 = Magadheera = 
 
 Magadheera ( English : Great Warrior ) is a 2009 Indian Telugu @-@ language romantic @-@ action film , written by K. V. <unk> Prasad and directed by S. S. Rajamouli . Based on the theme of reincarnation , the film was produced by Allu Aravind of Geetha Arts . The film stars Ram Charan and Kajal Aggarwal , while Dev Gill and Srihari appear in prominent roles . The plot revolves around four people : a valiant warrior in charge of the princess ' safety ; the princess who loves him ; her cousin who lusts after her ; and an emperor who wants to conquer their kingdom . They all die before their wishes are fulfilled and are reborn after 400 years , at which point the warrior kills the <unk> cousin with the support of the reformed emperor and wins over the princess . 
 Made on a budget of ₹ 350 million , the production was launched on 2 March 2008 while principal photography commenced on 19 March 2008 . The cinematography was done by K. K. Senthil Kumar , and was edited by <unk> <unk> Rao . Production design was done by R. Ravinder , while the action sequences were choreographed by Peter <unk> and the duo of Ram — <unk> . The visual effects were designed by R. C. Kamalakannan , with assistance from Adel Adili and Pete Draper . It is the first Telugu film to list a " visual effects producer " in its credits . The soundtrack was composed by M. M. Keeravani , who collaborated with Kalyani <unk> to score the background music . 
 Magadheera was released on 31 July 2009 across 1250 screens worldwide , to critical acclaim , and collected a distributor 's share of ₹ 731 million . The film grossed ₹ 1 @.@ 5 billion worldwide and remained the highest @-@ grossing Telugu film of all time for five years , until it was surpassed by <unk> <unk> in 2013 . Its 1000 @-@ day theatrical run surpassed <unk> ( 2005 ) as the longest running South Indian film . It is also the first Telugu film to have a home media release in Blu @-@ ray . The film won the National Award for Best Choreography and Best Special Effects at the 57th National Film Awards as well as winning six Filmfare Awards , nine Nandi Awards and ten <unk> Awards . The film 's success catapulted the lead actors into stardom . 
 The film was dubbed into Tamil as Maaveeran and Malayalam as Dheera : The Warrior , and was released simultaneously on 27 May 2011 in more than 100 and 50 screens respectively , with both versions being commercially successful . In 2014 , the film was further remade in Bengali as <unk> : The Warrior by Raj Chakraborty with Dev and Mimi Chakraborty portraying the lead roles . 
 
 = = Plot = = 
 
 Harsha , a dirt @-@ bike <unk> , is taking an auto <unk> to the airport in the rain . He spots the <unk> outline of a woman trying to flag the auto down , and gestures to her that it is already occupied . As he does , their fingers accidentally touch , and Harsha feels an electric current passing through him , which <unk> a few fleeting images . Later , feeling that this was the girl he was destined to be with , he <unk> about her to a woman named Indira ( called " Indu " ) , without realising that she is the same girl . Indu , thinking that he is stalking her , <unk> him . She and her friends take advantage of Harsha , <unk> him out of his finances . Meanwhile , Indu 's distant cousin Raghuveer , lusts after her . He manipulates Indu and her father into trusting him . However , whenever he attempts to touch a sleeping Indu , he sees visions of a warrior slitting his throat . Raghuveer <unk> a tantrik , Ghora , who reveals to him that in a prior life , he was a prince who <unk> after Indu , and was killed by her lover , a warrior . Raghuveer is determined to find the reincarnation of the warrior and kill him . Meanwhile , Harsha discovers how Indu and her friends have been <unk> him , and she falls in love with him . 
 Raghuveer discovers that Harsha is the reincarnation of the warrior . He murders Indu 's father and frames Harsha , causing Indu to hate Harsha . As Raghuveer and Indu leave in a helicopter , Harsha tries to catch them but fails ; falling into a lake , he faces a near @-@ death experience and learns about his past life in 1609 . In that year , Emperor Sher Khan is preparing to invade the kingdom of <unk> when he hears of the brave warrior Kala Bhairava ( Harsha ) , commander of the Udayghad army . King Vikram Singh 's daughter , <unk> Devi ( Indu ) , loves Bhairava , but he holds himself back . Her cousin , Ranadev Billa ( Raghuveer ) , lusts after Mithra and plans a competition between himself and Bhairava ; the winner will marry her and the loser will be banished from Udayghad . Bhairava 's victory leads to Ranadev 's banishment . Vikram Singh , however , secretly requests that Bhairava not marry his daughter , because Bhairava has a high chance of dying in battle , and he does not wish to see Mithra widowed . Though shocked , <unk> <unk> to the king 's request and publicly declines to marry Mithra , leaving her distraught . 
 Bhairava then takes Mithra , his soldiers , and his <unk> to the Bhairavakona temple atop a cliff to seek blessings from God . Mithra demands Bhairava admit his love for her . When he does not respond , she upsets the sacred items they have brought for the puja and , using her own blood , paints an image on a nearby rock of Bhairava leaving his true love to do his duty . An injured soldier arrives to tell Bhairava that Ranadev and Sher Khan 's army have killed Vikram Singh and are now rushing toward them . They arrive shortly , and Sher Khan challenges Bhairava to battle his soldiers . Bhairava boldly accepts the challenge and kills a hundred soldiers , but is severely injured in the process . Sher Khan , impressed by Bhairava 'a bravery , has a change of heart . However , Ranadev continues attacking , eventually wounding Mithra fatally , but he is in turn killed by Bhairava . A dying Mithra asks Bhairava to confess his love , but before he can respond , she dies and falls off the cliff . <unk> , he follows her and falls to his own death . 
 After learning about his past life , Harsha is rescued from the lake by a fisherman named Solomon ( who is the reincarnation of Sher Khan ) and , with <unk> 's help , visits Udayghad . He gains access to Raghuveer 's palace and <unk> Ghora telling Raghuveer that if Indu 's memories of the past are not revived within the day they can never be revived , and she will be with Raghuveer forever . Harsha kidnaps Indu and takes her to Bhairavakona and in the process , Ghora is accidentally killed by Raghuveer . Raghuveer arrives by helicopter and asks Indu to come with him ; however Indu sees Mithra 's painting , and her past @-@ life memories are revived ; she reunites with Harsha . Harsha fights Raghuveer , and with the help of Solomon , manages to kill him . 
 
