35 Chinna Katha Kaadu (transl. 35 Not a small story) is a 2024 Indian Telugu-language comedy drama film written and directed by Nanda Kishore Emani in his directorial debut.[2] The film features Nivetha Thomas, Priyadarshi Pulikonda and Vishwadev Rachakonda in lead roles.[3]
| 35 | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Nanda Kishore Emani |
| Written by | Prashanth Vignesh Amaravadhi Nanda Kishore Emani |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Niketh Bommi |
| Edited by | T. C. Prasanna |
| Music by | Vivek Sagar |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Suresh Productions |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
| Budget | est. ₹10 crore[1] |
The film was released on 6 September 2024 to positive reviews from critics.[4]
Plot
editThe story is set in a traditional Brahmin household in Tirupati, where Saraswati is a homemaker and her husband Prasad works as a bus conductor in TTD. Their kids— Arun and Varun— complete their simple and beautiful middle-class lives.
Arun, the elder of the sons, is curious by nature. He likes to ask questions and learn the why of everything. The only question nobody seems to know the answer to: how can zero, a number which has no value, increase the value of another number when placed to its right? Arun struggles with mathematics in school. However, his school promotes him until 6th grade, despite him scoring zeros consistently. This worries Prasad.
A stereotypical math teacher called Chanakya Varma joins Arun and Varun's school. He appears arrogant and strict, but cares for his students' futures. He calls his students by their marks in mathematics to encourage competitive spirit. "Zero" Arun pesters Chanakya with his questions, which irritates the teacher. He tries disciplining him, which makes Arun rebellious.
Then, Chanakya suggests the father of the class topper and Arun's best friend Pavan to shift him to a residential school in Nellore. This makes Arun shatter as one of his only friends, who remains loyal despite Arun's bad marks, is leaving him. Chanakya also suggests that the principal Buchi Reddy and Prasad demote Arun to the 5th grade (Varun's grades) in order to get him work on his math foundations, and Prasad approves it.
This enrages Saraswati, however. Over a course of events, Arun is publicly challenged to score 35 marks (the passing grade) in the annual exam. The story is about how the seemingly valueless zero ignites events that test the family's resilience and unity, and stirs up rifts and friendships in his class. It's not a small story, as Arun's father often says (Chinna Katha Kadhu).
Cast
edit- Nivetha Thomas as Saraswati
- Arundev Pothula as Sripathi Panditharadhyula Shiva Shanmuka Venkata Satya Sai Arun Sharma, Saraswati's elder son.
- Vishwadev Rachakonda as Panditharadhyula Subramanya Sathya Prasad, Saraswati's husband
- Priyadarshi Pulikonda as Chanakya Varma, M.A., B.ED, Mathematics, Arun's Mathematics teacher
- Gautami as Sarada, Saraswati's mentor (extended cameo appearance)
- K. Bhagyaraj as Principal Buchi Reddy
- Abhay Shankar as Varun Sharma, Saraswati's younger son and Arun's younger brother.
- Ananya as Kiranmyee "Kiran", Arun's best friend and Buchi Reddy's grand daughter.
- Krishna Teja as "PDR" Murthy, Saraswati's elder brother, Prasad's brother in law and Arun and Varun's maternal uncle.
Production
editThe film was produced by Srujan Yarabolu and Siddharth Rallapally under the banners of Suresh Productions, S Originals, and Waltair Productions.[5][6] The film's budget was reportedly ₹10 crore.[1] The film's story is set in Tirupati.[7] The cast, including Nivetha Thomas, underwent training from the dialect and co-writer of the movie Prashanth, in the local Telugu dialect, covering phonetics and lexical aspects, as well as its distinct Tamil influences.[8] Nivetha underwent physical transformation, gaining weight, to portray the character Saraswati in the film.[9][10]
The title of the film was unveiled on 25 June 2024.[11][12] The cinematography was by Niketh Bommi, while the editing was handled by T. C. Prasanna.[13] The film received a U certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification.[14]
Music
editThe background score and soundtrack were composed by Vivek Sagar.[15]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sayyare Sayya" | Kittu Vissapragada | Karthik | 4:33 |
| 2. | "Chinna Idi Vintha Lokam" | Bharadwaj Gali | Vijay Prakash | 3:53 |
| 3. | "Neeli Meghamulalo" | Bharadwaj Gali | Prithvi Harish | 4:52 |
| Total length: | 13:18 | |||
Release
editThe film was released on 6 September 2024, with limited paid premieres on 5 September 2024.[16][17] Post-theatrical digital streaming rights were acquired by Aha and premiered on 2 October 2024.[18][19] Television satellite rights were acquired by Zee Telugu.[20]
It is scheduled to premiere at the 55th International Film Festival of India and is competing in the IFFI Best Debut Director Award section.[21]
Reception
editAditya Devulapally of The New Indian Express gave a rating of 4 out of 5 and, cited the film as a "heartfelt love letter to childhood curiosity" with extended praise to the direction, screenplay and the music.[22] Eenadu gave a positive review with particular praise to screenplay, dialogues, Nanda Kishore Emani's work and the performances of the lead cast.[23] Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu called it "an uplifting tale of triumph" while praising performance of Nivetha Thomas and the child actors.[24]
SruthiKuruganti of Telangana Today stated in her review that, "The charm of “35 – Chinna Katha Kaadu” lies in its simplicity and humanism. The subtle interplay between mathematics and human relationships creates a layered story that celebrates the beauty of questioning and learning, both inside and outside the classroom".[25] Calling Nivetha Thomas's performance as "stellar", Avad Mohammad of OTTPlay praised the dialogues and background score. He further stated, "A lot of detailing has gone when it comes to locations, costumes, and sets. All this was showcased so well and became a character in the film".[26]
References
edit- ^ a b "Nivetha Thomas' 35-Chinna Katha Kaadu locks a new release date, deets inside". www.ottplay.com. 25 August 2024.
