When Rajamouli watched Buster Keaton’s silent comedy film, Our Hospitality, he liked it immensely and wished to re-tell the same story in his own way.[6] He attempted to contact the original creators but found out that the original writers of the film were long dead and that the film's copyright had expired as it had been over 75 years since the film's release.[7] S. S. Kanchi and Rajamouli adapted the story with a Rayalaseema backdrop, focusing on the factional violence and hospitality that co-existed in the region.[8][9][6]
Released on 23 July 2010, the film opened to favourable reviews with critics and audiences alike. Made on a budget of ₹12–14 crore (US$2.6–3.1 million), the film was commercially successful and grossed ₹40 crore ($8.75 million) at the box office with a distributors' share of over ₹28.5 crore ($6.23 million).[8][a] It became one of the highest grossing Telugu films of 2010.[2][11][12] It received four Nandi Awards, including Best Popular Feature Film.
Plot
1982: Gandikota of Rayalaseema suffers from constant violence due to a feud between two families. The first being the one of Ramineedu, who has two teenage sons Mallasuri and Baireddy and the second being the one of Raghava Rao who has an infant son. In a scuffle, Raghava Rao assassinates Ramineedu's brother and subsequently dies from his wounds whilst his wife flees with his son and is raised to be oblivious to the feud. Ramineedu and his sons swear vengeance to not spare anyone from Raghava Rao's clan.
2010: An orphaned Ramu gets ousted from his job and plans to buy an autorickshaw to make his living but fails to finance it by himself. He receives a legal notice pertaining to five acres of land he has inherited in Gandikota and sets off to the village in a train intending to sell the land to meet his needs. He befriends his co-passenger Aparna, who introduces him to her father Ramineedu and the latter vows to help him sell his land unmindful of the fact that Ramu is the son of Raghava Rao. Ramu is sheltered at Ramineedu's home while Mallasuri perceives his identity and notifies Ramineedu and Baireddy of it; however, they wait for him to step out of the house to kill him as an established tradition prevents them from shedding blood in the house. Overhearing the conversation, Ramu realizes that he must not leave the house at any cost in Ramineedu and his sons' presence and soon makes excuses not to step out of the house.
Ramu pretends to be wounded by a swing and Srikanth, Aparna's cross-cousin and a doctor who is expected to marry her, declares to Aparna secretly that Ramu is fine and suspects that he might be acting as he has fallen in love with her and doesn't wish to leave the home. Srikanth plays along with Ramu and declares to Ramineedu and his sons that he needs rest. Realizing that Ramu is taking advantage of their tradition, Ramineedu and his sons conspire to have him step out of the house. Ramineedu and his sons are further obstructed as the death anniversary of Ramineedu's brother falls on the next day and relatives arrive on the occasion. Theorizing that the presence of relatives will rescue him from being killed, Ramu plots to have them stay for a longer time that will make his plans to escape possible and upon learning that Srikanth's parents strongly want him to marry Aparna when they put forth the discussion in front of Ramineedu, Ramu persuades Srikanth to marry Aparna and convinces Srikanth's father to arrange the wedding the very next day so that their wedding would desist the relatives from leaving.
Srikanth agrees to marry while Aparna begins to feel that none knows her better apart from Ramu as the latter describes her attributes to convince Srikanth to marry her. To lure Ramu out of the residence, Ramineedu arranges for the engagement ceremony to take place at the temple. Aparna meets Ramu and learning about his story, she plans to help him escape and suggests him to hide in one of the vast flower baskets being taken to the temple for fulfilling a vow and meet her at the mosque so that she could help him out of the village. Before he could do so, Mallasuri gets impatient and takes Ramu to the penthouse intending to kill him without informing his father and Baireddy. However, Ramu locks Mallasuri in the penthouse and hides in one of the flower baskets which is seen by Baireddy, who plans to kill him during the procession midway but later realizes that Ramu is not in the basket and remained in the house while Mallasuri frees himself from the penthouse. Ramu prepares to leave the village but Mallasuri and Baireddy chase him while Aparna informs Srikanth that she loves Ramu; he understands her feelings and meets Ramineedu notifying him of the same but he refuses to oblige and leaves to murder Ramu while Aparna has already left to meet him.
Aparna meets Ramu and tells him the way out of the village but he resists her from coming with him making her aware that he doesn't reciprocate his feelings and was trying to save his own life. Ramineedu and sons find them and attempts to murder Ramu for daring to elope with Aparna and as revenge for his father murdering Ramineedu's brother but Aparna resists them and declares that she was the one who had feelings for him and Ramu didn't share her feelings. Ramu realizes her love for him and surrenders himself to Ramineedu and sons, who brutally beat him. As her father and brothers intend to kill Ramu, Aparna jumps from the bridge into the river and Ramu rescues her by risking his own life making Ramineedu and his sons realize their mistakes. Perceiving that nobody can care for her like Ramu did, Ramineedu gives in and drops his revenge plans to unite them.