 = = Cast = = 
 
 Ram Charan as Kala Bhairava and Harsha . Kala Bhairava is the commander @-@ in @-@ chief of the Udayghad army who dies in battle in 1609 . His reincarnation , Harsha , is a dirt @-@ bike <unk> in 2009 , who falls in love with Indu . When Harsha discovers his past life , he saves Indu from her cousin Raghuveer , who killed her father and framed Harsha as the murderer . 
 Kajal Aggarwal as Mithravinda Devi and Indu . Mithravinda Devi is the crown princess of Udayghad who is in love with Bhairava and also dies in 1609 . In 2009 , her reincarnation is Indira ( <unk> Indu ) , a <unk> student . She falls in love with Harsha but believes him to be her father 's murderer because of Raghuveer 's deception . She reunites with Harsha in the end after remembering her past life . 
 Dev Gill as Ranadev Billa and Raghuveer . Ranadev Billa is Mithravinda 's cousin who lusts after her and is jealous of Bhairava . He , after killing Mithravinda , is killed by Bhairava . His reincarnation , Raghuveer , is Indu 's cousin who lusts after her . He is the first to remember his past life , and murders Indu 's father in both eras . He is finally killed by Harsha . 
 Srihari as Sher Khan and Solomon . Sher Khan is a Muslim emperor who invades Udayghad . He realises Bhairava 's potential just before his death but fails to save him . His reincarnation , Solomon , is a fisherman who is a native to <unk> . He helps Harsha to reunite with Indu , and plays a vital role in Raghuveer 's death . 
 Rao Ramesh as Ghora , a <unk> old tantrik who advises Raghuveer . He helps Raghuveer in remembering his past . His conversation with Raghuveer helps Harsha to remind Indu of her past . Ghora is accidentally killed by Raghuveer . 
 <unk> Babu as Vikram Singh , the king of Udayghad and father of Mithravinda . He respects Bhairava for his <unk> but believes that he will die in battle and consequently requests that Bhairava hold back his love for Mithra . Vikram is murdered by Ranadev when Sher Khan invades the kingdom . 
 Surya as <unk> Varma , Indu 's father . Raghuveer manipulates him for access to Indu and kills him just before he accepts Harsha 's proposal to marry Indu . 
 <unk> as Harsha 's <unk> friend . He accompanies him most of the time and constantly warns him about Indu <unk> him financially . 
 <unk> as <unk> Singh , the commander @-@ in @-@ chief of Sher Khan 's army who informs Sher Khan about Bhairava 's strengths . 
 Cameo appearances 
 Chiranjeevi in a cameo appearance in the item song " Bangaru Kodipetta " . 
 Mumaith Khan as <unk> , the dirt bike race organiser . She also appears in " Bangaru Kodipetta " . 
 Kim Sharma as <unk> , a dancer who appears in the item song " <unk> " . 
 Brahmanandam as Indu 's neighbour . 
 Hema as <unk> . 
 <unk> <unk> as Solomon 's girlfriend . 
 
 = = Production = = 
 
 
 = = = Development = = = 
 
 K. V. <unk> Prasad was watching a Marathi film where two warriors Sivaji and <unk> are attacked by Mughal Army . Once the duo can reach <unk> fort , they can kill the army together effectively . While Sivaji escapes to the fort for support , <unk> fights with the army and dies in the process leaving Sivaji in grief . Prasad took this as an inspiration and wrote a story on the theme of reincarnation of a bodyguard who serves a queen . He fights 100 warriors and dies in his attempt to re @-@ <unk> his queen after she is overthrown by her conspirators . He is reborn after 400 years and <unk> his ambition of placing her on the throne by making her a Chief Minister or a popular social worker like <unk> <unk> . It was subsequently rejected and after fifteen years , his son director S. S. Rajamouli selected this script , but made several changes to it . Rajamouli re @-@ characterised the queen as a princess to create a vital love story for the film , as he felt that the relationship between a queen and a bodyguard would be only about loyalty and honesty . 
 Production for the film was officially launched on 2 March 2008 at <unk> in Hyderabad . B. V. S. N. Prasad co @-@ produced the film with Allu Aravind under his production banner , Geetha Arts . M. <unk> was announced as the dialogue writer while Rajamouli 's usual associates K. K. Senthil Kumar , <unk> Venkateswara Rao and M. M. Keeravani worked on the film 's cinematography , editing and music respectively . 
 After many potential titles , Magadheera was considered and finalised in early February 2009 . Tamil and Malayalam dubbed versions were planned in mid February 2009 . The film 's Tamil dubbed version was titled as Maaveeran , named after the 1986 Tamil film . Geetha Arts collaborated with <unk> Stalin for the Tamil version and distributed it under his production banner , Red Giant Movies . K. <unk> wrote the dialogues for Maaveeran . The Malayalam version was titled Dheera — The Warrior and was distributed by <unk> films . 
 
