Watch Rudraveena

Rudraveena is a 1988 Telugu film, directed by K. Balachander and starring Chiranjeevi, Gemini Ganesan and Shobana. This movie is considered one of the milestones in the career of Chiranjeevi and was highly appreciated for its music and message. This film is regarded as one of Balachander's notable works and a classic. The story revolves around Suryam, played by Chiranjeevi, who is a young man from a traditional Brahmin family in Andhra Pradesh. He is highly influenced by his father's music, who is a renowned Veena player. Suryam is a highly talented musician and is passionate about playing the Veena, but he refuses to follow the traditional method of playing it. Instead, he wants to play it in a more contemporary way to reach the young generation. His father is against this idea and wants Suryam to follow the traditional way of playing Veena like him.

Suryam's father forces him to marry a girl named Madhavi, played by Shobana. She is a well-educated woman with a modern outlook towards life. Suryam agrees to marry her, but soon he realizes that she is not the right match for him because of their contrasting outlook on life. Suryam leaves his home and goes to Chennai to pursue his Veena playing career.

In Chennai, Suryam meets a group of young musicians who share his passion for music. He joins their group and starts performing at various concerts. One day, he meets Lalitha, played by Geetha, who is a fan of his music. Lalitha comes from a middle-class family but is highly supportive of Suryam's music. Suryam falls in love with her and becomes a regular visitor to her home.

Meanwhile, Suryam's father passes away, and he returns to his hometown for his father's funeral. He meets Madhavi and realizes that she is a victim of her father's orthodox views. Suryam takes her to Chennai where she meets Lalitha and learns about the world outside the traditional Brahmin society. Madhavi starts to understand Suryam's point of view and becomes more open-minded towards life.

The story takes a turn when a politician named Raghupathi, played by Gemini Ganesan, approaches Suryam for composing music for his party. Raghupathi is a corrupt politician and wants Suryam to compose songs that support his party's ideology. Suryam refuses to compose any such music, and this leads to a confrontation between the two. Raghupathi tries to put pressure on Suryam to compose music for his party by threatening his family and friends. Suryam decides to stand against Raghupathi and his corrupt practices.

Overall, Rudraveena is a thought-provoking movie that highlights the importance of breaking free from traditional beliefs that do not align with contemporary societal norms. The movie also showcases the power of music in bridging the gap between different generations and cultures. Chiranjeevi's performance and the songs composed by maestro Ilaiyaraaja are the highlights of the movie.

The movie received critical acclaim and won several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. It remains a classic in Telugu cinema and a must-watch for fans of Indian cinema.