Geetha Govindam is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language romantic comedy film written and directed by Parasuram. Produced by GA2 Pictures, the film stars Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna in lead roles. Released on 15 August 2018, it is a huge commercial success, grossing ₹132 crore on a budget of ₹5 crore.[3] Though critics felt that it was a "tried and tested story," the film received praise for its direction, performances, and production values.[4]
| Geetha Govindham | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Parasuram |
| Written by | Giridharan |
| Produced by | Bunny Vas |
| Starring | Vijay Deverakonda Rashmika Mandanna |
| Cinematography | Kasara sumanth |
| Edited by | Marthand K. Venkatesh |
| Music by | Gopi Sundar |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Geetha Arts |
Release date |
|
Running time | 142 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
| Budget | ₹5 crore[2] |
| Box office | est. ₹132 crore[2] |
Plot
editAt midnight, Nithya's car breaks down. She seeks help from a bypasser Vijay Govind, who places a condition that he should get a bottle of alcohol. He starts to narrate his story.
A few weeks ago: Vijay is a traditional lecturer who sees a woman named Geetha at a temple and falls for her. He boards a bus to Kakinada, his hometown, when he hears that his sister Sireesha's marriage is arranged. He realizes that Geetha is his co-passenger.
With the suggestions of his friend, Vijay befriends and then woos Geetha. He tries to take a selfie with her when she is sleeping, but the driver applies the brakes at the exact second and Vijay accidentally kisses Geetha. Geetha wakes up, and, feeling violated, calls her brother Phaneendra for help. When Geetha refuses to listen to Vijay's justifications, he manages to jump out of the bus and escape before Phaneendra could deal with him. Vijay attends Sirisha's engagement and is shocked to learn that the groom is Phaneendra. Geetha, not wanting to punish Sireesha for her brother's mistake, pretends like she's never met Vijay, and warns him to change his ways.
The two families put Vijay and Geetha in charge of many wedding duties, forcing them to work together, much to the latter's dismay. Throughout the time they travel, Vijay repeatedly apologizes but Geetha continues to blame, misunderstand and taunt him.
Vijay's student, Neelu, crushes on him. When he rejects her advances, she sends him a video of her to seduce him. Geetha sees this and is disgusted ; when she questions Vijay's upbringing, Vijay reacts violently and asks her to get out of his car in the middle of the road, although he checks on her later. After being insulted by one of his relatives, Phaneendra is hell-bent on finding the culprit who misbehaved with Geetha, and arrives at Hyderabad, much to Vijay's dismay.
While distributing cards, Geetha sees Neelu's mother and tells her about the video, but the latter reveals that on the same night, Vijay barged into their residence, counseled Neelu and told her that he truly loves Geetha. Impressed, Geetha starts to fall for Vijay. Although she continues taunting him, she convinces her brother to go back to Kakinada.
When Geetha's grandfather suffers from a stroke, her grandmother insists Geetha should be married soon, before he dies. Phaneendra suggests Vijay as the groom and the family happily accepts. Vijay meets Geetha privately and tells her that he can't marry her, as he's afraid they might keep fighting life-long, and he doesn't want to be simply a 'choice' for Geetha. Geetha is heartbroken. Geetha's grandmother is furious, and arranges Geetha's marriage with a traditional Kishore.
When Vijay learns that Phaneendra suggested him as a groom to Geetha, he realizes he can't keep cheating his brother-in-law and confesses. Phaneendra reveals that Geetha already told him the truth. He tells Vijay that after learning his true personality, Geetha fell in love with him, and Vijay was never just a choice to her. Vijay realizes he made a mistake and tries to convince Geetha to stop the marriage, but fails.
Vijay is done narrating and tells Nithya that Geetha's marriage is in a few hours, and he doesn't know what to do. Nithya gives him an idea to go and fall at Phaneendra's feet, beg him to marry Geetha to him, and refuse to budge until he agrees. The plan works. The movie ends with Geetha kissing Vijay on their bus ride home.