 = = = Casting = = = 
 
 After considering several actresses ( including <unk> ) for the princess role , Kajal Aggarwal was selected by Rajamouli as the female lead opposite Ram Charan after conducting a <unk> in his office . Rajamouli said that he wanted to cast her as the female lead in <unk> ( 2007 ) after her Telugu debut Lakshmi <unk> ( 2007 ) , but she was unavailable . He added that he wanted somebody " good looking , who would look like a princess and who had dates available " and finalised her because she met all of these <unk> . After conducting her <unk> , Rajamouli explained the story and Mithra 's characterisation to her in 45 minutes . He said she needed to treat the hero <unk> , but do so out of love for the hero . Kajal kept this in mind and acted accordingly while playing the dual roles of a princess from 400 years ago and a modern @-@ day college student . Kajal called both her roles " unique and challenging " . 
 Dev Gill was selected to portray the film 's antagonist . Rajamouli was criticised for selecting him considering Gill 's previous film , <unk> ( 2008 ) , but remained adamant about casting him . He said that he had to cast a good looking man as the film 's villain because the heroine needed to find him trustworthy . For this film , Gill had to practice horse riding in Ramoji Film City ; Ram Charan was already an experienced <unk> . Srihari was cast in his role in the film in early April 2008 . Kim Sharma was selected to perform one of the two item numbers in the film in early June 2008 . <unk> <unk> made a cameo appearance in the film and shot for three days . She was subsequently signed for Rajamouli 's next project , Maryada Ramanna ( 2010 ) , before Magadheera was even released . 
 Rao Ramesh was cast as a tantrik who helps Gill 's character in the present era . Mumaith Khan was selected for another item number , a remix version of the hit song " Bangaru Kodipetta " from Gharana Mogudu ( 1992 ) ; Gharana Mogudu 's music was also composed by M. M. Keeravani . Chiranjeevi made a special appearance after the song , making Magadheera the first film he appeared in after his entry into politics . When Rajamouli suggested the idea of a cameo appearance , Chiranjeevi was initially hesitant till the director narrated the complete sequence and the importance of the song . 
 
 = = = Costume designs = = = 
 
 Regarding his looks in the film , Ram Charan said , " Personality wise there isn ’ t really much difference to Kalabhairava but I have to tell you minor changes like the shape of my <unk> , a slight voice <unk> , the background scale , the atmosphere and even the ‘ <unk> ’ worked wonders on screen and gave a totally different look and feel and I felt like it was an altogether different side of me . When I was told of the characterization of ‘ Kalabhairava ’ , I had an impression of a young , passionate soldier and naturally it had to have a great body and an authoritative voice . So , we also worked on it . We actually went to Rajasthan and observed the local culture and their way of dressing , we researched a lot about their costumes , history and great personalities 400 years ago and planned it accordingly . " Ram Charan sported a long <unk> for both of his characters in the film . 
 To design the armour used by Charan in his role as Kalabhairava , art director R. Ravinder wanted the precise measurements of Charan 's body ; they used plaster of Paris to make a mould of Charan 's body shape from which they created a statue . They designed costumes for the statue and had Charan try them on once they were satisfied with the designs . In an interview with <unk> <unk> of Rediff.com , the film 's stylist , Rama Rajamouli , said that it took one month to develop the right look for the <unk> period before she began working on the materials and costumes for the film . She added that all of the film 's costumes were designed by her and <unk> in Hyderabad , and that Kajal 's costumes were heavily detailed as she needed to look rich , elegant and bright . Rajamouli had some disagreements with cinematographer K. K. Senthil Kumar over the colours of the costumes . Her decision of having Kajal wear a dress of baby pink and <unk> green during the war sequence at Bhairavakona was initially opposed by Rajamouli , but later agreed to after the director saw the final edit . She also used minimal jewellery for the princess 's outfits . 
 
