Khaleja

Khaleja (transl. Courage) is a 2010 Indian Telugu-language fantasy action comedy film written and directed by Trivikram Srinivas. It stars Mahesh Babu and Anushka Shetty, alongside Prakash Raj, Rao Ramesh, Shafi, Sunil, Ali, and Subbaraju in supporting roles. The music was composed by Mani Sharma. The film follows Raju, a taxi driver who is unexpectedly hailed as the prophesied divine saviour of a village suffering from a mysterious disease and must come to terms with his newfound status to protect the villagers. The film marks Mahesh Babu's return to cinema after a three-year hiatus and his second collaboration with Trivikram after Athadu (2005). Released on 7 October 2010, Khaleja received mixed reviews and was a box office failure. However, it won two Filmfare Awards South for Best Male Playback Singer and Best Lyricist. Over time, the film was critically re-evaluated and gained a cult following. It is now considered to be one of the best films in Mahesh Babu’s filmography. It was also included in Film Companion's list of the "25 Greatest Telugu Films of the Decade."