Tholi Prema

ఈ సినిమా వివరాలు తెలుగులో చదవండి →

Tholi Prema (“First Love”) is a 1998 Telugu romantic drama written and directed by A. Karunakaran, starring Pawan Kalyan and Keerthi Reddy, with music by Deva and cinematography by Y. Maheedhar and Chota K. Naidu. Released on 24 July 1998, it was a huge hit and Pawan Kalyan’s breakthrough, and it is still counted among the most iconic romantic films in Telugu cinema. It also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu.

What the story is about

Balu is the carefree youngest son of his family: his father scolds him, while his mother, uncle and brother dote on him. Walking out after a row with his father late one Diwali night, he sees a girl, Anu, playing with children and falls for her at once, but keeps missing the chance to meet her. Their paths finally cross on the road to Ooty, in an accident in which Balu risks his life to save her. Afterwards, warned by his sister Priya that Anu might turn him down, Balu becomes her close friend instead, and the film follows a love he cannot bring himself to declare.

Cast and crew

• Pawan Kalyan as Balu
• Keerthi Reddy as Anu
• Vasuki Anand as Priya, Balu’s sister
• Nagesh as Balu’s uncle
• Ali as Balu’s friend and Venu Madhav as Arnold Sekhar
• Achyuth as Anil
• Narra Venkateswara Rao as Balu’s father and Sangeetha as his mother

Writer and director: A. Karunakaran, who also appears in a cameo as a scooter rider. Producer: G. V. G. Raju (SSC Arts). Music: Deva. Runtime: 146 minutes.

Making the film

Karunakaran spotted Pawan Kalyan’s photograph on the cover of a Telugu film magazine in Chennai and felt he was right for the lead of an offbeat romance. After hearing the script, Pawan Kalyan introduced him to G. V. G. Raju, who had produced his earlier Gokulamlo Seeta (1997), as The Hindu reported in 1998. A replica of the Taj Mahal was built at Mahabalipuram for the song “Gagananiki Udayam”.

Music

Deva composed the five-song soundtrack. Four of the songs are based, without credit, on other tracks: “Ee Manase Se Se” on Dr. Alban, “Yemaindo Yemo Ee Vela” on Ricky Martin’s “Maria”, “Emi Sodhara” on Lucky Ali’s “Pyar Ka Musafir” and “Romance Rhythms” on Deep Forest’s “Noonday Sun”.

Box office and awards

The Hans India describes the film as a “super blockbuster” and the breakthrough of Pawan Kalyan’s career. According to an Andhra Online review of the year, it ran for more than 100 days in 21 centres and more than 200 days in two. Besides the National Award it won six Nandi Awards and was shown in the Indian Panorama mainstream section of the 30th International Film Festival of India. It was dubbed into Tamil as Anandha Mazhai and remade in Kannada as Preethsu Thappenilla (2000) and in Hindi as Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai (2001).

Where to watch Tholi Prema

We do not have a confirmed streaming listing for the 1998 Tholi Prema on file. If we verify one with a platform, it will appear on this page.

Sources: the Wikipedia article on Tholi Prema (1998 film) and the reports it cites, linked above; our own cast and crew records.