dhammu 2 Weeks Total Collections". andhraboxoffice. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ 'Dammu' Pre-Release Business Record. Cinejosh.com (3 March 2012). Retrieved on 2015-08-22.
- ^ Dammu Satellite Rights 6.6 Crores Bagged by Zee TV – Timesofap. timesofap.com
- ^ "DVD's & Bluray's releasing through Bhavani DVD on 10th August". facebook.com/NTRFans. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
External links
[edit]Dammu
View on GrokipediaPlot and Cast
Plot
Rama Chandra, an orphan raised in the city alongside his friend, leads a modest life by assisting those in need while aspiring to amass enough wealth to marry Sathya, the affluent woman he falls in love with at first sight. Sathya agrees to the relationship only if Rama Chandra belongs to a prominent family, prompting him to accept adoption by the royal Suryavamsi clan in their remote village. Upon arriving, Rama Chandra uncovers the Suryavamsi family's turbulent history of factional violence stemming from a decades-old dispute with the rival Chandravamsi family, led by the Chandravamsi King (Nassar), whose sons have targeted Suryavamsi heirs to eradicate their lineage. As Rama Chandra, now renamed Raja Vasireddy Vijayadwaja Srisimha, integrates into the Suryavamsi household, he forms bonds with his adoptive mother (Bhanupriya) and other family members, including a connection with Neelaveni (Karthika Nair), involved in the familial dynamics. A flashback reveals his true origins: Rama Chandra is the biological son of the Suryavamsi family, hidden at birth to protect him from the Chandravamsi forces during the feud's peak. Committed to his principle of valuing life and rejecting killing, Rama Chandra confronts the Chandravamsi forces in escalating clashes, discovering he is the real heir. Despite his ideals, he nearly kills the Chandravamsi King's eldest son (Sampath Raj), kills the youngest son, and places a sword on the middle son, opening the king's eyes to his atrocities.[1] In the climax, overcome with remorse, the Chandravamsi King apologizes, leading to reconciliation and the unification of the feuding clans, thereby restoring peace to the village. Rama Chandra's arc of self-discovery and reluctant use of violence culminates in his marriage to Sathya, embracing his heritage.Cast
The principal cast of Dammu (2012) is led by N. T. Rama Rao Jr. as the protagonist, with Trisha and Karthika Nair as the female leads, alongside veteran actors in key supporting positions.[1] The ensemble brings to life the film's themes of family legacy and conflict resolution.| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| N. T. Rama Rao Jr. | Rama Chandra / Raja Vasireddy Vijayadwaja Srisimha | The protagonist, an adopted (and true) heir who navigates and resolves a longstanding family feud between rival clans.[1] |
| Trisha | Sathya | The love interest of Rama Chandra, providing emotional support amid the central conflict. |
| Karthika Nair | Neelaveni | The second female lead, involved in the familial dynamics.[1] |
| Nassar | Chandravamsi King | The leader of the rival family, central to the feud. |
| Sampath Raj | Chandravamsi King's elder son | A key antagonist from the rival family, escalating the central feud.[1] |
| Bhanupriya | Rajeswari Devi | The maternal figure in the protagonist's adopted family, influencing key decisions.[6] |
Production
Development
Dammu was conceived as an action-drama in the Telugu film industry, with director Boyapati Srinu taking on the dual role of co-writer and director to craft a narrative centered on themes of lineage and familial inheritance amid conflict.[1] Srinu's screenplay emphasized high-stakes family rivalries, drawing from traditional Telugu mass cinema tropes to explore inheritance disputes while incorporating elements of restraint in resolution.[8] The project marked Srinu's follow-up to his earlier works, aiming to leverage his reputation for intense action sequences blended with dramatic emotional arcs.[9] The film was produced under the banner of Creative Commercials, with K. S. Rama Rao serving as presenter and K. A. Vallabha (also known as Alexander Vallabha) as the primary producer.[7] This collaboration brought together established Telugu production expertise, with Rama Rao's experience in blockbuster ventures ensuring a focus on commercial viability.[10] Vallabha, making his notable entry into high-profile projects, handled key logistical aspects during pre-production.[11] Casting began with N. T. Rama Rao Jr. (NTR Jr.) secured as the male lead, selected for his rising stardom and ability to portray multifaceted characters in action-oriented roles following successes like Adhurs.[1] For the female leads, initial considerations included Shruti Haasan and Kajal Aggarwal, but both opted out due to scheduling conflicts, leading to Trisha Krishnan and Karthika Nair stepping in to play the romantic interests.[12] This recasting aligned with the film's dual-heroine structure, enhancing its appeal through established actresses suited to the dramatic and glamorous requirements.[7] Pre-production planning targeted mass appeal for Telugu audiences, with an estimated budget of around ₹35 crore allocated for grand-scale action set pieces and production values.[13] The emphasis was on creating a high-energy entertainer that could compete in the competitive 2012 release slate, prioritizing visual spectacle and emotional resonance.[14] Composer M. M. Keeravani was brought on board early to develop the musical framework supporting the action-drama tone.[1]Filming
