# Chandoo Mondeti
**Chandoo Mondeti** is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in [Telugu cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/telugu-cinema). He is known for the mystery thriller *Karthikeya* (2014), its sequel *Karthikeya 2* (2022), which won the National Film Award for Best Telugu Film, and the romantic drama *Thandel* (2025), based on real incidents involving fishermen from [Srikakulam](https://www.edgepedia.org/srikakulam) district in [Andhra Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/andhra-pradesh).[1](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/oct/doc2024108411901.pdf) • [2](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/february/vijayawada-english-edition-2025-02-08.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter, and dialogue writer in Telugu cinema[3](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/chandoo-mondeti/1068602/filmography) |
| Birthplace | West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, India[3](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/chandoo-mondeti/1068602/filmography) |
| Breakthrough | *Karthikeya 2* (August 2022), his highest-grossing film and winner of the National Film Award for Best Telugu Film[1](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/oct/doc2024108411901.pdf) |
| Other honors | Nandi Award and SIIMA Best Film Award[4](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/70th%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf) |
| *Thandel* | Released 7 February 2025 with Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi; produced by Bunny Vasu under Geetha Arts with music by Devi Sri Prasad[5](https://telugu.samayam.com/telugu-movies/cinema-news/thandel-director-chandoo-mondeti-narrated-the-stories-to-jr-ntr-and-ram-charan/amp_articleshow/117725405.cms) |
| Upcoming | *Mahakaal*, a Hindi-Telugu bilingual with Rana Daggubati and Akshay Kumar; *Vayuputra*, a 3D animation film; and *Karthikeya 3*[6](https://www.telugu360.com/chandoo-mondeti-clarifies-rana-akshay-film-bhansali-buzz/) • [7](https://www.andhrajyothy.com/2026/andhra-pradesh/east-godavari/director-chandu-mondeti-talk-about-movies-1484824.html) |
## Early life
Mondeti was born in [West Godavari district](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-godavari-district), Andhra Pradesh.[3](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/chandoo-mondeti/1068602/filmography) He has spoken of his family's roots in Vemuluru in Kovvur mandal of [East Godavari district](https://www.edgepedia.org/east-godavari-district), where his father settled after retirement, and of watching open-air film screenings as a child at a temple festival in the village.[7](https://www.andhrajyothy.com/2026/andhra-pradesh/east-godavari/director-chandu-mondeti-talk-about-movies-1484824.html) He is married to Sujatha Mondeti.[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6649966/)
## Career
**Debut and early films.** Mondeti made his directorial debut with *Karthikeya* (2014), a mystery thriller starring [Nikhil Siddhartha](https://www.edgepedia.org/nikhil-siddhartha) and [Swathi Reddy](https://www.edgepedia.org/swathi-reddy), about the life of Karthik, a curious doctor. In interviews around that release, he said working on the project made him a responsible filmmaker and taught him the commerce of cinema.[9](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/premam-made-me-a-responsible-filmmaker-chandoo-mondeti-116100500274_1.html) He also worked as a writer on *Kirrak Party* (2018) and as a dialogue writer on *Surya vs Surya* (2015).[3](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/chandoo-mondeti/1068602/filmography)
**Bloody Mary.** In 2022 he directed *Bloody Mary*, a crime drama starring [Nivetha Pethuraj](https://www.edgepedia.org/nivetha-pethuraj), Brahmaji, Ajay, and Kireeti Damaraju, set in [Visakhapatnam](https://www.edgepedia.org/visakhapatnam) and telling of three orphaned friends drawn into a murder case. A review in *OTTplay* described the film as a return to form, pairing Prashanth Kumar Dimmala's writing with Mondeti's direction in a compact thriller with dark comedy elements.[10](https://www.ottplay.com/review/bloody-mary-review-director-chandoo-mondeti-returns-to-form-with-a-smart-thriller-cum-dark-comedy/c43ce021d1824)
**Karthikeya 2.** The sequel to his debut, *Karthikeya 2*, was formally launched in March 2020 at Tirupati and shot largely in Gujarat and [Himachal Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/himachal-pradesh), with additional filming in Spain, Portugal, and Greece. The film also found a large audience on streaming: ZEE5 reported 1 billion (100 crore) viewing minutes within 48 hours of its OTT release.[11](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2022/epaper/october/hyderabad-english-edition-2022-10-12.pdf) *Karthikeya 2* (entered as *Karthikeya-2 (Daivam Manushya Rupena)*) took the prize for Best Telugu Film at the 70th [National Film Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-awards), where the Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of ₹200,000 went to each of the recipients: the production houses Abhishek Agarwal Arts LLP and People Media Factory, and the film's director Chandoo Mondeti.[1](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/oct/doc2024108411901.pdf)
**Thandel.** Mondeti's next major film, *Thandel*, marked his third collaboration with [Naga Chaitanya](https://www.edgepedia.org/naga-chaitanya) and starred [Sai Pallavi](https://www.edgepedia.org/sai-pallavi) as the female lead. Produced by Bunny Vasu under [Geetha Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/geetha-arts) with music by Devi Sri Prasad, it released on 7 February 2025.[5](https://telugu.samayam.com/telugu-movies/cinema-news/thandel-director-chandoo-mondeti-narrated-the-stories-to-jr-ntr-and-ram-charan/amp_articleshow/117725405.cms) The story is based on real incidents involving fishermen from a village in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh who drifted into Pakistani waters; the makers combined the real event with a fictional love story.