Raja Vikramarka

Raja Vikramarka is a 2021 Telugu action spy thriller written and directed by debutant Sri Saripalli and produced by Rama Reddy under Sree Chitra Movie Makers. Kartikeya, Tanya Ravichandran and P. Sai Kumar lead the cast, with Sudhakar Komakula, Pasupathy, Tanikella Bharani and Harsha Vardhan in support. It released on 12 November 2021. (This is not the 1990 Chiranjeevi film of the same name, from which it borrows its title.) Our record lists a running time of 140 minutes.

What the story is about

Raja Vikramarka, “Vikram”, is a cool, reckless but smart NIA officer who works under Mahendra, his mentor and father figure. When they catch a Nigerian arms supplier, he reveals that Guru Narayan, a former Naxalite long thought dead, is back and planning to kill Chakravarthy, an honest IPS officer turned state Home Minister. Before the supplier can give up the full plan, Vikram accidentally kills him in interrogation. To make up for it, Mahendra sends Vikram undercover as an insurance agent to get close to the minister, and Vikram promptly falls for Chakravarthy’s daughter Kanthi. The conspiracy he is chasing turns out to have more layers than the case file suggests.

Cast

• Kartikeya as Raja Vikramarka “Vikram”
• Tanya Ravichandran as Kanthi
• P. Sai Kumar as Home Minister Chakravarthy
• Sudhakar Komakula as ACP Govind Narayan
• Pasupathy as Guru Narayan
• Tanikella Bharani as Mahendra
• Harsha Vardhan as Muddu Krishna
• Naga Mahesh as Bhadram

Making of the film

Sri Saripalli had worked as an assistant director on Naayak (2013), Alludu Seenu (2014) and Nuvvu Thopu Raa (2019) before this debut. The film was announced in October 2019, began shooting late that year, and after pandemic interruptions wrapped in August 2021. Its title is taken from Ravi Raja Pinisetty’s 1990 film Raja Vikramarka. Prashanth R Vihari composed the music, released by Saregama; P. C. Mouli shot the film and Jesvin Prabu edited it.

Reception and box office

Reviews were divided. Y Sunita Chowdhary of The Hindu found a “refreshing narrative”, praised the writing and called it “a good watch”. Thadhagath Pathi of The Times of India gave it 2/5, calling it “dull and disappointing fare” whose beats feel familiar. Gabbeta Ranjith Kumar of The Indian Express criticised the story and screenplay and felt Pasupathy was wasted.

Sakshi Post reported an opening-day gross of ₹1.25 crore.

Where to watch Raja Vikramarka

We do not have a confirmed streaming platform for Raja Vikramarka on file. The OTT details on this page will be updated when a platform’s own listing confirms it.

Sources: the Wikipedia article on Raja Vikramarka (2021 film) and the reviews and report it cites, linked above; our own cast and crew records.