- ^ "Rana Daggubati Presents Movie Titled 35; Unveils Poster, Title". Times Now. 25 June 2024. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "Priyadarshi: The role I played in 35 is a tribute to my math teacher". Cinema Express. 8 September 2024.
- ^ "35 trailer: A realistic tale with characters straight out of a classic Telugu novel". Cinema Express. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Rana Daggubati to present Telugu film '35', starring Gauthami, Nivetha Thomas and Priyadarshi". The Hindu. 25 June 2024. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ Sistu, Suhas. "Nivetha Thomas discusses about the unique appeal of '35-Not a Short Story'". The Hans India.
- ^ Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (30 August 2024). "Nanda Kishore Emani: '35 - Chinna katha kaadu' is a story of relationships, mathematics is just the backdrop". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (31 August 2024). "Nivetha Thomas: It would have been an injustice had I turned down '35'". The Hindu.
- ^ "Nivetha Thomas looks unrecognisable as she undergoes massive physical transformation - The Economic Times". The Economic Times. 1 September 2024. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "Actress Nivetha Thomas' Transformation Pics For 35-Chinna Katha Kaadu Viral". News18. 2 September 2024.
- ^ "Priyadarshi's next with Suresh Productions titled 35 - Chinna Katha Kaadu". Cinema Express. 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Rana Daggubati to present Telugu film '35', says it will touch everyone's hearts". dtnext. 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Nivetha Thomas' next titled "35-Chinna Katha Kaadu"". NTV ENGLISH. 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Nivetha Thomas starrer 35 completes censorship formalities". Cinema Express. 3 September 2024.
- ^ "35 Chinna Katha Kaadu - All Songs - Download or Listen Free - JioSaavn". JioSaavn. 4 August 2024. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "Nivetha Thomas Interview on 35 Chianna Katha Kaadu: The script and emotions blew my mind". www.ottplay.com. 3 September 2024. Archived from the original on 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "OTT Family Drama Movie: ఓటీటీలో స్ట్రీమింగ్కు వచ్చేసిన ఫీల్ గుడ్ ఫ్యామిలీ మూవీ.. మిస్ అవొద్దు!". Hindustan Times Telugu. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ "35 Chinna Katha Kaadu new OTT release date out: When and how to watch Nivetha Thomas's family drama online". The Economic Times. 29 September 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Features, C. E. (27 September 2024). "Nivetha Thomas starrer 35 to have its OTT premiere on this date". Cinema Express. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "35 Movie: This company snags the post theatrical rights | Latest Telugu cinema news | Movie reviews | OTT Updates, OTT". 123telugu.com. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "Five International and Two Indian Debut Directors to Compete for Silver Peacock at IFFI 2024". Press Information Bureau. 15 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Devulapally, Aditya (7 September 2024). "'35' movie review: A heartfelt love letter to childhood curiosity". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "35 Chinna Katha Kadu Review: రివ్యూ: 35 చిన్న కథ కాదు.. నివేదాథామస్ నటించిన మూవీ ఎలా ఉందంటే..?". Eenadu (in Telugu). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (6 September 2024). "'35: Chinna Katha Kaadu' movie review: Nivetha Thomas and a bunch of children in an uplifting tale of triumph". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Today, Telangana (6 September 2024). ""35 – Chinna Katha Kaadu" Movie Review: Definitely not a small story". Telangana Today. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "35 Chinna Katha Kaadu Review: It is a Nivetha Thomas show all the way". OTTPlay. Retrieved 5 September 2024.