The Telugu movie industry, which is also informally known as Tollywood, produces an average of 500 movies a year. Out of these films, there are very few features that get a Pan-India release and subsequently seep into the consciousness of the general public. This means that there are tens, if not hundreds, of masterpieces that go unnoticed during their theatrical run or get their long overdue recognition years after their theatrical run. This article will tell you about five such Tollywood cinematic gems that you may be hearing about for the first time but are totally worth a watch or a rewatch. Read on to learn more.
1) Anthaka Mundu Aa Tarvatha (2013)
The first in the list of Telugu movies that is a part of the list is Anthaka Mundu Aa Tarvatha (Loose Translation: Before it, after that), a feature presentation about assessing compatibility by means of a live-in relationship. Starring Sumanth Ashwin and Eesha Rebba in the lead, the romantic dramedy tells the tale of a man who is forced to move to Hyderabad since he is being pressured to marry. As a result of the pressure, in a bid to make his family members happy, he moves into an apartment with a girl who he has fallen in love with to assess whether they can live with each other. The film can be rented on Amazon Prime Video.
2) Show (2002)
This independent, experimental, and multiple-award winning film is helmed and written by Neelakanta. The presentation, interestingly, only has two characters who meet in a remote area where they are individually waiting to meet someone. In order to pass the time, they begin enacting a play that sees them play spouses. A few minutes into the film, the emotions that awaken between the characters become real and begin feeling real love for each other. Additionally, the characters also go on their own individual journeys of reflection and confronting past traumas. The movie can be streamed on MX Player.
3) Okka Kshanam (2017)
This eerie slice of life film, the name of which loosely translates to ‘One Second’ made its big screen debut in 2017. The movie is about a happy couple who begin to notice stark and unsettling similarities between themselves and their neighbors. In fact, the neighbors are living a life identical to the couple in focus, except they are a year ahead. This discovery, and an unfortunate incident set the stage for the main conflict in the film. It can be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.
4) Onamalu (2012)
This film is one of the most critically-acclaimed pieces of art that has been produced by Tollywood. The film talks about a patriot who has returned from the United States and his vision for a better future for his country. The film, which has a rating of 8.0 on IMDb, is available for streaming on YouTube for a fee.
5) Wish You A Happy Breakup
The last entry on the list of Telugu movies that are essentially diamonds in the rough is a Kiran Rao directorial. The film tells the tale of a man who desires to end his life after a breakup. However, in time, he crosses paths with a friend who shows him a video. The movie touches on several topics related to breakups and talks about the impermanence of several things one encounters in life in general. The movie can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
