Stalin

Stalin is a 2006 Telugu political action drama directed by A. R. Murugadoss and produced by Nagendra Babu under Anjana Productions. Chiranjeevi plays the title role, a former army major on a mission to make people help one another, with Trisha and Khushbu, and Prakash Raj, Sharada, Pradeep Rawat and Brahmanandam in supporting roles. Mani Sharma composed the music. Released on 20 September 2006, it drew mixed-to-positive reviews and was screened in the mainstream section of the International Film Festival of India. It was later remade in Hindi as Jai Ho (2014).

What the story is about

Stalin is a decorated former Army major who left the service after a dispute with his commanding officer, and now has one mission: to help others. When a physically challenged girl he has been helping with her exams takes her own life because no one around her would help, he comes up with a chain: anyone who is helped should, instead of saying thank you, help three more people and ask each of them to do the same. The idea runs into the real world when Stalin beats up a rich young man who hurt a beggar, setting off a chain reaction that leads all the way to a powerful political family. The film’s battle between Stalin and the establishment takes off from there.

Cast

• Chiranjeevi as Major Stalin
• Trisha as Chitra
• Khushbu as Jhansi, Stalin’s elder sister, and Sharada as his mother
• Prakash Raj as Home Minister Muddu Krishnayya and Pradeep Rawat as his son-in-law, an MLA
• Mukesh Rishi as Lt. Col. Iqbal Kakar, with Sunil, Brahmaji and Suman
• Anushka Shetty in a special appearance and Rambha in the song “Parare Parare”

Music

Mani Sharma composed six songs, with lyrics by Anantha Sriram, Pedada Murthy, Kandikonda and Suddala Ashok Teja. Pawan Kalyan launched the audio on 22 August 2006 at the Lalitha Kala Vedika in Hyderabad’s Public Gardens.

Release and reception

Stalin opened on 20 September 2006, and a Tamil-dubbed version was released under the same title. Reports noted that parts of the plot resemble the 2000 Hollywood film Pay It Forward. Jeevi of Idlebrain.com praised Chiranjeevi and Khushbu, found the first half “pretty mediocre” without a villain, and singled out the emotional last 20 minutes. Sify (3 out of 5) wrote that in “this refreshingly different role, he is cool with a capital C”, and IndiaGlitz called it “a wholesome and powerful mass masala movie”. Producer Nagendra Babu won the Nandi Special Jury Award. Wikipedia gives no box-office figures, so we do not quote any.

Where to watch Stalin

Our OTT record lists Stalin as streaming on Aha, based on the platform’s own listing (checked 26 September 2026). Availability, audio languages and subscription terms vary by country, so check the platform before subscribing. The OTT box on this page has the current link.

Sources: the Wikipedia article on Stalin (2006) and the reviews it cites, linked above; Wikidata; our own cast, crew and OTT records.