Shankar Dada MBBS

Shankar Dada M.B.B.S. is a 2004 Telugu comedy drama directed by Jayanth C. Paranjee, a remake of the Hindi hit Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003). Chiranjeevi plays a Hyderabad don who enrols in medical college to prove a point, with Sonali Bendre, Srikanth as his loyal sidekick ATM, Paresh Rawal and Girish Karnad. Released on 15 October 2004, it was well received and ran 100 days, and won Filmfare Awards for both Chiranjeevi and Srikanth. A sequel, Shankar Dada Zindabad, followed in 2007.

What the story is about

Shankar Prasad, “Shankar Dada”, is a crime boss in Hyderabad. His father always wanted him to be a doctor, so whenever his parents visit, Shankar turns his base into a fake charitable hospital named after his father and plays the part. The act collapses when his father runs into an old acquaintance, Dr. Ramalingeswara Rao, and the two decide Shankar should marry Ramalingeswara Rao’s daughter. The truth comes out, Ramalingeswara Rao mocks Shankar’s parents as fools, and they return to their village heartbroken. Stung, Shankar decides the only way to make amends is to actually become a doctor, and with ATM’s help he talks his way into a medical college, where the dean turns out to be Ramalingeswara Rao. What a gangster’s warmth does to a cold, rule-bound hospital is the heart of the film.

Cast

• Chiranjeevi as Shankar Prasad, “Shankar Dada”
• Srikanth as ATM
• Sonali Bendre as Dr. Sunitha
• Paresh Rawal as Dr. Ramalingeswara Rao
• Girish Karnad as Satya Prasad, Shankar’s father
• Vennira Aadai Nirmala as Shankar’s mother
• Sharwanand as Vijay, a patient
• M. S. Narayana as Dr. Chidambaram
• Surya as Dr. Mohammed Rafi
• Ali as a pickpocket
• Pawan Kalyan in a cameo

Director: Jayanth C. Paranjee. Music: Devi Sri Prasad. Production: Gemini Film Circuit. Runtime: 174 minutes.

Making and music

The film was launched at Annapurna Studios on 25 February 2004. The producers got special permission to hold the audio launch at the historic Taramati Baradari near Golconda, but heavy rain forced a last-minute move to Shilpakalavedika in Madhapur, as Idlebrain reported. After the film’s first 50 days, two more songs, “Sande Poddu” and “Tellarindo Maava”, were added and the album was re-released.

Reception and box office

The film was well reviewed and a commercial success; The Times of India, marking its 14th anniversary, recalled its 100-day run. At the 2005 Filmfare Awards South, Chiranjeevi won Best Actor – Telugu and Srikanth Best Supporting Actor – Telugu. It remains Sonali Bendre’s last Telugu film.

A 4K version returned to cinemas on 4 November 2023; ahead of it, Koimoi reported around 18,000 tickets sold in advance for the first day, which it called an average response.

Where to watch Shankar Dada M.B.B.S.

We do not have a confirmed streaming listing for Shankar Dada M.B.B.S. on file. If we verify one with a platform, it will appear on this page.

Sources: the Wikipedia article on Shankar Dada M.B.B.S. and the reports it cites, linked above; our own cast and crew records.