Pokiri

Pokiri (transl. Rogue) is a 2006 Indian Telugu-language action thriller film written and directed by Puri Jagannadh. The film was produced by Jagannadh and Manjula Ghattamaneni by their respective production companies Vaishno Academy and Indira Productions. The film stars Mahesh Babu, Ileana D'Cruz, Prakash Raj, Nassar, Ashish Vidyarthi and Sayaji Shinde. In the film, a local goon whose killer instincts earns him not only his girlfriend's disapproval and a corrupt cop's enmity, but also the attention of a wanted crime boss. The film was made on a budget of around ₹12 crore. principal photography commenced in November 2005 and lasted until April 2006. Most of the film was shot in and around Hyderabad and Chennai, except for a song which was shot at the province of Phuket in Thailand and the city of Bangkok. Shyam K. Naidu was the film's cinematographer, and it was edited by Marthand K. Venkatesh. The soundtrack and film score were composed by Mani Sharma. Pokiri was released on 28 April 2006. The film grossed over ₹70 crore worldwide in its initial theatrical run and was declared an Industry Hit while remaining as the highest-grossing Telugu film for three years until it was surpassed by Magadheera in 2009. It also became the highest-grossing South Indian film in its original run, surpassing Chandramukhi, and became the first South Indian film to gross over ₹60 and ₹70 crore in a single language. The film altered the landscape of Telugu commercial cinema. It solidified Mahesh Babu's status as a star, transitioning his image from a "charming youth icon" to a formidable "mass hero". Similarly, the film's success established Puri Jagannadh as a "star director," known for his sharp, edgy dialogues and unique characterisations that would influence a decade of action films. The film was also one of the fourteen...