This critically acclaimed film by director k. Viswanath and produced by Poornodya Movies, released at the wrong time after the smash mass hit Gharana Mogudu. While fans expected a mass entertainer, Chiru shocked everyone with a deglamorized, self-piteous role in this flop film. Chiru plays the role of Madhava, the loyal friend, servant, and cowhand to Hema (Meenakshi Seshadhri) and her father (Jhandhyala). He also stars in plays, in which he plays Lord Shiva. In order to pay for Hema's elder sister's wedding, Madhava sells his cows and gives the money to a family friend to give to Hema's father as a loan. When her father hears what he has done, he gifts Madhava with his manuscripts. Madhava goes to town to have them printed. When he returns, he sees Hema being taken away by an insane asylum van. He learns that Hema has gone into shock after her brother-in-law tried to rape her and in the process killed her sister who tried to prevent him. Madhava pretends to be crazy and enters the asylum, where he goes through many hardships in order to save her. He, after stopping a guard from attacking her, is falsely accused of attempted rape and is electrocuted. Afterwards, he goes into a daze and stutters. He tries many times to help her regain her memory. When she finally does and realizes what he did for her, she wants to marry him after she is safely rescued. However, he objects due to his being of a lower strata of society. But her fiancée (Sharat Babu) convinces him and Madhava agrees. Many actors, who are caught in an image, are unable to get a career defining role or if they do, it is either too early or too late in their careers. Chiru is very lucky. He had gotten career defining roles earlier in his career, like Punnami Nagu, during his meteoric rise (Swayam Krushi), and after solidifying super stardom in the form of this film. He took a bold risk in doing this film for which he won many awards from film fare and the state government. What makes this role stand out among the many career defining roles, like Rudra Veena, Chantiabbai, 47 rozzullu, Swayam Krushi, and Punnami Nagu, is that Chiru had out done his earlier performances by a mile. He was simply brilliant as loyal cowhand who gives up his freedom and at times his insanity for his best friend. While pretending to be a crazy, childlike man, he successfully threaded the fine line of restraint and over-acting without going over-board. The scene where he stutters, or where after Hema's father dies, he goes to the other side of the river and makes a Shiva Lingam, only to question the Lord about his actions, make the audience speechless, as they see his great talent. He makes you cry and at the same admire him for his courage. Every level of the character, from his patience with the shock ridden Hema, to his love of her family, to his childlike innocence, to his pride of playing the best Shiva, to his insanity, pain, and undying yet unspoken of love for her were perfectly portrayed by him. It is truly a national award worthy performance. Meeankshi too was brilliant as was Jhandhyala. Chiru and Meenakshi had great on-screen chemistry. Music by M.M. Keeravani is terrific. K. Viswanath directed a gem of a film, which was not only a story of true friendship and love, but also one of how the question of caste prevented Madhava and Hema from showing their love for each other earlier on in the film
