Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi (transl. What happened to this city?) is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language buddy comedy film written and directed by Tharun Bhascker, and produced by D. Suresh Babu under Suresh Productions. The film stars Vishwak Sen, Sai Sushanth Reddy, Abhinav Gomatam, Venkatesh Kakumanu, Anisha Ambrose, Simran Choudhary, and Galusheya Daria. Music was composed by Vivek Sagar with cinematography by Niketh Bommireddy and editing by Ravi Teja Girijala. Released on June 29, 2018, the film initially received mixed reviews from critics but went on to become a commercial success. Over time, it has achieved cult classic status.
| Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Tharun Bhascker |
| Written by | Tharun Bhascker |
| Produced by | D. Suresh Babu |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Niketh Bommireddy |
| Edited by | Ravi Teja Girijala |
| Music by | Vivek Sagar |
Production company | Suresh Productions |
| Distributed by | Suresh Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 140 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
| Budget | ₹2 crore[1] |
| Box office | est. ₹12 crore,[2] |
The film was re-released five years later on the same date in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in select theatres.[1][3]
Plot
editKarthik, a manager at a posh club, is about to marry his boss's daughter and start a new life in the U.S. However, after a chaotic night out, Karthik loses the rare family diamond ring his boss gifted him. To replace it, he and his friends—Vivek, Kaushik, and Uppi—enter a short film competition in Goa. Along the way, they rekindle old dreams of filmmaking, confront unresolved issues, and rediscover themselves. Uppi finds the courage to say no to his rude client, Vivek confronts his fear of failure and abandonment, moves on from his past relationship and quits alcohol, and Karthik realises that true happiness comes from living with the people he loves and pursuing his passion, not from marrying for status and money.
Cast
edit- Vishwak Sen as Vivek (based on Tharun Bhascker)
- Sai Sushanth Reddy as Karthik (based on Nagesh Banell), a night club manager who plans to settle in the USA by marrying his boss's daughter.
- Abhinav Gomatam as Kaushik, a Telugu dubbing artiste with aspirations of becoming an actor.
- Venkatesh Kakumanu as Upender "Uppi" (based on Ravi Teja Girijala), a wedding video editor with a passion for film making.
- Anisha Ambrose as Shirley, a promotional contest host who becomes Vivek's love interest.
- Simran Choudhary as Shilpa, Vivek's ex-girlfriend.
- Galusheya Daria as Dasha, Shirley's friend who lives in Goa and lead in Vivek's Goa short film.
- Arjun as Satvik, Kaushik's nephew who gets involved in the group's antics.
- Viren Thambidorai as Karthik's boss, who has his own plans for his daughter's future.
- Jeevan Kumar as Vivek's uncle who is a police officer.
- Revathi Nadha Pulipati as Kaushik's father.
- Vijay Kumar as the owner of a camera rental store in Goa.
- Geetha Bhaskar as Vivek's mother, who worries about her son's isolation.
- Mounima as Kaushik's sister, who supports her brother's dreams.
- Ranjani Sivakumar as lecturer in Vivek's college laboratory.
- Tharun Bhascker as Jury member of Goa short film festival
- Vijay Deverakonda as himself in a cameo appearance during the shooting of Pelli Choopulu
- Gautham Vasudev Menon as himself in a cameo appearance
Soundtrack
editTharun continued his collaboration with Vivek Sagar, dating back to his early short film projects. The album, featuring five tracks, was released by Aditya Music.[4]
| Ee Nagaraniki Emaindhi | |||||
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| Soundtrack album by | |||||
| Released |
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| Recorded | 2018 | ||||
| Genre | Soundtrack | ||||
| Length | 23:09 | ||||
| Label | Aditya Music | ||||
| Producer | Vivek Sagar | ||||
| Vivek Sagar chronology | |||||
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| |||||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Aagi Aagi" | Krishna Kanth | Anurag Kulkarni, Manisha Eerabathini | 6:48 |
| 2. | "Collegee Agelona" | Kittu Vissapragada | Wilson Herald | 2:38 |
| 3. | "Swagatham Suswagatham" | Cisco Chi | Cisco Chi | 2:02 |
| 4. | "Parada Jarupukoni" | Kittu Vissapragada | Vedala Hemachandra, Anurag Kulkarni (backing vocals) | 4:32 |
| 5. | "Veediponidhi Okateley" | Vivek Athreya | Vivek Sagar | 3:07 |
| 6. | "Maarey Kalaley" | Vivek Athreya | Sooraj Santhosh | 4:02 |
| Total length: | 23:09 | |||
Box office
editEe Nagaraniki Emaindi was released worldwide on June 28, 2018, and earned ₹80 lakh on its opening day. In the U.S., it garnered $98,136 from premiere shows, with a lifetime box office total of $179,263.[5] By the end of its theatrical run, the film had collected ₹12 crore globally.
To celebrate its 5th anniversary, the film was re-released in over 200 theaters on June 29, 2023. It earned ₹1.8 crore on its first day, ₹2.8 crore by the end of the second day, and reached ₹3.3 crore by the end of the first weekend.
Critical reception
editThe film received decent to mixed reviews from critics upon its theatrical release.The Hindu praised the film and stated "With Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi, Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam breaks the second-film jinx that hounds many filmmakers who've delivered an impressive first film."[6] The Times of India gave 3.5/5 rating and commented that: "Make no mistake, Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi belongs to Tharun Bhascker. The filmmaker's flair for comedy once again shines through and his dialogues are terrific."[7]
123 Telugu gave 3.25/5 rating and wrote, "With Ee Nagarainiki Emaindi, Tollywood steps into the buddy comedy genre which has been rarely explored. This movie has no great story but is filled with a lot of fun and precious moments which a group of buddies share in real life."[8] The Hans India gave a 3/5 rating and opined that the film was one of the best youthful entertainers in the recent times. "On the whole, the film is enjoyable entirely and even makes us emotional in parts," reviewer added.[9] Idlebrain.com gave 3/5 rating and wrote, "[It] is a buddy comedy that has good moments and a slow second half!"[10]
References
edit- ^ a b "Vijay Deverakonda's debut production venture titled 'Meeku Maathrame Cheptha'". The News Minute. 29 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Tollywood box office report of 2018: highest grossing Telugu movies of year; List of hits and flops". International Business Times. 23 November 2018. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "Mazak Ayipoindha? – Tharun Bhascker On #ENE Re-release Bookings". India Herald. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ "Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi - All Songs - Download or Listen Free - Saavn". Saavn. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- ^ Nyayapati, Neeshita. "'Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi' box office collections: Tharun Bhascker's second feature film rakes in $179,263 gross in the US". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (29 June 2018). "'Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi' review: Four guys and a short film". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018 – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi Movie Review {3.5/5}: A hilarious film which takes you on a roller coaster ride and brings you the unexpected". India Times. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ "Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi Telugu Movie Review". 123 Telugu. July 2018. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi Review & Rating {3/5}". The Hans India. 29 June 2018.
- ^ "Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi review by jeevi - Telugu cinema review - Sai Sushanth Reddy, Vishwaksen Naidu, Venkatesh Kakumanu, Abhinav Gomatam, Anisha Ambrose, Simran Chowdhary". Idlebrain. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.