[2](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/february/vijayawada-english-edition-2025-02-08.pdf) During pre-production, Chaitanya, Bunny Vasu, and Mondeti visited the fishing village of Matsyalesam to speak with families whose members had been lost at sea and detained in Pakistan.[12](https://ntvtelugu.com/movie-news/naga-chaitanya-interacts-with-fishermen-families-for-chandoo-mondeti-film-419321.html) Mondeti said the idea was to place a love story over the fishermen's struggle, and that he promoted the film from the start as an emotional love story.[13](https://www.ntnews.com/cinema/director-chandoo-mondeti-special-interview-about-thandel-movie-1886045) The film joined the ₹1 billion (₹100 crore) club soon after release.[13](https://www.ntnews.com/cinema/director-chandoo-mondeti-special-interview-about-thandel-movie-1886045) In an interview after release he said about 30 percent of his output had been reduced by the censor board, which objected to scenes as minor as showing a flag in glimpses.[13](https://www.ntnews.com/cinema/director-chandoo-mondeti-special-interview-about-thandel-movie-1886045)
## Recognition and reception
Mondeti has received a Nandi Award and a SIIMA Best Film Award, and the National Film Award for Best Telugu Film for *Karthikeya 2*.[4](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/70th%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf) • [1](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/oct/doc2024108411901.pdf) After *Thandel*, the veteran director [K. Raghavendra Rao](https://www.edgepedia.org/k-raghavendra-rao) publicly called it "a director's film", which Mondeti described as among the greatest compliments of his career.[13](https://www.ntnews.com/cinema/director-chandoo-mondeti-special-interview-about-thandel-movie-1886045) Reviewers have noted a contrast between his smaller, character-driven films and his larger commercial projects: the *OTTplay* review of *Bloody Mary* saw his debut as showing an original voice, while his move into mainstream films such as *Premam* and *Savyasachi* drew criticism that the spark was missing.[10](https://www.ottplay.com/review/bloody-mary-review-director-chandoo-mondeti-returns-to-form-with-a-smart-thriller-cum-dark-comedy/c43ce021d1824)
## Upcoming projects
Mondeti has several projects in development. He confirmed a Hindi-Telugu bilingual, tentatively titled *Mahakaal*, bringing together Rana Daggubati and Akshay Kumar; according to Daggubati, Karan Johar would produce the Hindi version.[6](https://www.telugu360.com/chandoo-mondeti-clarifies-rana-akshay-film-bhansali-buzz/) He has also said he is making *Vayuputra*, a 3D animation film about Hanuman's visit to Sita in the Ramayana, intended to make the episode accessible to future generations, along with two other new films and a planned *Karthikeya 3*.[7](https://www.andhrajyothy.com/2026/andhra-pradesh/east-godavari/director-chandu-mondeti-talk-about-movies-1484824.html) He has spoken of a possible collaboration with the Tamil actor Suriya, saying a script was pitched after the success of *Karthikeya 2* but the project did not materialize at the time.[14](https://www.telugu360.com/suriya-and-chandoo-mondeti-to-collaborate-director-says-definitely/)
## References
1. [70th National Film Awards, Press Information Bureau document](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/oct/doc2024108411901.pdf)
2. [Thandel analysis, The Pioneer Vijayawada edition, 8 February 2025](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/february/vijayawada-english-edition-2025-02-08.pdf)
3. [Chandoo Mondeti filmography, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/chandoo-mondeti/1068602/filmography)
4. [70th National Film Award Catalogue, National Film Archive of India](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/70th%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf)
5. [Thandel director Chandoo Mondeti narrated stories to Jr NTR and Ram Charan, Samayam Telugu](https://telugu.samayam.com/telugu-movies/cinema-news/thandel-director-chandoo-mondeti-narrated-the-stories-to-jr-ntr-and-ram-charan/amp_articleshow/117725405.cms)
6. [Exclusive: Chandoo Mondeti clarifies Rana-Akshay film and Bhansali buzz, Telugu360](https://www.telugu360.com/chandoo-mondeti-clarifies-rana-akshay-film-bhansali-buzz/)
7. [మూలాలు మరవద్దు: director Chandoo Mondeti talks about movies, Andhra Jyothy](https://www.andhrajyothy.com/2026/andhra-pradesh/east-godavari/director-chandu-mondeti-talk-about-movies-1484824.html)
8. [Chandoo Mondeti, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6649966/)
9. ['Premam' made me a responsible filmmaker: Chandoo Mondeti, Business Standard/IANS](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/premam-made-me-a-responsible-filmmaker-chandoo-mondeti-116100500274_1.html)
10. [Bloody Mary review: Director Chandoo Mondeti returns to form, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/review/bloody-mary-review-director-chandoo-mondeti-returns-to-form-with-a-smart-thriller-cum-dark-comedy/c43ce021d1824)
11. [Karthikeya 2 OTT success coverage, The Pioneer Hyderabad edition, 12 October 2022](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2022/epaper/october/hyderabad-english-edition-2022-10-12.pdf)
12. [Naga Chaitanya interacts with fishermen families for Chandoo Mondeti film, NTV Telugu](https://ntvtelugu.com/movie-news/naga-chaitanya-interacts-with-fishermen-families-for-chandoo-mondeti-film-419321.html)
13. [ఆ ఆలోచన నుంచే కథ పుట్టింది: Chandoo Mondeti interview on Thandel, Namasthe Telangana](https://www.ntnews.com/cinema/director-chandoo-mondeti-special-interview-about-thandel-movie-1886045)
14. [Suriya and Chandoo Mondeti to collaborate? Director says 'definitely', Telugu360](https://www.telugu360.com/suriya-and-chandoo-mondeti-to-collaborate-director-says-definitely/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Directors, producers, and screenwriters › Indian and South Asian film directors › Telugu cinema directors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license