Released · Telugu film · 2020
Jaanu
జాను
Jaanu release date: 7 February 2020 (theatres). Directed by C. Prem Kumar; starring Sharwanand, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Vennela Kishore.
- Film release
- 7 February 2020 · All 2020 films
- Director
- C. Prem Kumar
- Music
- Govind Vasantha
- Production
- Sri Venkateswara Creations
- Writing credits
- C. Prem Kumar
- Runtime
- 151 min
- Language
- Telugu
OTT release
No streaming platform is on file for this film.
Film release: 7 February 2020 · all 2020 Telugu films.
Source: the film’s Wikipedia article, checked 25 September 2026. It does not name a streaming platform or date; this page says so rather than guessing.
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Jaanu is a 2020 Indian Telugu-language romantic drama written and directed by C. Prem Kumar. It is a remake of his own 2018 Tamil film ’96. It was produced by Dil Raju’s Sri Venkateswara Creations and stars Sharwanand and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. It was released on 7 February 2020 to largely positive reviews.
Story
Ram, a travel photographer, revisits his old school and, overwhelmed by memories, helps organise a reunion of his 2004 batch fifteen years on. His friends mention that Jaanu, his classmate and first love, is coming from Singapore. The two had fallen for each other in school before being separated. The reunion gives the former lovers a chance to face what was left unsaid between them.
Development and casting
Dil Raju bought the remake rights to ’96 in September 2018 and hired the original director, who adapted the story to Telugu sensibilities. Sharwanand and Samantha were announced as the leads on 26 January 2019. Gouri G. Kishan and Varsha Bollamma reprised their roles from the original, as the young Jaanu and Ram’s apprentice.
Filming
The film was launched on Ugadi, 6 April 2019. After a fifteen-day schedule in Kenya, the unit shot in Vizag and Hyderabad. Samantha joined in July 2019, and filming wrapped on 13 October 2019.
Music
Govind Vasantha, composer of the original, scored the film’s seven songs, most of them written by Shree Mani. Three tracks from ’96 were carried over under new Telugu titles, with an added Hindustani alaap by Chinmayi in “Oohale”.
Reception
Critics praised the performances and music. The Times of India gave it 3.5 out of 5, India Today called it an ode to unspoken love and a faithful remake, and The Hindu called it poetic. The New Indian Express found it less surprising than the original but respectful of its memory. After a short delay from 31 January, the film came out on 7 February 2020 and was also dubbed into Tamil.
Sources: Wikipedia and Wikidata.
Cast of Jaanu (2020)
- Sharwanand as K. Ramachandra 'Ram'
- Samantha Ruth Prabhu as S. Janaki Devi 'Jaanu'
- Vennela Kishore as Ram's Friend
- Thagubothu Ramesh
- Raghu Babu as Watchman
- Gouri Kishan as Young Jaanu
- Sharanya Pradeep
- Varsha Bollamma as Trainee Photographer
Additional cast
Further acting credits recorded for this film; voice-only and dubbing credits are excluded.
Also in the cast (TMDB): Sai Kiran Kumar as Young Ram.
Character names as listed on TMDB, checked 10 Oct 2026.
What critics said
Reviews cited in the article found the remake of the Tamil film 96 faithful and moving, with praise for the performances and music.
- The Times of India (Neesitha Nyayapati) wrote that it is “much heftier” than a feel-good film.
- India Today (K Janani) called it an ode to unspoken love and a faithful remake with powerful performances.
- The Hindu (Sangeetha Devi Dundoo) said director C Prem Kumar again creates a poetic world of love, longing and nostalgia.
- Firstpost called the romance of Sharwanand and Samantha heartbreakingly cathartic.
- The New Indian Express (Manoj Kumar) felt it did not surprise him as the original did, but did not dishonour its memory.
- Samayam (Rama Kumar) said it is faithful to the original and recreates its music well.
Summarised by Tollywood Desk from the reception section of the Wikipedia article Jaanu (2020 film) (revision 1345026011), which cites the reviews named above. Quotation marks show words quoted in that article; no ratings or scores are added here.
Source record: Q81405504 on Wikidata. Dates are those on record and can change; this is not a studio announcement. Spotted an error? Send a correction.