Maharshi () is a 2019 Indian Telugu-language action drama film directed by Vamshi Paidipally and produced by Sri Venkateswara Creations, Vyjayanthi Movies, and PVP Cinema. It stars Mahesh Babu, Pooja Hegde and Allari Naresh. The music was composed by Devi Sri Prasad. The film was released on 9 May 2019.
Maharshi received mixed reviews from critics. Although cast performances, action sequences, plot, emotional quotient and technical aspects were praised, the film was criticized for its predictable and lengthy narrative. With a worldwide gross of 175–200 crore worldwide, Maharshi is the third highest grossing Telugu film of 2019 and one of the highest-grossing Telugu films. At 67th National Film Awards, Maharshi won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Choreography. The film also won five SIIMA Awards and two Zee Cine Awards Telugu.
Plot
K. Rishi Kumar is announced as the chief executive officer of Origin, a flourishing company based in United States of America. He brings his mother from India to stay with him. Nidhi, his colleague organizes a party to surprise him, which would be attended by his close childhood friend Kanna , who had not met him for a few years, professor Chandrashekar and college friends. The story flashes back.
Seven years ago, Rishi belonged to a middle-class nuclear family in Hyderabad; his father Satyanarayana, a clerk in a private corporation incurred debts as a result of his low earnings whose 'failure' caused Rishi to be not on good terms with him. Rishi secured admission to complete his post-graduation in IIET, an esteemed university situated in Vizag, and hence had to move. Rishi, his roommate Ravi Shankar, and Pooja, all of them being classmates became best friends to each other. Ravi is the son of a poor farmer, whose innocent expectations about his son inspired and in reality, pressured him to aim at getting a well-earning job in America. Ajay, a classmate of theirs was envious of Rishi as the latter had surpassed him in studies while Pooja, by introducing Rishi to her typical Indian joint family expressed her feelings for him received a positive response. Ravi failed in the first semester examinations while Rishi secured the first rank in it. Ravi became depressed when he got two backlogs in the first semester examinations but Rishi encouraged him to trust himself and get inspired from his father but not to feel bulldozed by it. During campus placements, Ravi secured a good job making his father, girlfriend Pallavi and the latter's father, a good friend of Ravi's father delighted. Pooja rejected a job at Infosys to be with Rishi in the US as he had thrown an offer for his AI-operating system idea to Origin, which was accepted.
However, Rishi suggested that he and Pooja should put an end to their relationship mutually as he felt that she would become an obstacle to his career and said she was a burden in his heart, and hearing that, she left. When Ravi tries to apprehend Rishi to not break up with Pooja, it leads to a fallout between them. As the last semester examinations approached, Rishi was accused of stealing the question papers which was actually a conspiracy engineered by Ajay to stop him from attempting his exams. However, upon getting a clue that proved the allegation against Rishi wrong, the Police let go of him. After completing his examinations, Rishi moved to New York City and rose through the ranks becoming a leading executive in Origin. During his presentation about his project, Rishi learned that his father succumbed to his illness in his sleep and passed away. Upon returning to India, he realized that his father loved him more than anything and missed him as Rishi barely spoke to him. Rishi remained distraught over not being able to talk to his father heartfully.
