70th National Film Awards: The 70th National Film Awards were recently announced and the Telugu movie Karthikeya 2 clinched the title of Best Telugu Film for 2022. Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, this movie is a sequel to the 2014 film Karthikeya and falls under the mystery-action adventure genre. Starring Nikhil Siddhartha and Anupama Parameswaran, the story revolves around Dr. Karthikeya, who embarks on a thrilling quest to find the legendary lost anklet of Lord Krishna.
Though Karthikeya 2 was initially met with moderate box office expectations, it gradually gained popularity through positive word of mouth. The film grossed ₹117 crore worldwide, making it the sixth highest-grossing Telugu movie of 2022, despite its relatively modest budget of ₹15 crore.
A few days back, director Chandoo Mondeti shared that his goal was to create a film franchise centered around Dr. Karthikeya’s adventures. The recognition from the National Awards has amplified expectations for the potential announcement of Karthikeya 3 where audiences could witness more unique stories woven around the character.
On the professional front, Chandoo Mondeti is currently directing a film titled Thandel, starring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi. Set against the backdrop of real-life events from 2010 in Srikakulam, Thandel tells the story of a fisherman who is taken captive by the Pakistani government. The film’s score is composed by Devi Sri Prasad, and it is scheduled for release in 2025. Given the director’s growing reputation following the success of Karthikeya 2, there is considerable anticipation surrounding this new project.