Maryada Ramanna was inspired by a 1923 Buster Keaton silent film Our Hospitality. One could say I copied the film. I don’t mind. When I saw the original I liked it so much I wanted to re-tell the same story in my own way. I even tried to find the original creators. But no one existed. The original writers died in the 1930s. Technically any material that has existed for more than 75 years can be used without a copyright claim. But if you use material in Hindi film from a contemporary Punjabi, Oriya or Telugu film you need to take permission.
Rajamouli wanted to re-tell the 1923 silent comedy film Our Hospitality in his own way. He later found out that the film's copyright had expired as it had been over 75 years since the film's release.[7] He and his cousin S. S. Kanchi had adapted that story with a Rayalaseema backdrop, focusing on the factional violence and hospitality that co-existed in the region.[8][6]
The film was officially launched in June 2009 at Ramanaidu Studios in Hyderabad.[14] Rajamouli said,
"I decided that my next project would be Maryada Ramanna during Magadheera shooting itself because it is a one and a half years project that demands a lot of physical labour and mental strain. I didn't want to commit another physically exhausting film immediately after Magadheera. Maryada Ramanna gave us time to recharge our batteries so that we could come up with another huge project."
He also revealed the film's plot on the film's launch to minimize the expectations of the audience because of Magadheera's success.[15]
The audio was released at a function held at Shilpakala Vedika, Hyderabad. The launch of the audio release was a webcast live on the internet, and it received a positive response from internet viewers globally.[16]
Dasari Narayana Rao released the audio and handed over the first copy to K. Raghavendra Rao. The function was also attended by noted film fraternity like Junior NTR, Ravi Teja, Prakash Raj, V. V. Vinayak, Dil Raju, Prabhas, Sirivennela and other prominent cast and crew of the film. Meanwhile, music director M. M. Keeravani's birthday was also celebrated at a star-studded function.[16]
The film received favourable reviews from critics.[17][18] Raghu Chaitanya from CNN-IBN said "The climax is perhaps the only drawback in the entire movie as the director opts to take the clichéd path of emotions and love. Sunil perfectly fits the bill as the innocent guy who comes back to sell his land and make money [...] SS Rajamouli emerges a winner showing that he can make good movies without huge budgets and big star cast."[19]The Times of India gave a two and a half stars explained "Comedian Sunil, who turned hero with Andalaramudu a few years ago this time returns with another roaring comic flick and puts in a restrained performance. However, a well-designed set, great cinematography and mellifluous tunes by Keeravani takes this comic caper to a different plane."[20]
Sify which gave a verdict as "Worth a watch" further noted "Sunil would no longer look like a comedy hero. His dances are simply superb, Saloni is beautiful and holds natural sex appeal. It is unfortunate that her talents remained undetected for the last three years, but for Rajamouli, now. She performed with perfection all through the movie. Definitely, she awaits a bright future hereafter, it seems. Maryada Ramanna has a judicious mix of fun, thrill and suspense."[21]Rediff gave a three stars, commented Maryada Ramanna is thoroughly enjoyable. Rajamouli sure has a winner on his hands. Sunil is able to captivate the audience and Saloni looks pretty and is convincing too. Nagineedu portrays the role brilliantly. There are quite a few others like Brahmaji, Anuj Gurwara and Rao Ramesh who perform well."[22]
Remakes
Maryada Ramanna was remade in several languages. Nagineedu reprised his role from the original film in the Tamil and Malayalam versions. It is Rajamouli's second most remade film behind Vikramarkudu, which was remade in 6 languages.
The film grossed ₹1 crore (US$120,000) in its first weekend of release in the United States.[24] The film collected a share of ₹10.58 crore (US$1.3 million) (after tax and theatre rentals) within 7 days in India.[25] Overall the film managed to gross over ₹40 crore ($8.75 million) with a distributors' share of over ₹29 crore ($6.35 million) and was amongst the top grossers of the year 2010.[2][11][26][3]
^ abc"Maryada Ramanna press meet - Telugu cinema". Idlebrain.com. 26 June 2010. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022. SS Rajamouli said, "Rayalaseema is known for factionism and violence. But is also known for hospitality. Maryada Ramanna is about a man who is torn with his two extremities of factionism and hospitality."
^"'Makkhi' director all set to break into Bollywood". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022. In one area of Andhra Pradesh family feuds that persist for many generations is a reality. That's what I showed in Maryada Ramanna. I saw families that were perfectly cultured and courteous, killing each other. I don't think this peculiar contradictory culture of the co-existence of violence and hospitality exists in Punjab.