 = = = Filming = = = 
 
 The film 's principal photography was expected to begin on 26 February 2008 , and then on 15 March 2008 , but finally began on 19 March 2008 in Rajasthan . Initial shooting occurred for 10 days in <unk> of <unk> , Gujarat . Art director Ravinder went to Chennai and gave details of their requirements to a prominent chariot @-@ making specialist . After rejecting the maker 's first iron skeletons , Ravinder opted to design them himself , and prepared three models of <unk> with different heights to be used , depending on the camera ’ s location and other technical requirements . He used fibre material for the iron skeleton 's exteriors . For a scene in which neither the hero nor the villain was present on the chariot , Ravinder measured a short person and designed a hidden chamber in which he could sit and secretly control the horses . While the chariot race sequence was shot in <unk> , the sequence in which the chariot sinks in <unk> was shot at a set comprising three acres in Ramoji Film City . 
 K. K. Senthil Kumar scouted for locations in Gujarat , looking for dry , open lands to shoot the chariot race sequence . They found salt lands with white sands in <unk> . To shoot the sequence there , they wanted a light weight vehicle to follow the horses ; they bought a <unk> van , removed the vehicle 's top and mounted the camera along with a <unk> <unk> atop it . A part of the song Dheera Dheera was also shot there , requiring filmmakers to plant a dry tree and a couple of oxen for use in the song 's backdrop . An item number featuring Kim Sharma and Ram Charan was shot in late June 2008 in a specially erected fisherman colony . It was set up on the first floor of Annapurna Studios and cost less than ₹ 3 million . Ravinder explained , " The set should look like an outdoor location , but need to be constructed in an indoor floor . I constructed exteriors of around 28 houses in that floor with detailed interior plan for the house of Srihari . I also constructed a small boat and a big wheeled fish with <unk> . When director wanted smoke @-@ effect for a shot I held the heavy smoke machine on my shoulders in a low angle for the required effect . " 
 After filming key parts of the film in Rajasthan , suburbs of Hyderabad , and at <unk> in Karnataka , filming continued in Ramoji Film City in a specially erected set named Bhairavakona in late October 2008 . Two more schedules , one from 3 – 10 December and one in January , were also shot at the Bhairavakona set . The sequence of Charan killing 100 warriors , also at Bhairavakona , included a bridge . As the set did not permit for shooting with low angles , a separate half @-@ bridge was erected at <unk> <unk> in Road No. 22 of <unk> Hills . The bridge , which had a height of 60 feet ( 18 m ) and a length of 100 feet ( 30 m ) , was constructed on top of a rocky hill using steel beams as the skeleton and wooden material as support . It was built in around 20 days by over 60 men amid heavy rains . 20 trucks of black soil were transported from Ramoji Film City for the bridge set , as that type of soil was only available in the former location . 
 After the completion of shooting at the arena set in Ramoji Film City , the arena set was demolished and a set for heroine 's house was constructed in its place . This was the last set constructed for this film . By late September 2008 , 70 % of the film 's shoot was complete . The remix version of " Bangaru Kodipetta " was shot by Ram Charan and Mumaith Khan under the supervision of <unk> <unk> at Chennai Port , although <unk> Port was first considered . Filming continued in and around Hyderabad very discreetly in November 2008 . <unk> sequences by Ram Charan and some <unk> were shot in mid @-@ December 2008 at Hyderabad . By mid February 2009 , the film 's scripted part had been wrapped up , with only some songs left to shoot . The song " <unk> <unk> " was shot in Switzerland while " <unk> <unk> <unk> " was shot at <unk> Fort in Hyderabad . Both songs were duets shot by Ram Charan and Kajal . K. K. Senthil Kumar said in an interview that Magadheera could not have been made in eight months because of its long pre @-@ production and post @-@ production phases . Over two <unk> worth of props , including swords , <unk> , knives , bows and arrows , pouches , armour , footwear and other accessories , were used in the film . They were designed by 160 workers , including <unk> , <unk> , carpenters , painters , <unk> , artists , <unk> and leather men , who worked for two months in the Geetha Arts Studio . Five people were appointed exclusively to look after these props . However , during the film 's shoot both Peter <unk> and Ram Charan suffered major injuries . The former fell down from a height of 80 — 90 feet during the composition of a stunt and was advised a bed rest for four months . Charan faced severe leg fractures , while Rajamouli said that Peter " met with an accident on the sets , had two broken ribs , fractured hands and jaw and lost all his teeth . Within a month , he was back on the sets with his face and body covered in bandages and plaster . He could barely lift his hands to shoot . " 
 
 = = = Visual effects = = = 
 
 R. C. Kamalakannan was the VFX producer of this film . Magadheera was the first Telugu film in which the position of " Visual Effects Producer " was used in the credits . He was assisted by a team of five experts from abroad and a 62 dedicated group members apart from 130 people from the company <unk> in Chennai and Hyderabad . Special effects and CG was used for about 1 hour and 40 minutes out of the total 2 hours and 35 minutes in the film . 15 % of the frames in the film 's scenes of Udayghad city were actually shot with a camera ; the rest were CG extension . For the scenes in the stadium , CG extension was slightly above 50 % . For the stadium , Italian concept artist Marco <unk> began with a <unk> drawing and made his first 3D concept in 5 days . It took five months for Marco to reach the design shown in the film and as imagined by Rajamouli . Simultaneously , Iranian 3D technical director Adel Adili , who worked with Kamalakannan for <unk> ( 2004 ) , <unk> and <unk> ( 2009 ) , was working on the 3D Udayghad city . He started with a city @-@ plan and added streets , buildings , mountains , temples , palaces , water bodies , a huge waterfall , rivers , gates , a <unk> and trees , all of which were planned and received Rajamouli 's approval before being executed to full scale . Adili redesigned Marco 's 3D stadium to suit Indian aesthetics and made it fit perfectly within the city . 
 Pete Draper , who worked with <unk> in <unk> ( 2008 ) , was selected as the pipeline technical director of the film . At that time , Kamalakannan was in Iran <unk> the CG stadium and City with Adili . The majority of the film was shot in <unk> format , but a Super 35 camera gate and lens were used for the stadium episode to minimise distortion . Post @-@ production of the stadium scenes were given to Prasad <unk> , and the film set up their own render farm in Chennai . The post process was done in several stages after the scan . The live stadium had only 7 steps , in which live people were positioned in 6 steps while the remaining 12 steps were CG extension . Adili created 3D CG people to fill the CG steps and their actions in a library of 3000 frames . 
 Draper designed the birds in two flows : one flow kept flying around the stadium , while the other flow took off from a position dome and landed on a target dome . Rajamouli used those birds in several shots . Upon finishing the stages of the stadium composite , Kamalakannan flew to Iran again to work with Adel for the 3D city shots which were created entirely in CG . Adili designed 3D horses for the hero and villain and Draper designed the 3D people <unk> behind the horses . About Adili 's work , Kamalakannan said , " When we started the city @-@ shot renders , it has taken several hours to render one frame . But Adili re @-@ corrected the geometry and applied several path breaking ideas , so even on 24 July , just a week before the film release , we were able to do corrections , render and submit . " ₹ 40 million ( US $ 590 @,@ 000 ) was spent solely on VFX for Magadheera . 
 
