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C/o Kancharapalem
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = C/o Kancharapalem
| image = C-o Kancharapalem.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Venkatesh Maha
| producer = Praveena Paruchuri
Rana Daggubati
| writer = Venkatesh Maha
| starring =
| music = Sweekar Agasthi
| cinematography = Varun Chaphekar
Aditya Javvadi
| editing = Ravi Teja Girijala
| studio = Paruchuri Vijaya Praveena Arts
| distributor = Suresh Productions (India)
Weekend Cinema (Worldwide)
| released =
| runtime =
| country =
| language = Telugu
| budget =
| gross =
}}
'C/o Kancharapalem' is a 2018 Telugu-language slice of life anthology film written and directed by debutant Venkatesh Maha. It is produced by American filmmaker Praveena Paruchuri and distributed by Rana Daggubati under the banner of Suresh Productions. The film features a cast of over 80 non-actors, most of them native to Kancharapalem, a neighbourhood of Visakhapatnam where the film is set. The plot follows four uncoventional love stories parallelly, all set in the neighbourhood of Kancharapalem.
'C/o Kancharapalem' premiered in May 2018 at the New York Indian Film Festival, The film was released theatrically in India on 7 September 2018. The film received positive reviews from the audience and a majority of the film critics. The film received the Best Critic Movie award at 2019 Zee Cine Awards Telugu. It was also screened at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. It was honored with "Best Film Award" at the "Critics' Choice Festival of Indian films" in Mumbai, the "Caleidoscope Indian Film Festival" in Boston, where in the lead actor Subba Rao received the "Best Actor" honor, and Film Companion's "25 Best Telugu Films of the Decade". The film was remade in Tamil as 'C/o Kaadhal' (2021) and in Kannada as 'Monsoon Raga'.
Plot
The story focuses on four couples cutting across age, religion, caste and class barrier in the small town of Kancharapalem near Visakhapatnam. It also shows how life and time plays a significant role in the fate of the four couples who break social norms for the sake of love.
Cast
Production
Development
The idea of 'C/o Kancherapalem' struck director Maha while he was visiting an old friend living in the neighbourhood of Kancharapalem. After interacting with the local people and closely observing their lifestyle, Maha decided to make an independent film about the locality and its people.Maha later happened to meet Praveena Paruchuri, an Indian American cardiologist who was looking to make a film in India. Maha showed Parachuri a pitch video of his story, for which she was instantly impressed and told him, "This is made for Cannes." Parachuri offered to produce the film and paid Maha as an initial amount.
Casting
Maha recruited most of his cast, nearly 80 non-actors, who are from the town itself. While no one in the town took seriously that he was making a film, they had shown great enthusiasm to act nonetheless. Maha also cast Paruchuri for a role when she flew down from U.S. to visit the sets.Principal photography
The film was shot for 62 days over two schedules in Kancharapalem and Bheemili suburbs of Visakhapatnam.Post production
Post production work of the film is done at Ramanaidu Studios where its owner D. Suresh Babu happened to watch the film. Babu acquired the distribution rights of the film immediately.Soundtrack
The soundtrack and background score was scored by Sweekar Agasthi, and the audio was released on 8 September 2018 on Aditya Music.
{{Infobox album
| name = C/o Kancherapalem
| type = Soundtrack
| artist = Sweekar Agasthi
| cover =
| alt =
| released =
| recorded = 2018
| studio =
| genre = Feature film soundtrack
| length = 15:53
| language = Telugu
| label = Aditya Music
| producer = Sweekar Agasthi
| prev_title = Bangaram
| prev_year = 2016
| next_title = Middle Class Melodies
| next_year = 2021
| misc =
}}
Release
The film premiered at the New York Indian Film Festival in May 2018.
Reception
Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of 'The Hindu' called it a "small film with a large heart", further appreciating it by remarking "a rare Telugu film that takes us beyond the habitual cinematic settings to familiarize us with the sights, sounds and lives of people of a locality."
Baradwaj Rangan of 'Film Companion South' reviewed, "A deeply moving romantic drama," and added "The format may suggest we are watching 'Love, Actually' set in a village, in the midst of what will people say? considerations and drunks singing a Telugu song to the tune of 'Gori tera gaon bada pyara'. But 'C/o Kancharapalem' is a slow burn that builds and builds, and it goes far beyond the 'Love, Actually' template. Yes, its cute and charming and very funny. But its also real. [...] Theres a lot of mindfulness in the writing.[...] Its been a while since a film showed us a side of love thats so expansive, so generous, so attuned to the fact that love means not just romantic love."
Srivathsan Nadadhur of 'The Times of India' rated it a "4/5" and reviewed, "C/O Kancharapalem raises a toast to sincere, uncinematic storytelling, gives power to those unheard regional voices and does its part in undoing the stereotypical portrayal of community-specific stories in Telugu cinema."
Box office
At the US Box office, the film collected $36,000 on its first day, and $185,000 in the opening weekend.By the end of theatrical run, 'C/o Kancharapalem' grossed of 7 crore worldwide.
Remakes
The film is remade in Tamil and Kannada. Tamil remake was directed by debutant Hemambar Jasti. The Tamil remake titled 'C/O Kaadhal'.
Awards and nominations
Notes
References
Category:2018 films
Category:Social realism in film
Category:Films shot in Visakhapatnam
Category:Films shot in Andhra Pradesh
Category:Indian romantic drama films
Category:Indian-American films
Category:Indian avant-garde and experimental films
Category:Indian independent films
Category:2010s avant-garde and experimental films
Category:Slice of life films
Category:Indian anthology films
Category:Films about poverty in India
Category:Films set in India
Category:2010s Telugu-language films
Category:Films about courtesans in India
Category:Telugu films remade in other languages
Category:2018 directorial debut films
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