Yamudiki Mogudu

ఈ సినిమా వివరాలు తెలుగులో చదవండి →

Yamudiki Mogudu (transl. “Overlord to Yama”) is a 1988 Telugu fantasy film directed by Ravi Raja Pinisetty, starring Chiranjeevi in a double role with Vijayashanti and Radha, and Kaikala Satyanarayana as Yama. It was produced by Chiranjeevi’s friends from his film-institute days, Sudhakar, Hari Prasad and G. V. Narayana Rao, under Dynamic Movie Makers. Released on 29 April 1988, it became the highest-grossing Telugu film up to that time and was remade in Tamil with Rajinikanth.

What the story is about

Kaali is a small-town tough with a big heart who spends his earnings helping his neighbourhood. He works for Kotayya, whose rival is Gollapudi, and falls in love with Gollapudi’s daughter, Radha. When the couple decide to marry without her father’s consent, Gollapudi has Kaali killed in an “accident”. In Yama’s court, Kaali argues that he was brought there by mistake and catches Chitragupta cheating. Yama and Chitragupta agree to send him back, but his body has already been cremated. Their only option is Balu, a gentle look-alike in a village whose relatives mistreat him and plan to kill him on his 25th birthday for his property. With Kaali’s soul inside him, Balu is suddenly no pushover. Juggling two lives, and two women, is the rest of the film.

Cast and crew

• Chiranjeevi as Kaali and Balu
• Vijayashanti as Gowri
• Radha as Radha
• Kaikala Satyanarayana as Yama
• Allu Ramalingaiah as Chitragupta
• Kota Srinivasa Rao as Kotayya
• Gollapudi Maruti Rao as Gollapudi
• Rao Gopal Rao
• Ali

Director: Ravi Raja Pinisetty. Script: Satyanand. Music: Raj–Koti, with lyrics by Veturi (Aditya Music). Distributor: Geetha Arts. Runtime: 155 minutes.

Making of the film

It was G. V. Narayana Rao’s second production with Chiranjeevi after Devanthakudu (1984) and the star’s third film with Ravi Raja Pinisetty. According to TeluguOne, the story, worked out by Satyanand and Narayana Rao, was inspired by the American film Heaven Can Wait (1978), with Satyanand adding the idea that everyone has seven look-alikes in the world. The song “Andam Hindolam” was later remixed for Supreme (2016).

Box office and legacy

The film was an industry hit. News18 Telugu, marking its 33rd anniversary, calls it the highest-grossing Telugu film of its time, and NTV Telugu notes it was Ravi Raja Pinisetty’s first blockbuster, with Chiranjeevi’s double role and Raj–Koti’s songs key to its success. Part of the proceeds from its 100-day celebration went to the families of cotton farmers who had died by suicide that year. It was remade in Tamil as Athisaya Piravi (1990), with Rajinikanth, and dubbed into Hindi as Chiranjeevi; an unrelated 2012 film with Allari Naresh borrowed its title. We have not found a collection figure from a named outlet.

Where to watch Yamudiki Mogudu

We do not have a confirmed streaming listing for Yamudiki Mogudu (1988) on file. If we verify one with a platform, it will appear on this page.

Sources: the Wikipedia article on Yamudiki Mogudu (1988 film) and the articles it cites, linked above; our own cast and crew records.