 = = = <unk> = = = 
 
 During the film 's shoot at Ramoji Film City in late November 2008 , a 500 square feet ( 46 m2 ) film can , containing two or three scenes , was discovered missing from Rainbow lab . The filmmakers filed a case at <unk> police station . Security personnel and film unit members searched , but failed to recover the reels . Rajamouli 's unit said it was not important if the scenes from the can were aired online since they were not crucial scenes , were all on a blue matte and lacked finishing . Later , raw footage from the film was seen on the internet but no details about the culprits were found . After the photographs and small video clips were leaked on the Internet , some of the film unit members felt that the loss might have been a ploy on the part of the producers to create hype . 
 
 = = Themes and influences = = 
 
 The film is based on the concept of reincarnation and eternal love . According to <unk> , the rewritten script 's basic storyline is that " Love remains eternal and it will follow generations and generations . There is always a big victory for Love . " The film 's flashback sequences were used as a flip switch between the film 's <unk> and present day eras . Initially the film featured a scene in which the present day heroine accidentally receives a dupatta preserved in a museum that is used in the flashbacks as the dupatta Bhairava and <unk> race for . However , separate <unk> were used in the film as Rajamouli felt that getting the dupatta from the flashback would <unk> the narrative . 
 In her book <unk> Roy 's <unk> : Untold Stories from Behind the Scenes , writer <unk> <unk> compared the reincarnation theme of Magadheera with that of <unk> ( 1958 ) , <unk> ( 1980 ) , Karan Arjun ( 1995 ) and <unk> <unk> <unk> ( 2007 ) . Touching the heroine <unk> locked memories within the hero that transport him to Rajasthan in 1609 from contemporary Hyderabad . <unk> also compared Magadheera to another Telugu film , <unk> <unk> ( 1964 ) . Rajamouli told Subhash K. Jha that he was inspired by Karan Arjun to make films based on reincarnation . 
 
 = = Music = = 
 
 M. M. Keeravani composed the film 's soundtrack . It features six songs including the remixed version of his own composition " Bangaru Kodipetta " from the film Gharana Mogudu . The soundtrack of the Tamil dubbed version , Maaveeran , had three additional tracks . The Telugu soundtrack was launched at <unk> <unk> in Hyderabad on 28 June 2009 . The Tamil version was launched on 25 April 2011 in Chennai . 
 
 = = Release = = 
 
 Geetha Arts released the film on 31 July 2009 , with 625 digital UFO prints in 1250 theatres across the globe , making Magadheera the biggest release for a Telugu film in history . Its release included more than 1000 screens in Andhra Pradesh alone . The film opened up with 25 prints overseas in almost 40 locations . Magadheera was the first Telugu film to be released on 21 screens in North America . Huge vinyl posters featuring Ram Charan and his father , cameo performer Chiranjeevi , were put up at all of the theatres in Krishna District . <unk> also featured the head of Chiranjeevi 's political party , former MLA <unk> <unk> , which added political importance to the release . The Tamil dubbed version Maaveeran and Malayalam dubbed version Dheera — The Warrior were released in more than 100 screens and 50 screens respectively on 27 May 2011 . 
 
 = = = Distribution = = = 
 
 <unk> <unk> , the owner of Supreme Music , ventured into overseas distribution with Magadheera . He distributed the film in the USA via Blue Sky <unk> Inc . The distribution rights of non @-@ US countries , including the UK , Ireland , Middle East , Australia , New Zealand and Singapore , were acquired by Krishna Productions . The theatrical rights of Australia and New Zealand were sold to <unk> . The film 's Singaporean rights were sold to <unk> films . Gulf and Kuwait theatrical rights were sold to K. A. <unk> and <unk> respectively . Red Giant Movies distributed Maaveeran while <unk> films distributed Dheera — The Warrior . The film 's Karnataka distributor , <unk> , was disciplined for breaking the rules of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce by simultaneously releasing a non @-@ Kannada film in more than 21 screens in the state . The proceeds of 21 screens were given to him while the rest was confiscated by the Chamber of Commerce . The <unk> also suspended <unk> , who was <unk> 's secretary for distribution , from its executive committee . 
 Joint collector Gaurav <unk> convened a meeting of film <unk> and distributors , warning them against black @-@ marketing tickets to Magadheera . This was after local leaders , attempting to acquire a maximum number of tickets , blocked and booked tickets to the film in advance , to <unk> their supporters during the local civic polls in <unk> . Special teams of revenue , police and commercial tax officers were appointed to keep watch at ticket <unk> and ensure that each person was issued only one ticket . <unk> was ordered to be given for the sanitation , safety and comfort of the viewers . Authorities in <unk> ensured the strict checking and prevention of black @-@ marketing of tickets . However , Ram Charan 's fans resorted to <unk> and an impromptu protest demonstration in the office of Revenue Divisional Officer K. <unk> in <unk> . They demanded the screening of a benefit show and the advance sale of tickets after being rejected by the management of the twin theatres , <unk> <unk> and <unk> Krishna , where the film was screened . Their plea was rejected by the officer , who said that the tickets would be issued only to those who came in queue and that no special concessions would be made for fans . 
 
