# Maharshi (మహర్షి) (2019 film)
**Maharshi** (Telugu: మహర్షి) is a 2019 Indian Telugu-language action drama film directed by [Vamshi Paidipally](https://www.edgepedia.org/vamshi-paidipally), starring [Mahesh Babu](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahesh-babu) as Rishi, a driven student who rises to become the CEO of a large American company and later returns to India to champion poor farmers.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/mahesh-babu-maharshi-release-date-5550162/lite/) • [2](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/maharshi/umc.cmc.2f03snxbl20p0rij2o88ngmra) It was Mahesh Babu's 25th film as a lead actor, produced jointly by [Sri Venkateswara Creations](https://www.edgepedia.org/sri-venkateswara-creations), Vyjayanthi Movies, and PVP Cinema, with music composed by Devi Sri Prasad.[3](https://telugucinema.com/news/no-change-maharshis-release-date-team) • [1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/mahesh-babu-maharshi-release-date-5550162/lite/) The film released in theaters on 9 May 2019 and later became a National award-winning film.[4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/music/devi-sri-prasad-on-sets-of-mahesh-babu-and-pooja-hegdes-maharshi/articleshow/68352611.cms) • [5](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2021/epaper/may/vijayawada-english-edition-2021-05-05.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writers | Vamshi Paidipally (director, screenplay, story); story and dialogue also credited to Hari and Ahishor Solomon, with additional dialogue by Bheem Srinivas[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8333978/fullcredits/) |
| Lead cast | Mahesh Babu as K. Rishi Kumar, Pooja Hegde as Pooja, Allari Naresh as Ravi Shankar[2](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/maharshi/umc.cmc.2f03snxbl20p0rij2o88ngmra) |
| Producers | Dil Raju, C. Ashwini Dutt, and Param V. Potluri (PVP); banners Sri Venkateswara Creations, Vyjayanthi Movies, PVP Cinema[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/mahesh-babu-maharshi-release-date-5550162/lite/) |
| Music | Devi Sri Prasad; cinematography by K. U. Mohanan, editing by Praveen K.L.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/mahesh-babu-maharshi-release-date-5550162/lite/) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maharshi_2019/cast-and-crew) |
| Release | 9 May 2019, wide theatrical release in India, the United States, the United Kingdom, the UAE, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Canada[8](https://www.moviebuff.com/maharshi) |
| Box office | Worldwide gross ₹176.00 Cr against a reported budget of ₹90–100 Cr; trade verdicts of Hit and Superhit[9](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Maharshi_2019) • [10](https://www.boxofficeindia24.com/movie/maharshi/box-office-collection) |
| Streaming | Prime Video (India, the US, the UK, and Canada), with rent and purchase on Apple TV[11](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/maharshi) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Rishi (Mahesh Babu) is a middle-class student who fears failure and wants to succeed where he considers his father ([Prakash Raj](https://www.edgepedia.org/prakash-raj)) a failure. He climbs the corporate ladder until he becomes CEO of a company called Origins, a large technology firm in the United States.[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maharshi_2019) • [13](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/telugu/2019/may/09/maharshi-review-an-overlong-melodramatic-journey-mahesh-babu-pooja-hegde-11497.html) He studied at a college in Vishakhapatnam, where he formed friendships with Pooja ([Pooja Hegde](https://www.edgepedia.org/pooja-hegde)) and Ravi ([Allari Naresh](https://www.edgepedia.org/allari-naresh)); a misunderstanding led them to part ways, and Rishi left for the USA.[2](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/maharshi/umc.cmc.2f03snxbl20p0rij2o88ngmra)
At a party, Rishi learns what Ravi had done for him in his college days, and that he owes his success to his friend.[2](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/maharshi/umc.cmc.2f03snxbl20p0rij2o88ngmra) • [12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maharshi_2019) He seeks out Ravi at the village of Ramavaram and finds himself drawn into far more than repaying a debt: the village's farmers are being squeezed by the corporate honcho Vivek Mittal ([Jagapathi Babu](https://www.edgepedia.org/jagapathi-babu)), and Rishi takes up farming and their cause, eventually resigning as CEO.[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maharshi_2019) • [14](https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=maharshi) The film's stated message is that success is a journey rather than a destination, and it asks viewers to reconsider the importance of the farming community.[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maharshi_2019)
## Production and release
The film was announced with a release date of 25 April 2019, which co-producer [Dil Raju](https://www.edgepedia.org/dil-raju) revealed to the media at Tirupati temple in January 2019.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/mahesh-babu-maharshi-release-date-5550162/lite/) The team shot a long schedule in the United States, followed by schedules in Pollachi in [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu), Hyderabad, and [Abu Dhabi](https://www.edgepedia.org/abu-dhabi).[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/mahesh-babu-maharshi-release-date-5550162/lite/) In February 2019 the team issued a press statement denying rumors of a postponement to June, saying the film would release on 25 April as announced, with the shoot complete except for two songs by 15 March.[3](https://telugucinema.com/news/no-change-maharshis-release-date-team) The release was nevertheless shifted to May, with producer Dil Raju confirming on social media that the film would now arrive on 9 May 2019.[4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/music/devi-sri-prasad-on-sets-of-mahesh-babu-and-pooja-hegdes-maharshi/articleshow/68352611.cms)
