Soggade Chinni Nayana

Lore & Background

The film was conceived after Nagarjuna, during the production of Manam (2014), developed an interest in making a film based on Indian village life. After sketching the basic idea, Ram Mohan P approached Virinchi Varma to direct, but Varma declined; Nagarjuna then gave the synopsis to Kalyan Krishna Kurasala, who completed the script within a month. The film was titled after a song from the 1966 film Aastiparulu starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Nagarjuna played dual roles: Bangarraju, a flirtatious zamindar, and his son Ramu, a socially-inept doctor. Ramya Krishna and Lavanya Tripathi played the female leads; Tripathi was cast after Pranitha Subhash and Sonal Chauhan were considered. Principal photography began on 19 November 2014 in Hyderabad and wrapped on 4 October 2015, with most filming in Rajahmundry and Mysore. The film was released worldwide on 15 January 2016 during Makar Sankranti on 500-600 screens in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana alone.

Reader's Guide

Soggade Chinni Nayana is significant as a commercially successful Telugu supernatural drama that blended family reconciliation with folkloric elements. Its positive reception led to a Kannada remake, Upendra Matte Baa (2017), and a sequel, Bangarraju (2022). The film showcased Nagarjuna in a dual role, with his portrayal of Bangarraju incorporating a dhoti and a 1959 watch worn by his father, Akkineni Nageswara Rao. The film's legacy lies in its ability to present supernatural themes—such as a ghost and a divine snake—in a non-frightening manner, as per Nagarjuna's condition. It also highlighted the importance of village backdrops in Telugu cinema, offering audiences a 'new, yet traditional lifestyle'.

Did You Know?

• The film was named after a song from the 1966 film Aastiparulu starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao.
• Nagarjuna's character Bangarraju wore a dhoti and a 1959 watch that had belonged to his father, Akkineni Nageswara Rao.
• The film was remade in Kannada as Upendra Matte Baa (2018).
• Principal photography began on 19 November 2014 and wrapped on 4 October 2015.