 = = = <unk> = = = 
 
 On 9 August 2009 , two persons , identified as <unk> student M. <unk> Kumar and <unk> , were killed and 15 others sustained severe injuries after being <unk> while jostling for tickets for Magadheera at the theatre <unk> in <unk> , <unk> . The screening of Magadheera at theatres in <unk> was prohibited by the then minister <unk> <unk> until safety measures were complied with . <unk> 's announcement followed the death of five people in <unk> Village due to an electrical accident at the Lakshmi theatre screening Magadheera . 
 
 = = = <unk> of plagiarism = = = 
 
 Folk <unk> <unk> <unk> Rao alleged that his 40 @-@ year @-@ old folk song " Em <unk> <unk> " , which was featured in T. Krishna 's <unk> <unk> ( 1986 ) , was used by film director Rajamouli and Allu Aravind in the Magadheera song " <unk> " without Rao 's consent . <unk> of <unk> , <unk> and <unk> staged a protest demonstration in front of the <unk> 70 MM theatre in <unk> , where the film was screened , to demand the removal of the song . The protesters said that the song was written by Rao during the famous <unk> armed struggle four decades prior and had been misused to portray an obscene duet in the film . They added that the song was used without the permission of the writer and that the depiction defeated the very purpose of the song , which was written in a revolutionary spirit . They demanded a public apology by the makers to Rao . A few reports stated that Rao demanded Aravind pay him compensation of ₹ 5 million . 
 After the completion of the film 's 175 day run , novelist S. P. <unk> accused the film of being based on a novel that he had written and published as a serial under the title <unk> in a monthly magazine in 1998 . He demanded that filmmakers compensate him for using his idea without consent , and threatened to take legal action if the producers did not heed his demands , or remade the film in another language . He added that he deserved to be credited for the story and alleged that Allu Arjun and Allu <unk> were trying to postpone his acknowledgment by discussing the issue with him . 
 
 = = = Home media = = = 
 
 Magadheera was the first Telugu film in India to have a home media release in Blu @-@ ray format . During the release announcement , Allu <unk> said that although they initially were reluctant to go for it , given the fact that there were approximately only 2500 Blu @-@ ray devices in Andhra Pradesh , the overwhelming demand for it made him rethink the decision . He added , " <unk> this vision with us was Sri <unk> Videos , the largest home @-@ video label in Andhra Pradesh . Together , we 're bringing out Magadheera on Blu @-@ ray . Though <unk> Videos released <unk> 's King ( 2008 ) on Blu @-@ ray , it was only for the overseas market . This makes Magadheera the first Blu @-@ ray film to be released in India and with a bonus disc with additional footage . We 're also a holding a press event on this regard to officially announce the launch of the movie on DVD and Blu @-@ ray . " 
 A press note announced that the DVDs would be available beginning the third week of March 2010 while the Blu @-@ ray would be available 2 weeks later . The launch ceremony took place in a Marriott Hotel on 27 February 2010 . The first DVD was released by M. M. Keeravani and was presented by journalist <unk> <unk> . The DVD was released in <unk> video format and <unk> Digital 5 @.@ 1 surround audio format on 5 March 2010 . The Blu @-@ ray disc released on 13 April 2010 . Magadheera held the top position in sales for its <unk> Blu @-@ ray edition with 5 @.@ 1 <unk> digital sound format as of July 2014 . 
 
