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{{EngvarB|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Kantri
| image = kantri_poster.jpg
| caption = Theaterical release poster
| director = [[Meher Ramesh]]
| producer = [[C. Ashwini Dutt]]
| writer = Meher Ramesh
| starring = [[Jr. NTR]]<br />[[Hansika Motwani]]<br />[[Tanisha Mukherjee]]<br />[[Prakash Raj]]<br />[[Ashish Vidyarthi]]
| music = [[Mani Sharma]]
| country = India
| cinematography = [[Sameer Reddy]]
| editing = [[Marthand K. Venkatesh]]
| released = 9 May 2008
| runtime = 166 minutes
| language = Telugu
| budget = 25CR INR
}}

'''''Kantri''''' is a 2008 Indian [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-language [[action film]] written and directed by [[Meher Ramesh]], a protégé of director [[Puri Jagannadh]] and who had earlier worked on Kannada films. [[Jr. NTR]], [[Hansika Motwani]], and [[Tanisha Mukherjee]] star in the lead roles, while [[Prakash Raj]], [[Ashish Vidyarthi]], [[Mukesh Rishi]], [[Sayaji Shinde]], [[Kota Srinivasa Rao]], [[Venu Madhav (actor)|Venu Madhav]], [[Sunil (actor)|Sunil]], [[Brahmanandam]], [[Subbaraju]], and [[Ali (actor)|Ali]] play supporting roles. The film has been produced by [[Vyjayanthi Movies]] and [[C. Ashwini Dutt]]. The film was initially scheduled to release on 28 April 2008. However, it was released 12 days later.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/telugu/top-stories/2008/audio-film-kantri-rajinikanth-240308.html |title = Kanthri audio release postponed to April 7 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707212742/http://entertainment.oneindia.in/telugu/top-stories/2008/audio-film-kantri-rajinikanth-240308.html |archive-date=7 July 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/boxoffice.php?id=14673292&cid=14625527|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513030746/http://www.sify.com/movies/boxoffice.php?id=14673292&cid=14625527|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 May 2014|title=Telugu Box Office|publisher=Sify|access-date=10 May 2008}}</ref> The film released on 9 May 2008. Upon release, Kantri received mixed to negative review but due to NTR's stardom, it managed to become an average grosser and performed well at the box office .<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sify.com/movies/kantri-still-tops-the-box-office-news-box-office-kkft2Ojgechsi.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929200901/https://www.sify.com/movies/kantri-still-tops-the-box-office-news-box-office-kkft2Ojgechsi.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-09-29|title=Kantri still tops the box-office|website=[[Sify.com]]}}</ref>

''Kantri'' is also the first Indian film to feature a 3D animated character based on an actor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idlebrain.com/news/2000march20/making-of-kantri-3dcharacter.html|title=Making of 3D NTR Character for Kantri|website=[[Idlebrain.com]]}}</ref>

==Plot==
[[Non-resident Indian|NRI]] Krishna returns to his village with his wife and child to work for the upliftment of the village folk. However, when the family along with his old father, is on its way home with the money, PR Pothuraju ([[Prakash Raj]]) betrays everyone by killing them and running away with the money, leaving his wife and son behind. Pothuraju is the head of a business empire and is known for his nefarious connections and illegal dealings. He is supported at every step by his friend and partner Seshu ([[Ashish Vidyarthi]]). Enters Kantri ([[Jr. NTR]]) who enters Pothuraju's gang to earn money for his orphanage where he grew up (he is orphaned at a very young age). Kantri falls in love with Varalakshmi ([[Hansika Motwani]]). However, she initially does not like Kantri. An ambitious Kantri rises up fast in life and meets Pothuraju in [[Hong Kong]]. However, an issue arises which separates Kantri from Pothuraju's gang. He takes money from Das ([[Sayaji Shinde]]) to kill Pothuraju. Before he has his chance to do so, he is told that Pothuraju is actually his father. The hatred turns into attachment and Seshu's daughter Priya ([[Tanisha Mukherjee]]) falls in love with Kantri. However, some differences arise between PR and Seshu. How Kantri puts an end to all this and clears the confusion forms the rest of the story.

