Telugu movie satires Chiranjeevi's political moves

Former Union minister of coal and Telugu film industry's leading personality Dasari Narayana Rao has produced a film Mesthri which has been released in Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Karnataka.

The film attracted lot of attention even before its release mainly because it was expected that Dasari would use Mesthri as a platform to attack Telugu film industry's leading star Chiranjeevi who is testing his strength in the political waters of Andhra Pradesh. Mesthri is directed by Suresh Krishna who had earlier directed Chiranjeevi's film Daddy.

Dasari, who has directed more than 150 films in various languages that includes Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Kannada, has also produced this film besides acting in the title role.

The fact that he has acted in a film after a long gap should be seen in the backdrop of the raising political temperatures in Andhra Pradesh ever since Chiranjeevi launched his Praja Rajyam Party.

Dasari made sure that the film gets wider attention by having huge audio release functions in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Despite its poor production values, Mesthri was still able to generate some curiosity among the film fans. Select leaks in media about the diatribe against Chiranjeevi in the film had also fuelled some curiosity.

'We had expectations that Dasari would take on Chiranjeevi in the film. Mestri was released on Thursday in AP and on Friday in Karnataka. Dasari has several sequences in the film in which he makes an indirect comment on Chiranjeevi. He has used an important character in the film which is played by actor Vijayakumar whose characterisation is similar to Chiranjeevi. And Dasari who plays the role of Mesthri has some dialogues which attacks Chiranjeevi's political moves. It is funny and also critical," said a well known Telugu film producer requesting anonymity.

However the film's reviews in the media have explicitly mentioned that the film's second half has many sequences which are focused on criticizing Chiranjeevi and his supporters.

Dasari also hails from the Kapu community to which Chiranjeevi belongs. Dasari who has been in the political arena since more than a decade was considered the most influential Kapu leader in Andhra Pradesh, until Chiranjeevi arrived on the scene to make his larger than life presence.

Kapu is an influential community in Andhra Pradesh which has not enjoyed major political space in that state. Dasari uses the film as a platform to question Chiranjeevi's claim as a Kapu leader.

"What have you done to your community so far' he asks to a character of the film which is modelled to suit Chiranjeevi.

Some of the dialogues in the film make direct references to Chiranjeevi. "Even a Shakeela dance shows attract huge crowds. People will come in large numbers even if Shakeela comes for canvassing,"says the character of Mesthri in the film.

Dasari's character also makes jibes about Chiranjeevi's penchant for using names of some eminent people like Mahatma Gandhi, Mahathma Phule, Mother Teresa and Dr B R Ambedkar.

"Just because you put the photos of some great people on the banners and posters of your party, you will not automatically become a great personality like them", says Mesthri in a sequence of the film.