 = = Reception = = 
 
 
 = = = Critical reception = = = 
 
 <unk> <unk> of The Hindu summarised , " Magadheera is not for the weak @-@ hearted , those who do not like the sight of blood and neither is it for those who like movies with storylines that are much @-@ closer @-@ to @-@ <unk> reality . But Rajamouli excels in story @-@ telling . The way he has used the flashback as a flip switch , going back and forth and taking the viewer through a 400 @-@ year journey in a <unk> is interesting . The rest is about how well technology , creativity , imagination and innovation are <unk> to present what is an eye @-@ pleasing experience for viewers . " B. V. S. Prakash of The Times of India wrote , " Despite a few narrative <unk> , the much @-@ <unk> semi @-@ periodic epic lives up to expectations . Unlike his previous action @-@ centric films , director Rajamouli dishes a heart @-@ touching love story in a lavish canvas convincingly . Also <unk> for the way he has <unk> and presented the film . " He added , " After not @-@ so @-@ impressive <unk> , Ram Charan <unk> returns as a valiant soldier and <unk> life into the larger @-@ than @-@ life role with ease . Similarly , Kajal known for simple lover girl roles transforms into a determined princess and truly <unk> . Dev Gil is adequate as the ruthless villain " , and rated the film 3 out of 5 . 
 <unk> Entertainment stated , " S. S. Rajamouli has chosen a fantastic love story for his movie Magadheera and linked it to a love story that dated back to some 400 years . He has filled complete energy in the film and no doubt , the graphic works and modern technology are perfectly used for the movie . As a whole , the film reminds the audiences of watching a Hollywood movie with perfect local flavor " , and called the film 's screenplay by Rajamouli a highlight . <unk> stated " Magadheera is not an epic , not a legend , not even a cult movie , but it is certainly an artistic <unk> and a sensory treat . Like we said before , a must watch ! A mast watch ! " . 
 <unk> <unk> of Rediff.com called the film " technically brilliant " and wrote " A reincarnation story is not often seen in Telugu cinema and SS Rajamouli uses this theme for Ram Charan Teja 's second film Magadheera . It 's a magnum opus production with great technical work . The graphics are excellent for a Telugu movie . Overall , the movie is a mainstream one with good packaging . " She rated the film 3 out of 5 . Sify called the film a " brilliant <unk> " and wrote , " Set against the backdrop of an eerie theme — reincarnation — Magadheera <unk> on the screen with multiple shades of entertainment . When the movie was launched last year , director Rajamouli <unk> to reveal the central theme of the story . He has succeeded in his attempt , as he was able to keep the screenplay and narration gripping from start to finish . The second half has the soul in it . " Sify summarised , " In short , the movie encompasses some of the best commercial elements that Telugu audience have seen in the recent past . " 
 IndiaGlitz called the film " royal and <unk> " and opined , " The film deserves a special credit for many reasons , notable among them is the grandeur of the movie and the amazing technical aspects . This is surely a path breaker in terms of Telugu film making and with the likes of ' <unk> ' , <unk> sure is proud to have this one in its league . It is a valiant attempt to bring such genre to the modern day audience and present it with <unk> so that it fits the historical angle and the today 's angle . " However , Rajamouli was accused of lifting scenes from films like <unk> ( 2000 ) , Troy ( 2004 ) , The Myth ( 2005 ) and 300 ( 2007 ) . 
 
 = = = Box office = = = 
 
 The film collected a share of approximately ₹ 200 million ( US $ 3 @.@ 0 million ) in its first week in Andhra Pradesh alone , of which a share of ₹ 71 million ( US $ 1 @.@ 1 million ) was collected in Nizam region . Sixteen centres collected ₹ 10 million ( US $ 150 @,@ 000 ) , each of which was an all @-@ time state record . It collected a share of ₹ 381 @.@ 5 million ( US $ 5 @.@ 7 million ) in 21 days in Andhra Pradesh . By the end of its four @-@ week run , the film was declared a blockbuster and collected a share of ₹ 435 @.@ 6 million ( US $ 6 @.@ 5 million ) in 28 days and ₹ 470 @.@ 8 million ( US $ 7 @.@ 0 million ) in 35 days . The film completed a 50 @-@ day run in 302 centres on 18 September 2009 . By then , the film had collected ₹ 650 million ( US $ 9 @.@ 7 million ) and stood strong . 
 The film completed its 100 @-@ day run in 223 centres and grossed over ₹ 1 @.@ 25 billion ( US $ 19 million ) without satellite and audio rights . By then it had surpassed <unk> 's Sivaji ( 2007 ) , which grossed ₹ 650 million ( US $ 9 @.@ 7 million ) in Tamil Nadu , and stood second to <unk> ( 2008 ) , which reached ₹ 2 billion ( US $ 30 million ) . The film completed a 175 @-@ day run in 3 centres and , by then , collected a share of ₹ 580 million ( US $ 8 @.@ 6 million ) . The film completed a 365 @-@ day run in <unk> theatre in Kurnool on 31 July 2010 and a 1000 @-@ day run in the same theatre on 26 April 2012 . The film collected a share of ₹ 731 million ( US $ 11 million ) at the worldwide box office in its lifetime with a gross of ₹ 1 @.@ 5 billion ( US $ 22 million ) . It was declared the highest <unk> in the history of Telugu cinema and stood in the first place in the list of Telugu films with highest worldwide shares . It held that position until 2013 when <unk> <unk> pushed it to the second spot . 
 More than 50 % of the film 's lifetime collections were from the Nizam region . The film also did well in the overseas box office . It was released in New Jersey with three prints on three screens and collected a record share of more than 150 @,@ 000 dollars , turning the highest amount raised overseas by a Telugu film ; the previous record holder was <unk> <unk> ' <unk> ( 2008 ) , which collected more than 100 @,@ 000 dollars . It grossed 102 @,@ 000 dollars in its first two days in New Jersey and a share of 95 @,@ 000 dollars in Virginia with two prints as of mid August 2009 . It collected a share of 78 @,@ 000 dollars in the San Francisco Bay Area with a single print . It managed to sell 2300 tickets in Minneapolis ; the previous record for tickets sold there for a Telugu film was 1200 . The film 's overseas records were beaten two years later by <unk> ( 2011 ) , although disputes have arisen over which film holds the <unk> all @-@ time sales record . 
 
