Sita Ramam

Sita Ramam (meaning “Sita and Ram”) is a 2022 Telugu-language period romantic drama directed by Hanu Raghavapudi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Raj Kumar Kandamudi. Produced by C. Aswini Dutt under Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema, it stars Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur in the title roles, with Rashmika Mandanna and Sumanth. Set in the 1960s against a backdrop of war and political unrest, it was released on 5 August 2022 to wide acclaim and became a major commercial success.

Story

In 1985, a headstrong Pakistani student in London, Afreen, needs money quickly. To inherit her late grandfather’s estate she must first deliver a letter he kept for twenty years to a woman named Sita Mahalakshmi in Hyderabad. Her search leads back to Lieutenant Ram, an orphaned army officer posted on the Kashmir border in the 1960s, who became a national hero and began receiving letters from a woman who signed herself as his wife. Ram sets out to find her, and their romance, and what became of it, is gradually pieced together. The film’s revelations are best left unspoiled.

Cast

• Dulquer Salmaan as Lieutenant Ram
• Mrunal Thakur as Sita
• Rashmika Mandanna as Afreen
• Sumanth in a supporting role

It was Mrunal Thakur’s Telugu debut, and her voice was dubbed by the singer Chinmayi Sripada.

Making the film

Hanu Raghavapudi got the idea after finding an unopened inland letter inside a book he bought in 2007, and wondered what might happen if such a letter held something that could change events. Raj Kumar Kandamudi suggested the army backdrop. The film was announced in July 2020 and its title in April 2022. It was Dulquer Salmaan’s second Telugu film with Vyjayanthi Movies after Mahanati (2018). Principal photography began in Kashmir in April 2021, including at Dal Lake and Sonamarg, and continued in Russia and Hyderabad until April 2022. P. S. Vinod and Shreyaas Krishna shot the film.

Music

Vishal Chandrashekhar composed the score and songs, with lyrics by Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry, Anantha Sriram and others. The first single, “Oh Sita Hey Rama”, was released in May 2022.

Release and reception

The film was released in Telugu with Tamil and Malayalam dubbed versions, followed by a Hindi version on 2 September 2022. It was initially banned in several Gulf countries, though the UAE later allowed it. Critics praised the direction, screenplay, music, production design and the lead performances. According to the source, it grossed over ₹100 crore worldwide, the ninth highest-grossing Telugu film of 2022, and did notably well overseas; it has come to be regarded as a modern Telugu classic.

Awards

The film won the Telangana Gaddar Film Award for Best Feature Film. It led the 68th Filmfare Awards South with 13 nominations and won five, including Best Actress – Telugu for Thakur, Best Film (Critics) – Telugu for Raghavapudi and Best Actor (Critics) – Telugu for Salmaan.

Sources: Wikipedia and Wikidata.