Thank You Brother

Thank You Brother is a 2021 Telugu thriller written and directed by Ramesh Raparthi and produced by Magunta Sarath Chandra Reddy and Tharaknath Bommi Reddy, an official remake of the 2019 Nigerian film Elevator Baby. Anasuya Bharadwaj and Viraj Ashwin play two strangers trapped in a broken lift, with music by Guna Balasubramanian. Planned for cinemas, it premiered on Aha on 7 May 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What the story is about

Priya is a pregnant widow whose husband died in a factory accident. Abhi is a careless, spoilt young man whose mother has just cut off his money, leaving him looking for work in the middle of the pandemic. The two have nothing in common until a faulty lift they are both riding plunges to the basement and traps them. Abhi’s friends, after a recent quarrel, will not answer his calls for help, the residents of the apartment block rally to free them, and then Priya goes into labour.

Cast and crew

• Anasuya Bharadwaj as Priya
• Viraj Ashwin as Abhi
• Mounika Reddy, in her debut

Writer and director: Ramesh Raparthi. Producers: Magunta Sarath Chandra Reddy and Tharaknath Bommi Reddy (Just Ordinary Entertainment). Music: Guna Balasubramanian. Runtime: 94 minutes.

Making and release

The film was shot in late 2020, and its title was revealed on a poster that November. The first single, “The Soul of Thank You Brother”, came out on Aditya Music on 28 April 2021. Originally set for a theatrical release on 30 April 2021, it went straight to Aha a week later as the pandemic closed cinemas.

Reviews

Reviews were mixed. Sravan Vanaparthy of The Times of India found “more misses than hits”, leaving the viewer “yearning for more”. Cinema Express called it “a better drama than a thriller”, and India Today (two out of five) thought it clichéd and predictable. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu felt Anasuya impressed in an otherwise predictable drama, though she admitted she kept watching “in the hope that Priya is safe and Abhi rises to the occasion”.

Where to watch Thank You Brother

Thank You Brother has been streaming on Aha since 7 May 2021 (checked against the platform’s own listing). Availability can vary by region and subscription.

Sources: the Wikipedia article on Thank You Brother and the reviews it cites, linked above; Aha’s listing; our own cast and crew records.