Principal photography for Dammu commenced in late 2011, with initial schedules at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad, where several key scenes were filmed.[15] The production then moved to Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, starting November 12, 2011, to capture rural exteriors and major action sequences, including faction-style fights supervised by stunt coordinators Ram and Lakshman.[16][3] Shooting in Pollachi continued through early 2012, with the schedule wrapping up by February 21, 2012, allowing the film to complete post-production ahead of its April release.[17] The film's visual style was handled by cinematographer Arthur A. Wilson, who employed dynamic camera work to enhance the high-energy action, while editing was overseen by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao, ensuring tight pacing for the 155-minute runtime.[7] Art direction by Anand Sai contributed to the authentic depiction of both urban Hyderabad settings and rural backdrops in Pollachi.[3] Filming faced a notable challenge during the Pollachi schedule on November 25, 2011, when a camera assistant went missing amid the production of intense cannon-blasting action sequences, prompting a temporary halt before resuming without significant delays.[18][19] Overall, the coordination of elaborate fight choreography proceeded smoothly, with no major production setbacks reported.[20] The movie was shot in color using a 2.39:1 anamorphic aspect ratio, standard for Telugu action films of the era, to deliver a wide-screen cinematic experience.[21]Soundtrack
Composition
The music for Dammu was composed by M. M. Keeravani, who created six songs along with the background score, emphasizing a commercial, mass-appeal sound to align with the film's action-entertainer genre.[22] His composition process drew on his prior successful collaborations with lead actor N. T. Rama Rao Jr., focusing on high-energy, beat-driven tracks that prioritize intensity and rhythm over intricate melody to suit the protagonist's dynamic persona.[23] Keeravani's stylistic approach blended traditional Telugu elements with modern Western beats, incorporating rap influences, foot-tapping rhythms, and punchy modulations to evoke an adrenaline-fueled vibe.[22] This fusion aimed to capture the mass entertainer essence, with loud, fast-paced arrangements that build escalating intensity, sometimes reusing motivational interludes from his earlier works like Rakta Charitra.[23] The songs featured lyrics penned by Chandrabose, tailored with protagonist-centric, high-impact phrasing to enhance the narrative's energetic tone.[23] They were sung by a diverse ensemble of artists, including Baba Sehgal for rap segments, Prudhvi Chandra, Geetha Madhuri, Revanth, G. Sahithi, Krishna Chaitanya, Rahul Sipligunj, Shivani, and Shravana Bhargavi, delivering varied vocal intensities from chorus-backed anthems to high-pitched solos.[23] Recording occurred in 2012 in Hyderabad, prior to the soundtrack's audio launch on March 29, 2012, at Shilpakala Vedika.[23][24] Thematically, the compositions were designed to complement the plot's action sequences with vigorous, mass-oriented tracks and to underscore romantic subplots through melodic interludes, resulting in an album runtime of 29:32 minutes.[22] The soundtrack album was commercially released on April 26, 2012.[25]Track listing
The soundtrack album for Dhammu was launched on 29 March 2012 by Vel Records in association with Sony Music.[26] It features six songs composed by M. M. Keeravani, along with one instrumental track, with playback vocals by M. M. Keeravani in several tracks.[27] Note that the song "Ruler" appears in both a movie version and a CD version.| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Duration | Lyricist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sound of Vel | Instrumental | 0:46 | — |
| 2 | O Lilly | Baba Sehgal | 4:30 | Chandrabose |
| 3 | Ruler (Movie Version) | Prudhvi Chandra, Geetha Madhuri, L. V. Revanth, G. Sahithi | 4:55 | Chandrabose |
| 4 | Raja Vasi Reddy | M. M. Keeravani, Krishna Chaitanya | 4:44 | Chandrabose |
| 5 | Vaastu Bagunde | Rahul Sipligunj, Sravana Bhargavi, Shivani | 4:30 | Chandrabose |
| 6 | Dhammu | Rahul Sipligunj, Sravana Bhargavi, Shivani | 4:21 | Chandrabose |
| 7 | Ruler (CD Version) | M. M. Keeravani, Geetha Madhuri | 5:44 | Chandrabose |