 = = Legacy = = 
 
 Magadheera 's success turned Kajal into one of the most sought @-@ after actresses in Telugu cinema and catapulted her into the foray of leading Telugu actresses . The film was also considered a fate <unk> in the career of Ram Charan . The role of Sher Khan played by Srihari was considered as one of the best roles in his career and also catapulted S. S. Rajamouli to stardom . Dev Gill attained stardom with this film and went on to work in several South Indian films as an antagonist . After the release of Magadheera , people began <unk> him as <unk> . According to writer <unk> , Magadheera started a trend of experimentation with period , socio @-@ fantasy and spiritual themes that was continued in films like <unk> ( 2010 ) , <unk> ( 2010 ) , <unk> O <unk> ( 2011 ) , <unk> ( 2011 ) , Sri Rama <unk> ( 2011 ) and <unk> <unk> ? <unk> <unk> ? ( 2012 ) . 
 The props used in this film , including weapons like swords and shields , were auctioned by Movie Artist Association . Actors , <unk> , and the general public were invited to bid and the proceeds were used to aid poor artists in the Telugu film industry . Actor Sivaji Raja started the bidding by offering ₹ 50 @,@ 000 for the sword that Ram Charan used and comedian <unk> <unk> started the bidding for the shield with ₹ 25 @,@ 000 . B. V. S. N. Prasad bid for both the sword and knife for ₹ 100 @,@ 000 . The bidding started on 7 May 2010 online in the association 's official website and ended on 16 May . The winners were declared on 20 May 2010 . After Magadheera , S. S. Rajamouli worked on a small budget film Maryada Ramanna ( 2010 ) which , according to Crazy Mohan , was similar to the act of S. S. <unk> directing the small budget film Mr. <unk> ( 1952 ) after <unk> ( 1948 ) . Rajamouli explained his decision by saying , " I decided that my next project would be Maryada Ramanna during the Magadheera shooting itself because it is a 1 and half year project that demands lot of physical labor 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 revealed Maryada Ramanna 's plot before its launch to minimise the expectations of his audience after Magadheera 's success . 
 <unk> <unk> said " Ever since <unk> and Magadheera did well at the box office , the rest of the industry started following their footsteps . Also , since there is an irrational craze to make high budget films right now , producers are turning towards mythological films . It is the only genre where you can <unk> of spending <unk> for creating the sets and the look of the film . But what they don 't realize is that if these films flop , the blow to the producer will be severe . " Films like <unk> O <unk> ( 2011 ) and <unk> ( 2011 ) were commercial failures and Badrinath ( 2012 ) was an average <unk> ; all being fantasy films in which the protagonist is a warrior . The promos of Badrinath looked similar to Magadheera and the former 's director V. V. <unk> along with its male lead Allu Arjun kept insisting that Badrinath is <unk> to Magadheera . Producer <unk> Kumar said " If a hero delivers a hit , producers run after him for five years and burn their fingers only after six or eight <unk> . It 's the same story with movies . Since Magadheera became a hit , every other hero and director wants to do period film where there is scope to spend <unk> . They don 't work on the script , story or relevance . It is a pure display of graphics , heroes ' <unk> and grandeur . The plot is lost . Magadheera worked because it was a novel genre then , but why will people want to see the same things again ? " . 
 <unk> <unk> cited the character of Mithravinda played by Kajal in the film as one of her dream roles . Ram Gopal Varma refused to call Magadheera a film and instead termed it as an event that comes " once in a blue moon " . While commenting on Mahesh Babu 's Aagadu ( 2014 ) , he said that Magadheera looked like a 750 <unk> film when compared to Aagadu if the latter was a 75 <unk> film and added , " My comparison between " Aagadu " and " Magadheera " is mainly because they both are the most expensive films for their own individual times . " Reviewing the Tamil film <unk> ( 2014 ) , few critics opined that the film had traces of Magadheera mainly due to the theme of reincarnation . The Tamil dubbed version of the Telugu film <unk> ( 2014 ) , which featured Charan in one of the lead roles and Kajal in a crucial cameo , was titled Magadheera . 
 
 = = Awards and nominations = = 
 
 The film won the National Award for Best Choreography and Best Special Effects at the 57th National Film Awards . The film also won six Filmfare Awards , nine Nandi Awards , and ten <unk> Awards . 
 
 = = <unk> = = 
 
 Ram Charan decided not to debut in Bollywood with Magadheera 's Hindi remake , as he believed the film might not be recreated well . In an interview with The Times of India , Charan said , " When I met <unk> Kapoor some time back , he told me I will ask <unk> Kapoor to remake Magadheera with you in Hindi . But I said I don 't know if I would want to do the remake . Magadheera is a lovely film which can 't be recreated . " The film was remade in Bengali as <unk> : The Warrior in 2014 ; it was directed by Raj Chakraborty with Dev and Mimi Chakraborty playing the lead roles . The 2014 Kannada film Brahma , according to its director R. <unk> , was inspired by Magadheera but was not a remake . In August 2014 , <unk> Kapoor expressed his desire to reprise Ram Charan 's role in a Hindi remake saying , " I have been wanting to do Magadheera for the longest . I have seen the film and loved it <unk> I think it ’ s a killer subject . " In late November 2014 , Sajid Nadiadwala confirmed that he would direct the film 's Hindi remake with Kapoor as the lead . When asked by Subhash K. Jha the reason for not directing the Hindi remake , Rajamouli said " I 've already spent two years of my life on it . I ’ d rather make something else . Magadheera was my toughest film to make . Very tiring . " 
 
 