Cast
edit- Vijay Deverakonda as Vijay Govind
- Rashmika Mandanna as Geetha
- Subbaraju as Phaneendra, Geetha's brother
- Mouryani as Sirisha, Govind's sister
- Rahul Ramakrishna as Ramakrishna, Govind's friend
- Vennela Kishore as Kishore, Geetha's former fiancée[5]
- Naga Babu as Govind's father
- Annapoorna as Geetha's grandmother
- Giri Babu as Geetha's grandfather
- Kalyani Natarajan as Neelu's mother and Geetha's MD
- Aneesha Dama as Neelu, Vijay's student and former one-sided lover
- Abhay Bethiganti as Govind's friend
- Ravi Prakash as Ravi, a Police officer and Phaneendra's friend
- Chitram Seenu as Taxi driver
- Gautam Raju as Police officer
- Duvvasi Mohan as Priest
- Nithya Menon in a special appearance as Nithya
- Anu Emmanuel in a special appearance as Girl in Bus Stop
- Prabhas Sreenu in a cameo appearance in the song "What the Life"
- Anisha Alla in a special appearance
Music
edit| Geetha Govindam | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 21 June 2018 | |||
| Recorded | 2018 | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 16:56 | |||
| Language | Telugu | |||
| Label | Aditya Music | |||
| Producer | Gopi Sundar | |||
| Gopi Sundar chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Geetha Govindam | ||||
| External audio | |
|---|---|
The soundtrack of the film was composed by Gopi Sundar. Actor Vijay Deverakonda, made his singing debut through this film.[6] The makers unveiled the first single "Inkem Inkem Inkem Kaavaale" on 7 June 2018.[7] The song upon its release, its lyrical video crossed 1 million views in YouTube.[8] Within a day after its release, the song received few covers, including a reprise version and a dubsmash.[8] The soundtrack album features six tracks, including the first single being released. Lyrics for the songs were written by Ananta Sriram, Sri Mani and Sagar. The album was released on 21 June 2018, at an event held at JRC Convention Centre, Film Nagar, Hyderabad, with Allu Arjun becoming the chief guest.[9][10] The jukebox which was released in YouTube and other platforms during the launch, received 1 million views upon release.[11][12]
The soundtrack album received positive reviews from music listeners and audiences, with the songs "Inkem Inkem", "Yenti Yenti" and "Vachindamma" being praised. The song "What the Life" sung by Vijay Devarakonda, received applause from youngsters, hailing it as "youth anthem".[13] The sneak peek of the song, earlier titled "What the F" which was released before the audio launch, featured behind-the-scenes footage, with choreography by Jani.[13] However, it received backlash due to the objectionable lyrics, prompting the makers to change the title, to "What The Life".[14] The initial video being deleted from YouTube.[15][16]
Writing for The Times of India, Neetishta Nyayapati stated "The album of ‘Geetha Govindam’ as a whole offers three strong songs and two subpar ones. ‘Inkem Inkem’, ‘Yenti Yenti’ and ‘Vachindamma’ remain our favourites in this album, offering a softness and authenticity the last two numbers of the album don't. This one's definitely a worthwhile listen for this weekend".[17] Indiaglitz gave the album 3 out of 5 and stated "'Inkem Inkem' and 'Yenti Yenti' stand apart in the album. Excellent lyrics make it a worthy output. Gopi Sundar fares decently, over all".[18] 123Telugu stated "So much was expected of Geetha Govindam’s album after Inkem Inkem became a rage. Gopi Sundar’s composition of romantic numbers is great, but the other two numbers are just okay. Inkem Inkem, Yenti Yenti, and Vacchindamma are our picks and looks like they are enough to lift the film during its release time".[19] Moviecrow gave 3 out of 5 and summarised "Gopi Sundar regains his mojo partially with Geetha Govindam and Sid Sriram shines with the two brilliant tracks".[20] Milliblog commented "Gopi seems to be finding his mojo in Telugu again".[21] Siddhartha Toleti of Mirchi9 commented "Geetha Govindam is a pleasant and instantly likeable album with one huge blockbuster single. Parasuram continues to maintain his status as a director with good musical taste".[22]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Inkem Inkem Inkem Kaavaale" | Ananta Sriram | Sid Sriram | 4:27 |
| 2. | "What the Life" | Sri Mani | Vijay Deverakonda | 3:03 |
| 3. | "Vachindamma" | Sri Mani | Sid Sriram | 4:10 |
| 4. | "Yenti Yenti" | Sri Mani | Chinmayi | 2:34 |
| 5. | "Kanureppala Kaalam" | Sagar | Gopi Sundar | 2:42 |
| 6. | "Tanemandhe Tanemandhe" | Ananta Sriram | Anurag Kulkarni | 1:35 |
Release
editUpon the announcement of the film's title, the makers announced that the film will be scheduled to release on August.[23] Later on mid-May 2018, the makers confirmed the release date as 15 August 2018.[24][25] The film was premiered in the United States, on 14 August, a day before the actual release.[25] Geetha Govindam fetched ₹15 crore (US$1.8 million), from its theatrical rights.[26]
Reception
editBox office
editGeetha Govindham telugu film budget 5 cr. Box office collection in 132 cr. & Box office verdict an all time blockbuster.
