# Guntur Kaaram (గుంటూరు కారం)
**Guntur Kaaram** (గుంటూరు కారం) is a 2024 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by [Trivikram Srinivas](https://www.edgepedia.org/trivikram-srinivas), starring [Mahesh Babu](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahesh-babu) as Ramana, a man asked to sign documents denying that he is the son of his estranged mother, now a politician.[1](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/guntur-kaaram-review-kaaram-and-mamakaaram-lack-impact) • [2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81637260) It was produced by [S. Radha Krishna](https://www.edgepedia.org/s-radha-krishna) under Haarika & Hassine Creations and released in theaters worldwide on 12 January 2024, during the Sankranti festival season.[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLG65xz55U) • [4](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/ott/its-official-mahesh-babu-guntur-kaaram-is-streaming-on-netflix-on-february-9-1173235.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Trivikram Srinivas[1](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/guntur-kaaram-review-kaaram-and-mamakaaram-lack-impact) |
| Lead cast | Mahesh Babu, Sreeleela, Meenakshi Chaudhary, with Ramya Krishnan, Prakash Raj, Jayaram, and Vennela Kishore[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81637260) |
| Release | 12 January 2024, theatrical; Netflix from 9 February 2024; satellite rights with Gemini TV[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLG65xz55U) • [5](https://www.filmibeat.com/telugu/movies/guntur-kaaram/ott.html) |
| Runtime and certification | 159 minutes (2h 39m), U/A[5](https://www.filmibeat.com/telugu/movies/guntur-kaaram/ott.html) |
| Music | Thaman S; the song "Kurchi Madatapetti" was noted as highly energetic on screen[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLG65xz55U) • [1](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/guntur-kaaram-review-kaaram-and-mamakaaram-lack-impact) |
| Box office | Worldwide gross reported at ₹1.814 billion (₹181.38 crore) by Sacnilk and ₹1.842 billion (₹184.20 crore) by BoxOfficeIndia24, against a stated budget of ₹1.25 billion (₹125 crore)[6](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie?id=SSMB28_2022) • [7](https://www.boxofficeindia24.com/movie/guntur-kaaram/box-office-collection) |
| Audience rating | 5.4/10 on IMDb from about 26,000 votes[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14564000/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The film opens with a flashback to Ramana's childhood: when his father Satyam (Jayaram) is accused of murder and imprisoned, his mother Vasundhara ([Ramya Krishnan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ramya-krishnan)) abandons the family and remarries.[9](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/guntur-kaaram-review-mahesh-babu-goofs-around/20240116.htm) Years later, Ramana runs his father's chilli business in Guntur while Vasundhara has entered politics as Minister of Law and Justice.[9](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/guntur-kaaram-review-mahesh-babu-goofs-around/20240116.htm) • [10](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/guntur-kaaram/ET00310760) Her father Venkata Swamy ([Prakash Raj](https://www.edgepedia.org/prakash-raj)) summons Ramana to [Hyderabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/hyderabad) to sign documents stating he has no relationship with her; Ramana refuses and demands to know why his mother left him.[1](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/guntur-kaaram-review-kaaram-and-mamakaaram-lack-impact) • [9](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/guntur-kaaram-review-mahesh-babu-goofs-around/20240116.htm) The rest of the film follows his fight to win his mother back.[9](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/guntur-kaaram-review-mahesh-babu-goofs-around/20240116.htm)
A childhood injury gives the story its central motif: ten-year-old Ramana partially loses vision in one eye when embers from a factory fire strike his pupil, and his squinting to compensate becomes a metaphor for his hazy understanding of why his mother left, a meaning the film only explains late.[11](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/13/guntur-kaaram-movie-review-a-wafer-thin-family-drama-that-overstays-its-welcome-2650473.html)
## Production and literary source
TeluguCinema's review records that Trivikram drew inspiration for the film from the novel *Keerthi Keratalu* by Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani, in which a renowned musician who abandoned her son longs to see him; the film changed the setting to the political world and made the grandfather the one who summons the son.[1](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/guntur-kaaram-review-kaaram-and-mamakaaram-lack-impact) The same review places the film in a line of Trivikram scripts built on conflict over inheritance and domestic politics, comparing it with *Attarintiki Daredi*, *Agnyaathavaasi*, and *Ala Vaikunthapurramloo*.[1](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/guntur-kaaram-review-kaaram-and-mamakaaram-lack-impact)
The crew included cinematographers Manoj Paramahamsa and PS Vinod, editor Navin Nooli, art director A. S. Prakash, and action choreographers Ram-Laxman.[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLG65xz55U) • [1](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/guntur-kaaram-review-kaaram-and-mamakaaram-lack-impact)
