Dhamarukam

Damarukam (also spelled Dhamarukam, transl. A Small Two-Headed Drum) is a 2012 Indian Telugu-language action fantasy written and directed by Srinivasa Reddy and produced by R. R. Venkat under R. R. Movie Makers. It stars Nagarjuna, Anushka Shetty, Prakash Raj and P. Ravishankar. Released on 23 November 2012 after many delays, it was well reviewed and a commercial success. According to the source, it grossed over ₹71 crore, the biggest hit of Nagarjuna’s career at the time.

Story

A boy born with the blessing of Lord Shiva is named Mallikaarjuna because he is destined for a great purpose. As a child, Malli loses his parents and grandparents to a black panther on their way back from Kasi, and his younger sister is left paralysed. He grows up hating Shiva. Meanwhile, a demon named Andhakaasura performs a fierce penance to win a boon from Shiva.

Production

The project had been under discussion since 2007. Nagarjuna showed six-pack abs on screen for the first time. It was the first Telugu film with more than 70 minutes of visual effects, created over more than a year by Firefly Creative Studio, whose earlier work included Magadheera and Arundhati. Chota K. Naidu was the cinematographer.

Music

Devi Sri Prasad’s soundtrack, his 50th album, was released by Aditya Music at Shilpakala Vedika on 10 September 2012. MSN found it unusual for the composer but not his best, while Musicperk.com rated it 8.5 out of 10.

Reception

Critics praised Nagarjuna’s performance and the film’s grandeur. The Times of India gave it 3.5 out of 5, and Rediff gave it 3, recommending it for its stunning visuals.

Box office and awards

According to the source, it earned a distributor share of ₹40.85 crore. Chota K. Naidu won the Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer – South.

Sources: Wikipedia and Wikidata.