Arya (2004 film)
2004 Indian film by Sukumar
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Arya is a 2004 Indian Telugu-language romantic action comedy film written and directed by Sukumar in his directoral debut. Produced by Dil Raju under Sri Venkateswara Creations banner, the film stars Allu Arjun, Anu Mehta, and Siva Balaji. The music was composed by Devi Sri Prasad and cinematography was by R. Rathnavelu. The plot revolves around Arya, an outgoing and free-spirited boy falling in love with Geetha, an introverted girl who is on the shield of another person Ajay.
| Arya | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Sukumar |
| Written by | Sukumar |
| Produced by | Dil Raju |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | R. Rathnavelu |
| Edited by | Marthand K. Venkatesh |
| Music by | Devi Sri Prasad |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Sri Venkateswara Creations |
Release date |
|
Running time | 151 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
| Box office | est.₹31.1 (equivalent to ₹110.17 in 2023) crore[1] |
Arya was released on 7 May 2004, the film received positive response and was commercially successful, grossing ₹31.1 crore worldwide.[1] It has developed a cult following over the years.[2] The film was remade in Bengali (Bangladesh) as Badha (2005), in Odia as Pagala Premi (2007), in Bengali as Pagal Premi (2007), in Sinhala as Adaraye Namayen (2008) and in Tamil as Kutty (2010).[1] A spiritual sequel titled Arya 2 was released in 2009.
Arya is considered one of the best films of Allu Arjun and provided a major breakthrough in his career as an actor and brought recognition for Sukumar as a director in Telugu cinema.[3][4]
Plot
Geetanjali, a university student known as Geetha, travels to Kanyakumari on a vacation. During her visit, she discovers a poignant anonymous poem written inside a diary left on the beach. Moved by the words, she writes a response in the diary, wishing the unknown poet success in his romantic pursuits. Shortly thereafter, Geetha accidentally drops her anklet into the ocean. A young man immediately dives into the rough waves to retrieve it, but he does not resurface. Because she fails to see the stranger's face before he leaps, Geetha returns home plagued by recurring nightmares, guiltily believing that an anonymous man lost his life on her account.
In Visakhapatnam, Ajay, the reckless and spoiled son of a powerful local Member of Parliament named Avataram, becomes infatuated with Geetha. When she rejects his aggressive romantic advances, Ajay climbs to the roof of the college building and threatens to commit suicide. Terrified of being blamed for another tragedy, Geetha reluctantly yields to his emotional blackmail and agrees to become his girlfriend.
Concurrently, a cheerful and carefree student named Arya enrolls at the same college. He witnesses Geetha capitulating to Ajay's rooftop demands and instantly falls in love with her. Unfazed by her current relationship, Arya openly confesses his feelings to Geetha. He adopts a philosophy of selfless affection, stating that his love for her is entirely independent of her reciprocation, and resolves to protect her happiness at any cost.
The relationship between Ajay and Geetha faces a severe crisis when Avataram hosts a high-profile party. Although Ajay introduces Geetha as his intended bride, Avataram publicly blindsides his son by announcing Ajay's betrothal to Lalasa, the daughter of a politically advantageous ally. Threatened with political ruin and disinheritance, a cowardly Ajay submits to his father's dictates, leaving Geetha humiliated and heartbroken. Witnessing Geetha's immense distress, Arya steps forward to intervene. Prioritizing Geetha's happiness above his own heartbreak, Arya orchestrates a daring plan to help Geetha and Ajay elope, aggressively driving them away from Avataram’s heavily guarded estate.
As they flee, the trio is relentlessly pursued by Avataram's armed henchmen. They manage to board a departing train to evade capture, but upon disembarking at a secluded rural junction at night, they are ambushed by the gang. While Ajay stands paralyzed by fear and unable to defend his fiancée, Arya single-handedly fights and neutralizes the henchmen. Exhausted, Arya guides them to his nearby ancestral village to rest for the night.
The following morning, Geetha and Arya discover that Ajay has vanished. Arya reassures a panicked Geetha, suggesting that Ajay has likely returned to the city to confront his father and salvage their wedding. Stranded together in the idyllic countryside, Geetha and Arya spend significant time alone. Free from Ajay's superficial demands, Geetha witnesses Arya’s genuine kindness, integrity, and depth of character, gradually developing genuine feelings for him.
Just as Geetha prepares to confess her growing love to Arya, Ajay reappears alongside Avataram. The politician, having been subtly swayed by Arya's earlier underlying maneuvers, feigns an change of heart and formally sanctions the marriage between Ajay and Geetha. Preparations for the wedding begin immediately.
On the day of the ceremony, Geetha uncovers the diary from Kanyakumari and discovers conclusive evidence that Arya was the anonymous poet, as well as the young man who had braved the ocean currents to retrieve her dropped anklet. She suddenly realizes that Arya had loved her long before Ajay ever entered the picture. Reflecting on her past, she recognizes the stark contrast between the two men: Ajay had systematically coerced her into a relationship through emotional manipulation, whereas Arya had consistently sacrificed his own well-being to ensure her safety and joy. Overwhelmed by clarity and remorse, Geetha flees the wedding altar in tears. She locates Arya, passionately confesses her love, and the two happily reconcile.
Cast
- Allu Arjun as Arya
- Anuradha Mehta as Geethanjali aka Geetha
- Siva Balaji as Ajay
- Vidya as Shanti, Geetha's best friend and Arya's well wisher.
