Dictator is a 2016 Teluguaction film, jointly produced by Eros International & Sriwass under Vedhaaswa Creations banner and directed by Sriwass. The film stars Nandamuri Balakrishna, Anjali, Sonal Chauhan in the lead roles and music is composed by S. Thaman. It is the 99th movie in the career of Nandamuri Balakrishna. The film's script was written by Sridhar Seepana, Gopimohan and Kona Venkat while the dialogues were written by M. Ratnam. The movie had released on January 14, 2016 as Sankranthi Release. The movie is released also in Tamil and Malayalam as dubbed version simultaneously. Later the movie was dubbed into Hindi as Yudh: Ek Jung by Cinekorn Movies in 2016.
Plot
The film begins on Chandu an employee at Dharma Mart as a special in charge and lives along with his wife Katyayani’s family at Hyderabad. Everyone assumes that Katyayani is working in Delhi. Once, an aspiring actress Indu befriends him as she is in quandary from a few gangsters who are hunting her brother. One fine day, she is kidnapped when Chandu locks horns with them and gets indirect enmity with Minister Goverdhan Rao and a corrupt Police officer Prabhakar but he ceases them. Parallelly, Babji one of the co-employee of Chandu, steals some money for his daughter’s marriage when Chandu indicts on himself and arrested. Right now, the attention of company Chairman Rajashekar Dharma thrusts on him when his father-in-law Lakshmi Narayana seeks for the truth. Here, as a flabbergast, the true identity of Chandu is revealed as Chandrashekar Dharma The Dictator, Chairman of the Dharma group of companies. Now the flashback, Chandrasekhar Dharma is one of the big shots in India, who fights against the mafia and aegis businessmen in Delhi as a Dictator. Once he gets acquainted with Katyayani, one of the employees in his company and they fall in love. Since Lakshmi Narayana is against rich men she introduces him as her co-employee and they get married. After some time, Chandrasekhar battles with a tyrant woman Mahima Roy for slaughtering Chandrasekhar's fatherly figure Hari Prasad, by her malicious son-in-law Viswambhar. Right now, Mahima Roy kidnaps the family members of Chandrasekhar and demands hin to fall at her feet. At that juncture, Mahima Roy receives frequent calls from her relatives from the entire world, affirming that Chandrashekar has kidnapped all of them, proving his network. Later Chandrasekhar eliminates Viswambhar, knowing it, Mahima Roy attacks on Chandrasekhar in which Katyayani gets stabbed when on her requests, Chandrasekhar leaves Delhi and changes his identity. At present, Chandrasekhar Dharma learns that Viswambhar is still alive because of the betrayal of his men so he lands back at Delhi. One of the family members of Chandrasekhar Sivaram backstabs and informs Viswambhar that Chandrasekhar is going to conduct necessary rites for the dead Hari Prasad. Being cognizant of it, Viswambhar decides to knock out him and arrives at the spot when Sivaram takes the side of Chandrasekhar claiming it as a trap to bring Viswambhar out. At last, Chandrasekhar slays Viswambhar and behests Mahima Roy to leave the country. Finally, Chandrasekhar returns as Chandrasekhar Dharma, The Dictator.
Indiaglitz in its review states that "Dictator is an album that is for the mass and class audiences alike. Chura Chura.. stands out and is sure to be on the chartbusters. Gana Gana works lyrically."
Production
Production of this action drama film began at Ramanaidu Studios in Hyderabad on 29 May 2015. Telugu actress Anjali and Balakrishna will star in this film, to be produced and directed by Sriwass. In early July 2015, actress Sonal Chauhan was signed as one of the female lead in the film. This movie is the first Telugu film produced by Eros International Media Limited. Regular shooting for this film commenced on 20 July 2015. The lead actor Nandamuri Balakrishna lost 12 Kilograms of weight for the role in this movie. A wonderful set was built in Ramanaidu Studios, Hyderabad for this movie. First schedule of the movie with few action sequences was shot in this set for 25 days. Introduction song written by Ramajogayya Sastry titled Gam Gam Gam Ganesha... Gouri Tanaya Sarvesha... with theme on Lord Ganesha was shot in a big set designed by Brahma Kadali at Chithrapuri Colony, Hyderabad with 99 dancers and more than 2000 junior artists under the choreographer Prem Rakshith. On 24 August 2015, Eros International Media Ltd released a press note saying that the movie had completed its first schedule in Hyderabad. Second schedule of this movie was planned in Europe where some talkie part, few fights and songs was shot. In the end of August 2015, the movie unit started shooting in Bulgaria at exotic locations. The movie unit completed another schedule at Delhi on December 2, 2015; and the final schedule with heavy mass, fight sequences in the second week of December at Hyderabad. On 18 December 2015, the film director Sriwass announced that shooting part was complete except for one song. The last song Tingo Tingo under choreography of Prem Rakshith, was shot at Hyderabad completing the shooting part of the film. Shraddha Das and the popular Item song dancer Mumaith Khan paired up with Balakrishna in this song.
Box office
Dictator collected ₹ 10 crore gross at the worldwide box office on its first day, and fetched its distributors ₹ 7.5 crore. It has beaten the record of Lion and become the second-biggest opener for Balakrishna after Legend. It has collected ₹18 crore gross at the AP/Telangana box office in its four-day-extended first weekend. The film was declared a box office failure.