Critical reception
editSangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu wrote "Parasuram avoids the melodramatic tropes. Gopi Sundar's music works beautifully for the narrative, with Sid Sriram's Inkem Inkem Inkem Kaavale growing into a new earworm. The welcome humour through Vennela Kishore, Rahul Ramakrishna and Abhay Betiganti also adds a touch of smartness".[27] The Times of India gave 3+1⁄2 out of 5 stars stating "Geetha Govindam has some good humour, fine music and a wonderful lead pair".[28] The Indian Express gave 3 out of 5 stars stating "What's refreshing about writer-director Parasuram's approach to this romantic-comedy is the way he has handled the leading man".[29]
Hindustan Times gave 3+1⁄2 out of 5 stars stating "Geetha Govindam is not about universe conspiring to bring you close to your loved ones, it is about how coincidences can come to bite your behind".[30] Idlebrain.com gave 3+1⁄4 out of 5 stars stating "Geetha Govindam has predictability attached to it. What works for the film are characterizations and performances by lead characters. Writer and director Parasuram writes an engaging screenplay and interesting characterizations. Some of the scenes appear routine, but he makes it up with screenplay".[31] Great Andhra gave 3+1⁄4 out of 5 stars stating "Geetha Govindam is quite old, oft-seen. When the plot is not new, screenplay and actors should do the magic. That is what director Parasuram does with the film".[32]
Firstpost gave 3 out of 5 stars stating "Geetha Govindam, despite its flaws, is a film that gets most things right associated with its genre. It's also a welcome departure for Deverakonda from Arjun Reddy, and proof of the fact that he's no 'one hit wonder' and still has it in him to deliver".[33]
India Today gave 3 out of 5 stars stating "Geetha Govindam does not have an exceptional story that will make you say 'wow' from the word go. It's the same boy-meets-girl-and-how-they-fall-in-love-with-each-other story. But director Parasuram makes Geetha Govindam interesting with his clever writing".[34] IndiaGlitz gave 3+1⁄4 out of 5 stars stating "Geetha Govindam tells an atypical story using a regular format. And it works. Parusuram enlivens the proceedings by infusing comedy at almost every step. Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika elevate the film with their splendid performances".[35]
Awards and nominations
editReferences
edit- ^ BBFC. "Geetha Govindam". www.bbfc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ a b "Rohit Shetty bags Geetha Govindam remake". Deccan Chronicle. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ "Imaikkaa Nodigal leads TN box-office for second consecutive weekend; Geetha Govindam continues its rise". Firstpost. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ Hooli, Shekhar H. (15 August 2018). "Geetha Govindam review: 'Vijay-Rashmika's romance, comedy only saving grace in this routine film'". International Business Times, India Edition. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ Mamillapalle, Nischala (17 September 2020). "10 Memorable Performances of Telugu Actor Vennela Kishore". Film Companion. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ "Vijay Deverakonda turns singer for his upcoming film with Rashmika Mandanna 'Geetha Govindam'". The Times of India. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "'Geetha Govindam' first single 'Inkem Inkem Inkem Kaavaale' to be unveiled on June 7". The Times of India. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna's first single from 'Geetha Govindam' rakes in 1M views in no time!". The Times of India. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "'Geetha Govindam': Allu Arjun to be the chief guest at film's audio launch". The Times of India. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ Ratda, Khushboo (19 June 2018). "Allu Arjun to be the chief guest at Vijay Deverakonda's Geetha Govindam audio launch". Pinkvilla. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Vijay Deverakonda's Geetha Govindam Songs Jukebox". www.moviecrow.com. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam jukebox crosses over 1 million views on YouTube". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Vijay Deverakonda's 'What The F' from 'Geetha Govindam' hailed by fans as a "youth anthem"". The Times of India. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Vijay Deverakonda's 'What The F' song from 'Geetha Govindam' changed to 'What The Life'". The Times of India. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam makers likely to re-record 'What The F' song with new singer; release on 15 August". Firstpost. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam makers withdraw Vijay Deverakonda's song after facing objection from 'religious factions'". Firstpost. 25 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Music Review: Geetha Govindam". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam Music review songs lyrics". IndiaGlitz.com. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Music Review : Geetha Govindam – Only for romantic numbers". 123telugu.com. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam Songs - Music Review". www.moviecrow.com. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam (Music review), Telugu – Gopi Sundar by Milliblog!". Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ Toleti, Siddartha (22 June 2018). "Geetha Govindam Music Review: One Blockbuster-Rest Hummable". mirchi9.com. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Vijay Deverakonda's Geetha Govindam set for an August release". The Times of India. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ "Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna's 'Geetha Govindam' gets a release date!". The Times of India. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Geetha Govindam: Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna-starrer to release on 15 August". Firstpost. 28 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ Hooli, Shekhar H. (14 August 2018). "Geetha Govindam pre-release business: Vijay starrer fetches record prices for theatrical rights". International Business Times, India Edition. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ "'Geetha Govindam' review: The good guy takes over". The Hindu. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam Review". The Times of India. 1 September 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam movie review: Vijay Deverakonda starrer is a charming romantic comedy". The Indian Express. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam movie review: Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna will win you over in this rom-com". Hindustan Times. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam jeevi review". Idlebrain.com. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "'Geetha Govindam' Review: Total Paisa Vasool". Great Andhra. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam movie review: Vijay Deverakonda's performance proves he is not a one hit wonder". Firstpost. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam Review: Vijay Deverakonda shines in fun entertainer". India Today. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Geetha Govindam Review". IndiaGlitz. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Tollywood's first and biggest Awards event of the Year on Zee Telugu". Zee News. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "SIIMA Awards 2019: Here's a complete list of nominees". The Times of India. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "SIIMA 2019 (South Indian International Movie Awards) on 15th & 16th August in Doha, Qatar". Tollywood.net. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Nominations for the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019". Filmfare. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Winners of the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019". Filmfare. Retrieved 22 December 2019.