== Cast ==
{{colbegin}}
* [[Jr. NTR]] as Kantri (Kranthi)
* [[Hansika Motwani]] as Varalakshmi / Hamsa
* [[Tanisha Mukherjee]] as Priya
* [[Prakash Raj]] as PR / Pothuraju
* [[Ashish Vidyarthi]] as Seshu
* [[Kota Srinivasa Rao]] as Daiva Sahayam
* [[Mukesh Rishi]] as Kantri's grandfather
* [[Sayaji Shinde]] as Das
* [[Brahmanandam]] as Brahmi
* [[Ali (actor)|Ali]] as Chang Lee
* [[Sunil (actor)|Sunil]] as Rajni Haasan
* [[Murali Sharma]] as Veeru, (Gangster)
* [[Subbaraju]] as Bhyraagi
* [[Raghu Babu]] as Acid Durga
* [[Krishna Bhagawan]] as Singaporean Tour Guide
* [[Prudhviraj (Telugu actor)|Prudhviraj]] as Settlement Raju
* [[Gundu Hanumantha Rao]] as Devaraju
* [[Srinivasa Reddy]] as Cutting Seenu
* [[Prabhas Sreenu]] as Spider Reddy
* [[M. S. Narayana]] as Thelupu Ramakrishna
* [[Master Bharath]] as Rambo
* [[Hema (actress)|Hema]]<ref>[http://www.bharatstudent.com/cafebharat/photo_gallery_2-Telugu-Movies-Kantri-photo-galleries-2,4,759.php Kantri Movie Stills, Kantri Movie Gallery, Kantri Photo Gallery, Kantri Photos]. Bharatstudent.com. Retrieved on 7 September 2015.</ref>
* [[G. V. Sudhakar Naidu]]
{{colend}}

==Production==
I narrated the script of Kantri to Puri Jagan when we went to Manali to shoot Desamuduru for 30 days. He listened to the beginning scene, interval block and pre-climax and said that this film will become a hit. He also liked Kantri title and immediately registered it on Vaishno banner so that others won't squat on it.<ref name="idlebrain1">[http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/meherramesh.html Meher Ramesh – Telugu Cinema interview – Telugu film director]. Idlebrain.com (13 May 2008). Retrieved on 2015-09-07.</ref>

Dutt observed me during that time and offered me a film. When he asked who I want to have as hero, I said NTR. I also told him that there will not be any thoda kottatam kind of things in this film. It is going to be stylish and it will showcase NTR in a 25-year-old tappori character. Dutt said that he would take 4 days to call me again. He called me right the next day and asked me to narrate it to NTR. I gave a 20-minute narration to NTR and I could see a glow in his face after listening to the script. The next day I got a call from NTR that the project is on. I narrated two more developed versions on 7 and 20 April. I had the entire script ready by that time. Whatever is there is movie today was there written in that bound script. The each and every scene in Kantri was approved by both Aswini Dutt and NTR before going to the sets.<ref name="idlebrain1"/>

I wanted to show NTR in a new look. We did a photo shoot and bought costumes from places around to make sure that each costume is not costlier than 1500 rupees. Deepa designed the costumes of NTR. We had all costumes ready even before the movie is started.

At that time Mani Sharma was in USA doing live concerts. Aswini Dutt made me travel there so that I could participate music sittings right away. I traveled along with Mani. 123 song was that first one he composed. I wanted to shoot a hip-hop song on NTR. We needed a lyricist and we did not have anybody around us. Hence I wrote the lyrics for that song. all the words in that song came from my observations on NTR – especially 'by birth undi timmiri'. I reserved a portion of the rendition to NTR. Mani Sharma composed three tunes in USA only.

We started the shoot of Kantri with a song on 1 October. We had to wait for a month because cinematographer Sameer Reddy was busy with Athidi at that time.

We had to shoot a vital portion of the film abroad. Aswini Dutt gave us an option to shoot in any country around the word. We finalized on Hong Kong and Dubai. But Hong Kong shoot costs 6 million more. When I put forth the budgets in front of Dutt, he selected Hong Kong. We shot the transit part in Singapore and action episodes in Hong Kong. Aswini Dutt also produced Ram Gopal Varma's Company in Hong Kong in the past. I could able to shoot 75% of what I had imagined in Hong Kong episodes. Sameer Reddy and Stun Shiva shot the entire portion efficiently. I showcased the skyline of Hong Kong effectively. We shot at an area where the latest version of Hollywood film Batman was shot a couple of days earlier. We also shot in a most dangerous airport strip in the middle of the city. Aswini Dutt also did not compromised on songs. We could have easily shot the songs in Singapore and Hong Kong. But he wanted us to go to other places. We went to Cape town in South Africa as no Telugu film was shot over there after Badri.<ref name="idlebrain1"/>

== Music ==
{{Infobox album
| name = Kantri
| type = [[Soundtrack]]
| artist = [[Mani Sharma]]
| cover =
| alt =
| released = <div style="white-space: nowrap;">29 March 2008 (India)</div>
| recorded =2008
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]]
| length = 27:49
| label = [[Aditya Music]]
| producer = [[Mani Sharma]]
| prev_title = [[Pourudu]]
| prev_year = 2007
| next_title = [[Parugu]]
| next_year = 2008
}}
Released on 29 March 2008,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.telugucinema.com/c/publish/news/kantri_mar2808.php| title='Kantri' audio albums and trailer are out| access-date=29 March 2008| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080329151105/http://www.telugucinema.com/c/publish/news/kantri_mar2808.php| archive-date=29 March 2008| df=dmy-all}}</ref> ''Kantri'''s soundtrack was composed by [[Mani Sharma]] whilst lyrics were penned by five different lyricists: Meher Ramesh, Ananth Sreeram, [[Sirivennela Sitaramasastri|Sirivennela]], [[Veturi]], and Ramajogayya Sastry. The song "Vayasunamy" was a remake of Sharma's previous song "Vasantha Mullai" from ''[[Pokkiri]]''.

