Bhola Shankar is a 2023 Indian Telugu-language action film directed by Meher Ramesh.^[3] An official remake of the 2015 Tamil film Vedalam, it stars Chiranjeevi as the titular character with Tamannaah Bhatia, Keerthy Suresh and Sushanth.^[4][5]

Bhola Shankar was released on 11 August 2023 and was declared a mega cringe fest^[6]receiving highly negative reviews and was panned by both critics and audience, with criticism on the films's script & outdated screenplay^[7],Meher Ramesh’s cringy writing and bad direction, predictability, cast performances, outdated and stale humour, character design, dialogues, soundtrack and unrealistic action sequences.

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Shankar arrives at Kolkata from Hyderabad with his sister Mahalakshmi to enroll her in an arts college, where he becomes friends with "Kolkata" Kaali, who escorts Shankar and Mahalakshmi to their new house. After enrolling Mahalakshmi, Shankar works at a taxi company under his boss Vamsi, where he gets his first customer named Lasya, who makes Shankar pose as a fake mute eyewitness in a case, and is fired when Shankar talks in front of everyone. Lasya tries to kill Shankar, but Vamsi saves him, though he ends up being embarrassed by Shankar. Lasyaand Vamsi teams up to take revenge on Shankar, but Lasya later falls for him. Shankar arranges Mahalakshmi's marriage with Lasya's brother Srikhar.

Meanwhile, Shankar and the other drivers are called by DCP Yashpal and asked to report any activities by the crime syndicate

 members who have been causing trouble in the city. Shankar reports a case of arms trafficking, which leads to Aniket and his men capturing and presenting him before Aniket at his private boatyard. Aniket orders his men to kill Shankar, but Shankar single-handedly defeats all his men and kills Aniket. Learning the death of his brother, Abhinay reaches India and investigates the murder the next day, where he and his technical crew track Shankar's mobile signal to their own building. Shankar enters the building and ambushes the entire squad and kills Abhinay. Lasya follows Shankar and is horrified by his actions, where she proceeds to stop the marriage between Srikhar and Mahalakshmi, but Shankar reveals that Mahalakshmi is not his biological sister and reveals his past.

Past: Shankar is a ruthless thug-for-hire called Bholaa who meets Mahalakshmi at the hospital after he was stabbed by his enemies. Mahalakshmi and her blind parents are threatened by a builder to sell their house for a company site, where she and her friend (Sreemukhi) hires Bholaa, who betrays them having being paid earlier and a higher amountband the family leaves their home and starts living in Bholaa's home. Bholaa mistakes their innocent activities for their antics and becomes annoyed. However, Mahalakshmi and her parents leave as a sign of gratitude after Bholaa had unknowingly saved Mahalakshmi and the other girls from being trafficked by the syndicate. The syndicate finds them vulnerable on the streets and kills Mahalakshmi's parents and injure her. Bholaa, who has a change of heart, rescues Mahalakshmi (who loses her memory after getting hit by Rahul's henchmen) and states that he is her own brother (Annaya) and takes care of her.

Present: Shankar requests Lasya not to reveal this to Mahalakshmi, where Lasya accepts Mahalakshmi's marriage. After learning his brothers death, Rahul uses an injured victim of Shankar's assault to find his brother's killer. Rahul coincidentally hires Mahalakshmi to draw a forensic sketch. Shankar comes prepared and takes one of Rahul's henchman's son hostage to ensure Mahalakshmi's freedom. Rahul abducts Mahalakshmi and Shankar chases after him through the streets of Kolkata. Shankar finally tracks Rahul down and they both fight and when an anguished Mahalakshmi urges to shoot Rahul, Shankar picks up the gun and shoots in the wrong direction for distracting Mahalakshmi and finally shoots Rahul. Shankar and Mahalakshmi return to their home and Mahalakshmi later gets happily married to Srikhar.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

Initially, Sai Pallavi was approached for Chiranjeevi's sister role in the film but she rejected as she was not interested in remakes.^[15] Keerthy Suresh was cast in her place.^[16] Music director Mani Sharma's son Mahati Swara Sagar was signed onto this film as the composer.^[17] Tamannaah Bhatia is cast opposite Chiranjeevi in their second collaboration after Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019).^[18] An official launch was held on 11 November 2021. The shoot began on 15 November 2021. In December 2021, the film completed its first schedule. In January 2022, a new schedule started with Chiranjeevi joining the set.

Music[edit]

Bholaa Shankar
Soundtrack album by  Mahati Swara Sagar
Released	2023
Genre	Film soundtrack
Length	18:12
Language	Telugu
Label	Aditya Music
External audio  Bholaa Shankar(Official Audio Jukebox) on YouTube
Singles from Bhola Shankar
"Bholaa Mania" Released: 4 June 2023 "Jam Jam Jajjanaka" Released: 11 July 2023 "Milky Beauty" Released: 21 July 2023 "Rage of Bhola" Released: 5 August 2023 "Kottara Kottu Teenumaaru" Released: 7 August 2023

The music is composed by Mahati Swara Sagar. Lyrics are written by Ramajogayya Sastry, Sri Mani, and Kasarala Shyam. The first single titled "Bholaa Mania" was released on 4 June 2023.^[19] The second single titled "Jam Jam Jajjanaka" was released on 11 July 2023.^[20] The third single titled "Milky Beauty" was released on 21 July 2023.^[21] The fourth single titled "Rage of Bhola" was released on 5 August 2023.^[22] The fifth single titled "Kottara Kottu Teenumaaru" was released on 7 August 2023.^[23]

Release[edit]

Theatrical[edit]

Bhola Shankar was theatrically released on 11 August 2023.^[24]

Home media[edit]

The digital rights of the film were acquired by Netflix.^[25]

References[edit]