Satyam Review + Interesting Facts

Credits

Banner: Annapurna Studios

Cast: Sumanth, Genelia, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Brahmanandam, Tanikella Bharani, Sridhar, Rajesh, Malladi Raghava, Nirmala Reddy, Varsha, Prakash, Naveen, Chakri, Apoorva, Kondavala Lakshmana Rao, Jenny, Gowtam Raju

Music: Chakri

Cinematography: Sameer Reddy - Raja

Fights: Vijay

Choreography: Lawrence, Shankar, Ashok Raj, Vidya

Art: JK Murthy

Editing: Nandamuri Hari

Dialogues: Sateesh - Ravi

Costumes: Sekhar

Presents: Smt Akkineni Annapurna

Producer: Akkineni Nagarjuna

Story - screenplay - direction: Surya Kiran

Release date: 19th December 2003

Context: Watched it on VHS way back and became a fan of Sumanth after this. Actually I think in USA I was biggest fan of Sumanth Anna. Binged all his movies until all hope was lost later on. Remember the climax fight in train more than anything and then I’m in Love song. That’s it. Rewatched it during 2020 and loved it. It’s my favorite movie of Sumanth more than Godavari because Satyam is all around commercial movie compared to Godavari and has great pacing. Godavari has more romance, great writing, more feel and realistic but slower pace with Shekar Kammula mark. But this has action, comedy, sentiment, family drama, fantastic writing, and just overall way better entertainment value. Watched it again for the podcast and loved it.

Interesting Facts: Director Surya Kiran was trying as an actor but then on the request of Thiruputhisamy who directed Azad and Ganesh he passed away, he wanted to become a director. He toured a lot of studios and then became went to Annapurna to Meet Nagarjuna. He met him then said give me a date to narrate to Supriya. Nagarjuna was shooting Bava Nachadu at the time in Chennai a fight scene with Kanal kannan. He met Nag and he said come back to Hyderabad. HE came back and narrated stories and Nag didnt like any of them. Finally he told him Satyam story and he introduced him to Sumanth. First he told him Dhana 51 but Nag said no Satyam is a script which can make an upcoming hero a star do that only and the movie started.

Sumanth Interview: https://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/interview-sumanth.html

Audio of Sumanth's re-launch film 'Satyam' was released by Akkineni Nageswara Rao at a function organized in Annapurna studios on 3rd December 2003. This film sports Genelia D'Souza as heroine. Chakri scored music. Akkineni Nagarjuna produces this film on Annapurna banner.

The film ran successfully for 50-days in 163 centers, and also completed its 100-day run in over 26 centers.

Writing/Direction: Writing is Masterpiece to be honest, This is how you a write. Film and a perfectly written film. There are 0 flaws.

The conflict is very simple: he wants to win his father’s love and trust back and be accepted back into the family and also win over his love Ankita.

There’s also a triangular love story that we see that’s often common in films like this. Good intentioned hero, pretty heroine, and a bad intentioned other guy who seems like a villain. Because Satyam is so likable, obviously Prakash seems like the bad guy and by the end you realize he’s a loser who doesnt have anything to offer.

The relationship between Shankar and Satyam is beautiful and one of the most of the most unconventional on screen friendships we have ever seen between a father and the guy that likes his daughter. It doesn’t take the general trope and goes against the stereotype of dad disliking the guy. It;s so mature and well done. It also helps that Kota and Sumanth bring so much to those characters.

The overarching theme in this movie is apardham. Satyam is misunderstood by the two most important people in his life: his father and his love. And its really sad to see because Satyam really has a heart of gold. At times I was like am I watching my own life story unfold because I like to think im a very nice guy but girls always misunderstand me and lite teesko.