{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! Song !! Singer(s)!! Duration !! Lyricist !! Filmed on
|-
| ''123 Nenoka Kantri''
| [[N. T. Rama Rao Jr.]], Naveen Madhav, [[N. C. Karunya|Karunya]]
| 04:31
| Meher Ramesh
| N. T. Rama Rao Jr.
|-
| ''Ammaho''
| [[Karthik (singer)|Karthik]] & [[K. S. Chithra]]
| 05:16
| [[Sirivennela Sitaramasastri|Sirivennela]]
| N. T. Rama Rao Jr. & [[Hansika Motwani]]
|-
| ''Vayasunamy''
| [[Vedala Hemachandra]] & [[Sunitha Upadrashta|Sunitha]]
| 04:04
| [[Veturi]]
| N. T. Rama Rao Jr. & Hansika Motwani
|-
| ''I Go Crazy''
| [[Rahul Nambiar]], Jey
| 04:48
| [[Anatha Sreeram]]
| N. T. Rama Rao Jr. & Hansika Motwani
|-
| ''Janthar Manthar''
| [[Ranjith (Singer)|Ranjith]] & [[Rita (Indian singer)|Rita]]
| 04:25
| Anatha Sreeram
| N. T. Rama Rao Jr. & [[Tanisha Mukherjee]]
|-
| ''Raamare''
| [[Shankar Mahadevan]] & [[Sunidhi Chauhan]]
| 04:45
| Ramajogayya Sastry
|N. T. Rama Rao Jr., [[Prakash Raj]], Tanisha Mukherjee, Hansika Motwani, & [[Ashish Vidhyarthi]]
|}

==Reception==

[[Rediff]] gave two and half stars said "Meher has nothing new to offer. He does take the beaten path in making a hero-centric film with the theme of good versus evil and the usual masala elements. NTR stands out with his looks and talent. Hansika, as the lead heroine makes a pretty picture. In short Kantri is NTR's show all the way".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/may/09ssk.htm|title=Kantri: NTR's show all the way|author=Radhika Rajamani|publisher=Rediff|access-date=9 May 2008}}</ref> [http://www.greatandhra.com greatandhra] and [http://www.idlebrain.com idlebrain] rated three stars, with the former saying "The film is for mass cum class audiences. Technically the film stands on the summit. Leaving the length part and less-comedy part aside, the film is a well-made one", and the latter describing "The plus points of the film are NTR's energizing performance (dialogues, dances and emotions) and the first half. The twist towards climax is interesting".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatandhra.com/viewnews.php?id=7365&cat=&scat=12|title='Kantri' Review: An Action-Revenge Entertainer|publisher=greatandhra.com|access-date=10 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mr-kantri.html|title=Telugu Movie review – Kantri|publisher=idlebrain|access-date=9 May 2008}}</ref>

==Awards==
;[[Filmfare Awards South]]
* [[Filmfare Award for Best Dance Choreographer - South]] - [[Prem Rakshith]] for the song "Vayasunami"

;[[Nandi Awards]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ipr.ap.nic.in/New_Links/Film.pdf|title=నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)|trans-title=A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)|publisher=[[Andhra Pradesh (magazine)|Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh]]|access-date=21 August 2020}}(in [[Telugu language|Telugu]])</ref>
*[[Nandi Award for Best Choreographer]] – Prem Rakshit for the song "Vayasunami"

;[[South Scope|South Scope Awards]]
*South Scope best stylish actor – [[Jr NTR]]
*South Scope best stylish choreography – [[Raju Sundaram]] ("123 Nenoka Kantri")

==Dubbed versions==
The film was later dubbed and released in Hindi as ''Ek Aur Qayamat'' (2009) and in Tamil as ''Pokkiri Paiyan''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/pokkrii-paiya/movieshow/61292907.cms |title=Pokkiri Paiyan Movie: Showtimes, Review, Songs, Trailer|website=[[The Times of India]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-details/ek-aur-qayamat/movieshow/61291813.cms|title=Ek Aur Qayamat-Times of India|website=[[The Times of India]] }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|tt1200065}}
{{Meher Ramesh}}

[[Category:2008 films]]
[[Category:2000s Telugu-language films]]
[[Category:2008 action films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Indian action films]]
[[Category:2000s masala films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Mani Sharma]]
[[Category:Films shot in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Films directed by Meher Ramesh]]

Kantri - Revision history

UpdateBot at 10:38, 22 May 2022