## Reception
**Critical response was mixed to negative.** TeluguCinema rated it 2.5/5, calling it a regular formula family drama whose weak plot offers no "spicy" feast, with Mahesh Babu's dynamic performance as the redeeming quality.[1](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/guntur-kaaram-review-kaaram-and-mamakaaram-lack-impact) The New Indian Express gave 2/5, describing a wafer-thin family drama that overstays its welcome and questioning why the makers did not build a high-stakes action drama around the political conspiracy.[11](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/13/guntur-kaaram-movie-review-a-wafer-thin-family-drama-that-overstays-its-welcome-2650473.html) Rediff's reviewer found the film an overlong slog that works as a show-reel for its star and criticized its depiction of women.[9](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/guntur-kaaram-review-mahesh-babu-goofs-around/20240116.htm) More favorable reviews came from FridayWall (3/5), which called Mahesh Babu "explosive" and credited Prakash Raj and Ramya Krishna as the film's lifelines, and Deccan Herald (3/5).[12](https://www.fridaywall.com/guntur-kaaram-review-mahesh-babu-trivikram-shine/) • [13](https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/guntur-kaaram-movie-review-drama-romance-and-action-all-rolled-into-one-2847250) On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 48% Tomatometer from three reviews.[14](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/guntur_kaaram)
Reviewers repeatedly singled out the same strengths and weaknesses. Mahesh Babu's energy, dialogue delivery, dancing, and beedi-lighting mannerisms were praised across reviews, as was Sreeleela's dancing in the song "Kurchi Madatapetti"; [Meenakshi Chaudhary](https://www.edgepedia.org/meenakshi-chaudhary)'s role was widely described as inconsequential.[1](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/guntur-kaaram-review-kaaram-and-mamakaaram-lack-impact) • [9](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/guntur-kaaram-review-mahesh-babu-goofs-around/20240116.htm) [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) noted that the film's one impactful moment comes near the end, in an emotional conversation between Ramana and his mother.[15](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/guntur-kaaram-movie-review-rating-mahesh-babu-tries-hard-but-trivikram-prevents-us-from-screaming-jai-babu-9106280/)
## Box office and streaming
Box office trackers disagree on the totals. Sacnilk reports a worldwide gross of ₹1.814 billion (₹181.38 crore), with ₹1.274 billion (₹127.41 crore) net in India and ₹310 million (₹31.00 crore) overseas.[6](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie?id=SSMB28_2022) BoxOfficeIndia24 reports ₹1.327 billion (₹132.70 crore) net in India, ₹1.526 billion (₹152.60 crore) gross in India, and ₹1.842 billion (₹184.20 crore) worldwide against a ₹1.25 billion (₹125 crore) budget, a 147.4% recovery, with an "Average" verdict.[7](https://www.boxofficeindia24.com/movie/guntur-kaaram/box-office-collection) [The Pioneer](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-pioneer)'s year-end review described the film as a hit at the box office despite mixed reviews, while a later Pioneer piece called it an average performer.[16](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2024/epaper/december/vijayawada-english-edition-2024-12-31.pdf) • [17](https://pynr.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/27-HYD-12-PAGES-PDF.compressed.pdf)
The film began streaming on Netflix on 9 February 2024, four weeks after its theatrical release, and is available in 4K with subtitles in more than 15 languages; its satellite rights went to [Gemini TV](https://www.edgepedia.org/gemini-tv).[5](https://www.filmibeat.com/telugu/movies/guntur-kaaram/ott.html) • [18](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/ssmb-28/s7yPN2gRT2cHRLkQVXDZR/where-to-watch/) • [19](https://in.flixboss.com/movie/guntur-kaaram-81637260)
## References
1. [Guntur Kaaram review: Kaaram and Mamakaaram lack impact, TeluguCinema (Jalapathy Gudelli, 12 January 2024)](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/guntur-kaaram-review-kaaram-and-mamakaaram-lack-impact)
2. [Guntur Kaaram, Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/81637260)
3. [Guntur Kaaram Theatrical Trailer, Haarika & Hassine Creations, YouTube (7 January 2024)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLG65xz55U)
4. [It's official: Mahesh Babu's Guntur Kaaram streaming on Netflix from February 9, TV9 Telugu (4 February 2024)](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/ott/its-official-mahesh-babu-guntur-kaaram-is-streaming-on-netflix-on-february-9-1173235.html)
5. [Guntur Kaaram OTT Release, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/telugu/movies/guntur-kaaram/ott.html)
6. [Guntur Kaaram (2024) box office, Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie?id=SSMB28_2022)
7. [Guntur Kaaram box office collection, BoxOfficeIndia24](https://www.boxofficeindia24.com/movie/guntur-kaaram/box-office-collection)
8. [Guntur Kaaram (2024), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14564000/)
9. [Guntur Kaaram Review: Mahesh Babu Goofs Around, Rediff.com (Mayur Sanap, 16 January 2024)](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/guntur-kaaram-review-mahesh-babu-goofs-around/20240116.htm)
10. [Guntur Kaaram, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/guntur-kaaram/ET00310760)
11. [Guntur Kaaram movie review: A wafer-thin family drama that overstays its welcome, The New Indian Express (Abhilasha Cherukuri, 13 January 2024)](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/13/guntur-kaaram-movie-review-a-wafer-thin-family-drama-that-overstays-its-welcome-2650473.html)
12. [Guntur Kaaram Review, FridayWall (Srivathsan Nadadhur)](https://www.fridaywall.com/guntur-kaaram-review-mahesh-babu-trivikram-shine/)
13. [Guntur Kaaram movie review, Deccan Herald (Suhasini Srihari, 12 January 2024)](https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/guntur-kaaram-movie-review-drama-romance-and-action-all-rolled-into-one-2847250)
14. [Guntur Kaaram, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/guntur_kaaram)
15. [Guntur Kaaram movie review, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/guntur-kaaram-movie-review-rating-mahesh-babu-tries-hard-but-trivikram-prevents-us-from-screaming-jai-babu-9106280/)
16. [The Pioneer, Vijayawada edition, 31 December 2024](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2024/epaper/december/vijayawada-english-edition-2024-12-31.pdf)
17. [The Pioneer, Hyderabad edition, March 2025](https://pynr.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/27-HYD-12-PAGES-PDF.compressed.pdf)
18. [Guntur Kaaram: Where to Watch, Moviefone](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/ssmb-28/s7yPN2gRT2cHRLkQVXDZR/where-to-watch/)
19. [Where can you watch Guntur Kaaram, Flixboss](https://in.flixboss.com/movie/guntur-kaaram-81637260)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Telugu films of the 2020s › Telugu films of 2024*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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