Challenge (1984)

User Rating:

8.8/10   

Director:

Kodanda Rami Reddy A.

Writers:

G. Sathyamurthy (dialogue)
Veerendranath Yandamoori (novel)

Release Date:

9 August 1984 (India)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The story of a young un-employed youth, who instead of despairing uses his skills to earn tons of money to show to the world that anything is possible if there is will to do it. |

Plot Keywords:

One Word Title | Mahatma Gandhi | Based On Novel

Cast

Chiranjeevi	...	Gandhi
Suhasini	...	Lakshmi
Vijayshanti	...	Haarika
Raogopalrao	...	RamMohanRao
Rajendraprasad	...	Vidyaarthi
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Maruthirao Gollapudi
Sai Kumar
Silk Smitha		(as SilkSmitha)

Runtime:

152 min

Country:

India

Language:

Telugu

Color:

Color

Certification:

India:U

Company:

Creative Commercials

Unemployment in India in the 1980s

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Based on a popular Yandamoori's novel Dabbu-Dabbu, this movie inspired many unemployed youth to become self-dependent. Its a story of a young man, who made it big in business by exploring all possibilities without breaking the law.Story starts with an unemployed youth, Gandhi(Chiru) stealing medicines for his mother who is on death bed.But, by the time he reaches hospital, his mother is dead, and he is left without any money to cremate her.Wardboy(Sai Kumar) demands for money to protect his mother's corpse safely in the mortuary. Business tycoon RamMohanRao(RaoGopalRao) rushes into the hospital, to get his sick wife cured.Gandhi plays a numerical trick with his daughter Harika(vijayasanthi). This impresses her and she pays Rs.500/- for his mother's funeral.But, Saikumar takes advantage of his situation and robs that money.After his mother's funeral, Gandhi, left with no home and money and wandering on streets,saves an young woman, Lakshmi(Suhasini) from drowning , after she jumps off the bridge. They both reach Lakshmi's house and Gandhi finds an advertisement in newspaper for a job.Gandhi understands the trick behind that Adv., and walks into RamMohanrao's house for an interview.Gandhi gives a tit-for-tat for publishing an Adv. to fool people and both enter into an argument.When Gandhi says that it is not so difficult to make money and he can make Rs.50 lakhs in 5 years, Rammohanrao throws a challenge that if Gandhi succeeds, he will marry his daughter with him.Both sign an agreement on this and Gandhi leaves. Rammohanrao throws that agreement into trash and forgets this incident, but determined Gandhi starts planning for his 50 lakhs.He wins his first Rs.100, through gambling and explains to Lakshmi, the difference between law and justice. Gandhi slowly progresses and buys a new house and moves in with Lakshmi, who now, is his secretary.Lakshmi's ill-charactered brother Hanumantha Rao(Gollapudi) enters their house with his wife Priyamvada(Silk Smitha), pretending to be homeless.Despite Lakshmi's warning, Gandhi lets them stay in.Hanumantha Rao tries every possible trick to defame Gandhi and separate him from Lakshmi but fails.Also his wife Priyamvada tries to get close to Gandhi and realizes her mistake through him.Gandhi plans to start a paper mill to compete with Rammohanrao, and accidentally meets a young guy named, Vidyarthi(rajendra prasad).Gandhi realizes that Vidyarthi worked for Rammohan in the past and uses his experience and talent to promote his business.During his rise, hHrika supports him by saving him from going bankrupt and starts adoring him.Hanumantha rao manages to create problems in Gandhi's papermill and Lakshmi revolts seeing Gandhi adamant about making money rather than bothering about his worker's welfare. On the last day of the bet, Ggandhi is left with Rs.500 short of 50 lakhs and Saikumar, who is influenced by Gandhi's personality and thinking, brings about changes within himself and returns Rs.500, that he took from Gandhi at hospital. Jubliant Gandhi tries to reach Rammohanrao, but realizes that he is leaving the country with his daughter.On his way to airport, reaches Rammohanrao to declare his victory.He throws away all the money and returns to Lakshmi to start off his battle again.Great story, well adapted by Kodandarami Reddy, was also powered by good dialogues.Music by Illayaraja was also pretty good.