Preminchu

Preminchu (“Love”) is a 2001 Telugu drama directed by Boyina Subba Rao and produced by D. Rama Naidu for Suresh Productions. Laya plays Meena, a woman born blind who was abandoned by her mother and grows up fiercely independent, with Sai Kiran, newcomer Roopa, Murali Mohan and Lakshmi in the main supporting roles. M. M. Srilekha composed the music. It was released on 11 April 2001.

What the story is about

Meena is a college student who has learned to rely on her other four senses so well that she lives an almost ordinary life. An accident brings her together with Suresh, a rich young man with a kind heart, and their friendship deepens as he learns how much she has overcome. Suresh’s cousin Dolly, meanwhile, has her own feelings for him, and her father is keen that she marry the wealthy Suresh. Meena finishes her studies with the highest marks in the state and sets her sights on a career in law, and her father Vasu, who raised her alone, decides to approach Suresh’s family about a marriage. That visit brings Meena’s past back into her life, and the film follows her struggle to win over the mother who gave up on her.

Cast and crew

• Laya as Meena
• Sai Kiran as Suresh
• Roopa as Dolly, Suresh’s cousin
• Murali Mohan as Vasu, Meena’s father
• Lakshmi as Kousalya, Meena’s estranged mother
• Kota Srinivasa Rao as Dolly’s father, with Rajitha and Sri Lakshmi

Director: Boyina Subba Rao. Producer: D. Rama Naidu. Music: M. M. Srilekha. The songs were filmed in Ooty and Amsterdam.

Reviews

Critics praised the intention and Laya. Sify applauded Rama Naidu for an “offbeat film” about a blind girl who succeeds through determination and said Laya played the role “splendidly without resorting to dramatics”, but found the second half, especially the sub-plot about her mother, at odds with the “progressive first half”. Jeevi of Idlebrain rated it three and three-quarter stars out of 5 and recommended it to anyone wanting “an insight into the world of blind”. Indiainfo felt it had too many sentimental scenes but called it “definitely a good movie” and “worth a watch”.

Festivals and awards

Preminchu was shown in the Indian Panorama section of the 2001 International Film Festival of India and won five Nandi Awards. We have no box-office figures for it from a named outlet.

Where to watch Preminchu

We do not have a confirmed streaming listing for Preminchu on file. If we verify one with a platform, it will appear on this page.

Sources: the Wikipedia article on Preminchu and the reviews it cites, linked above; our own cast and crew records.