The Australian Classification Board rated the film M for mature themes and violence, with a duration of 176 minutes, on 8 May 2019.[15](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/maharshi) Reported runtimes differ across databases: 2 hours 45 minutes on Rotten Tomatoes and Apple TV, 2 hours 58 minutes on Moviebuff, and 2 hours 59 minutes on [Behindwoods](https://www.edgepedia.org/behindwoods).[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maharshi_2019) • [8](https://www.moviebuff.com/maharshi) • [16](https://www.behindwoods.com/telugu-movies/maharshi/maharshi-review.html) Moviebuff records that the film's theatrical rights were sold for Rs 1 billion (Rs 100 crores).[8](https://www.moviebuff.com/maharshi)
## Reception and box office
Critics gave the film mixed reviews. The Times of India's Neeshita Nyayapati gave the film a 3 out of 5, saying that despite sluggish stretches keeping it from being consistently enjoyable, the film means well.[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maharshi_2019) Murali Krishna CH of Cinema Express rated it 2.5 out of 5, calling it an overlong melodramatic journey whose perfunctory screenplay brings down a film tackling the problems plaguing the agricultural sector.[13](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/telugu/2019/may/09/maharshi-review-an-overlong-melodramatic-journey-mahesh-babu-pooja-hegde-11497.html) The Behindwoods review board wrote that the film improves as it progresses, and described it as a modern-day retelling of the Krishna-Sudama story interspersed with elements from [AR Murugadoss](https://www.edgepedia.org/ar-murugadoss)'s *Sarkar*.[16](https://www.behindwoods.com/telugu-movies/maharshi/maharshi-review.html) On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an 86% Tomatometer from a single review; on IMDb it holds a 7.1 rating.[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maharshi_2019) • [11](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/maharshi)
**Box office.** Sacnilk reports a total worldwide gross of ₹176.00 Cr, with ₹129.90 Cr net in India and ₹22.00 Cr overseas, against a budget of ₹100.00 Cr, for a Superhit verdict.[9](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Maharshi_2019) BoxOfficeIndia24 gives a slightly different accounting: a budget of ₹90 Cr, ₹133.91 Cr net in India, the same ₹176.00 Cr worldwide gross, and a Hit verdict, with the film recovering 195.6% of its budget.[10](https://www.boxofficeindia24.com/movie/maharshi/box-office-collection) Both trackers agree on the worldwide gross figure; they differ on budget and net India totals, and neither claims producer-verified figures.[9](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Maharshi_2019) • [10](https://www.boxofficeindia24.com/movie/maharshi/box-office-collection)
## Legacy
The film won a National award, and a December 2019 trade report noted that director Vamshi Paidipally had presented Mahesh in a completely new light with it.[5](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2021/epaper/may/vijayawada-english-edition-2021-05-05.pdf) In March 2022, the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai screened the National award-winning film during its Media & Entertainment Fortnight.[17](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2022/epaper/march/hyderabad-english-edition-2022-03-28.pdf) The film remains available on Prime Video in India, the US, the UK, and Canada, and on JioHotstar and [MX Player](https://www.edgepedia.org/mx-player) in India.[11](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/maharshi) • [18](https://filmi.ai/film/maharshi-2019/)
## References
1. [Maharshi to hit screens on April 25, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/mahesh-babu-maharshi-release-date-5550162/lite/)
2. [Maharshi, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/maharshi/umc.cmc.2f03snxbl20p0rij2o88ngmra)
3. [No change in Maharshi's release date: Team, TeluguCinema.com](https://telugucinema.com/news/no-change-maharshis-release-date-team)
4. [Devi Sri Prasad on sets of Mahesh Babu and Pooja Hegde's 'Maharshi', Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/music/devi-sri-prasad-on-sets-of-mahesh-babu-and-pooja-hegdes-maharshi/articleshow/68352611.cms)
5. [The Pioneer, Vijayawada English edition, 5 May 2021](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2021/epaper/may/vijayawada-english-edition-2021-05-05.pdf)
6. [Maharshi (2019) Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8333978/fullcredits/)
7. [Maharshi Cast and Crew, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maharshi_2019/cast-and-crew)
8. [Maharshi (2019), Moviebuff](https://www.moviebuff.com/maharshi)
9. [Maharshi (2019-05-09) Review, Rating & Box Office Collection, Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Maharshi_2019)
10. [Maharshi Box Office Collection, BoxOfficeIndia24](https://www.boxofficeindia24.com/movie/maharshi/box-office-collection)
11. [Maharshi streaming: where to watch movie online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/maharshi)
12. [Maharshi (2019), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maharshi_2019)
13. [Maharshi Review: An overlong melodramatic journey, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/telugu/2019/may/09/maharshi-review-an-overlong-melodramatic-journey-mahesh-babu-pooja-hegde-11497.html)
14. [Maharshi (2019) Movie Script, Springfield Springfield](https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=maharshi)
15. [MAHARSHI, Australian Classification](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/maharshi)
16. [Maharshi (aka) Maharishi review, Behindwoods](https://www.behindwoods.com/telugu-movies/maharshi/maharshi-review.html)
17. [The Pioneer, Hyderabad English edition, 28 March 2022](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2022/epaper/march/hyderabad-english-edition-2022-03-28.pdf)
18. [Maharshi (2019) review, OTT release date, filmi.ai](https://filmi.ai/film/maharshi-2019/)
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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 2010s › Telugu films of 2017–2019*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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