- Rajan P. Dev as MP Avataram, Ajay's father
- Subbaraju as Subbu
- Sunil as "Punch" Falaknama, Train Ticket Examiner
- Venu Madhav as Ajay's friend
- Sudha as Geetha's mother
- J. V. Ramana Murthi as Priest
- Shravya as one of Arya's young friends
- Babloo as Arya's friend
- Sandra Jaichandran as one of Geetha's friends
- Devi Charan
- Jogi Naidu
- Krishnam Raju
- Prudhviraj as Reddy
- Srikanth Addala (special appearance)
- Abhinayasri in item number "Aa Ante Amalapuram"
Production
Sukumar began working on the script of Arya in Visakhapatnam before joining the sets of V. V. Vinayak's Dil (2003). Its producer Dil Raju assured that he would produce the film if Dil becomes a commercial success.[5] Sukumar chose to narrate the story of a boy who confess his love to a girl right in the beginning, opposed to films like Darr (1993), Kabhie Haan Kabhie Naa (1994), and Kaadhal Kondein (2003) where the protagonist's love/obsession for the female lead is revealed towards the end, as he found that idea an "obsolete" one.[6]
Raju was impressed with Sukumar's script and Allu Arjun was selected as its protagonist after considering Ravi Teja, Nithin, and Prabhas. Anuradha Mehta and Siva Balaji were chosen for the other two lead roles.[7] R. Rathnavelu and Devi Sri Prasad were chosen as the film's director of photography and music director respectively; they both collaborated with Sukumar in many of his future projects. The film was launched on 20 November 2003 with Chiranjeevi clapping the first shot and Pawan Kalyan switching on the camera.[8]
Soundtrack
| Arya | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album to Arya by | ||||
| Released | 16 April 2004 | |||
| Recorded | 2004 | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 30:42 | |||
| Language | Telugu | |||
| Label | Aditya Music | |||
| Producer | Devi Sri Prasad | |||
| Devi Sri Prasad chronology | ||||
| ||||
The music was composed by Devi Sri Prasad. The success and popularity of the song "Aa Ante Amalapuram" song eventually led to its adaptation in the 2012 Hindi film Maximum.[9]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You Rock My World" | Viswa | Shaan, Premji Amaren | 5:00 |
| 2. | "Edo Priya Ragam Vintunna" | Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry | Sagar, Sumangali | 5:08 |
| 3. | "O My Brotheru" | Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry | Ravi Verma | 5:04 |
| 4. | "Thakadimithom" | Surendra Krishna | Tippu | 5:31 |
| 5. | "Feel My Love" | Chandrabose | KK, Clinton Cerejo | 4:55 |
| 6. | "Aa Ante Amalapuram" | Veturi | Malathy, Ranjith | 5:04 |
| Total length: | 30:42 | |||
Malayalam (Dub)
Music is composed by Devi Sri Prasad and lyrics were penned by Mankombu Gopalakrishnan and Rajeev Alunkal
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Etho Priya Ragam" | Madhu Balakrishnan | 5:09 |
| 2. | "Thakadhimithom" | Jassie Gift | 4:59 |
| 3. | "Aa Kande Alakapuram" | Reshmi, Devi Sri Prasad | 4:59 |
| 4. | "You Rock My Love" | Afsal, Devi Sri Prasad | 4:39 |
| 5. | "Etho Priya Ragam" | Shivani | 5:09 |
| 6. | "Oh My Brothere" | Alex | 4:49 |
| 7. | "Aarya Proud of Youth" | Anwar Sadath, Sayanora Philip | 3:37 |
| 8. | "Feel My Love" | Vidhu Prathap | 4:57 |
Reception
Critical reception
Arya received highly positive reviews from critics. idlebrain.com gave a review stating, "You feel like you are watching a Mani Rathnam film. There is a soul in the film and you end up having a thin layer of tears in your eyes while leaving the theater. This film announces the arrival of Sukumar – director – a class apart. 'Aarya' is a must watch film for all Telugu film lovers. Don't miss it" and rated the film 4/5, calling the film "A class apart".[10] IndiaGlitz gave a review stating "To start with, the hype machine was at work incessantly before the release of the movie. And after watching the film you also feel that there is a movie that is every inch worth its pre-release hype. Not only Aarya is expected to lead the pack in the long summer of seemingly never-ending releases but also give the hero of the film, Allu Arjun, a new identity. Aarya is an unabashed package showcasing Allu Arjun and his dancing and fighting abilities. The thing it looks like it will work at the box-office", further calling the film "A cocktail of fun and more fun".[11] fullhyderabad.com gave a review stating "Aarya is not at all what you expect it to be. It is a special package that consists of fun, entertainment, laughs, frolic, merriment, high times, bashes and more. It has them all. Romance, eternal love, mush, flowers, embraces, sacrifices, sunsets. It has them ALL. Action, fights, stunts, feats, tricks, battles, blood, bullies, henchmen, chases. Did we mention that this has it all? Emotions, sentiments, passion, craze and feelings. See one. See all," and rated the film 7/10.[12]
Box office
Arya made on a budget of ₹4 crore, grossed about ₹30 crore.[1]
The film's dubbed version in Malayalam collected ₹1.1 crore in Kerala. Owing to the film's success, Allu Arjun received major acclaim across the region and the Malayali people and earned him fanbase there.[13]
Dubbed version
Awards
- 2004 CineMAA Awards
- Best Director (Jury) – Sukumar
- Best Screenplay - Sukumar
- Best Editor - Marthand K Venkatesh
- Sensational Producer - Dil Raju
- 2004 Nandi Awards
- Best Screenplay Writer – Sukumar
- Special Jury – Allu Arjun
- Best Fight Master - Ram-Lakshman
- Best Male Playback Singer - Sagar
- Santosham Best Young Performers Award – Allu Arjun
- Best first film Director - Sukumar
- Best new Female Singer - Malathi
- Best Costumer - Kumar
- Best item Dancer - Abhinayasri
- 2004 Gemini TV Awards
- Best Director – Sukumar
- Best Actor – Allu Arjun