Utsavam

Utsavam is a 2024 Telugu family drama written and directed by Arjun Sai in his debut, a tribute to the Surabhi tradition of Telugu stage drama. Newcomer Dilip Prakash and Regina Cassandra lead, with Rajendra Prasad, Prakash Raj, Brahmanandam, Ali and Nassar in support. Produced by Suresh Patil under Hornbill Pictures, with music by Anup Rubens, it was released on 13 September 2024.

What the story is about

Krishna is determined to revive the old tradition of theatre in modern times. Set against the world of the Surabhi Natakalu, one of the best-known forms of Telugu theatre, the film follows his struggle to keep the art form alive, with the support of his love, Rama, and the guidance of his father, Abhimanyu Narayana, and asks what it takes to preserve an art in a commercial world.

Cast and crew

• Dilip Prakash as Krishna Abhimanyu
• Regina Cassandra as Rama
• Prakash Raj as Abhimanyu Narayana
• Rajendra Prasad as Aaradhyulu
• Nassar as Mahadev Nayudu
• Brahmanandam as Guinness Book Panthulu and Ali as Naradhudu
• Raghu Babu as Raju Garu and Priyadarshi as a software CEO

Writer and director: Arjun Sai. Producer: Suresh Patil (Hornbill Pictures). Music: Anup Rubens, with lyrics by Anantha Sriram, Vanamali and Bhaskarabhatla. Cinematography: Rasool Ellore. Editing: Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao.

Making and release

The film had been in the making since 2022. The first-look poster came out on Republic Day, 26 January 2024, followed by the teaser two days later. The songs, including “First Kiss” and “Marriages Are Made in Heaven”, feature singers such as Armaan Malik, Ram Miriyala and Anurag Kulkarni. Mythri Movie Distributors released the film in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and Hombale Films in Karnataka.

Reviews

The Times of India gave it two and a half out of five, calling it “a tribute to traditional Telugu theatre” with “its heart in the right place”, but uneven in execution and with a clichéd romance. The Hans India (three out of five) called it “an emotional ode to theatre”, “not a perfect film” but an important one for showing “the struggles of artists in a commercialized world”.

Where to watch Utsavam

We do not have a confirmed streaming listing for the 2024 Utsavam on file. If we verify one with a platform, it will appear on this page.

Sources: the Wikipedia article on Utsavam (2024 film) and the reviews it cites, linked above; our own cast and crew records.