# Srikanth (film)
**Srikanth** (श्रीकांत) is a 2024 Hindi-language biographical drama directed by Tushar Hiranandani about [Srikanth Bolla](https://www.edgepedia.org/srikanth-bolla), a visually impaired Indian industrialist who became the first international visually impaired student at the [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](https://www.edgepedia.org/massachusetts-institute-of-technology) (MIT) and founded Bollant Industries, an eco-friendly paper packaging company.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/srikanth-movie-review-rajkummar-rao-brings-skill-and-sincerity-to-this-inspiring-biopic-9319649/) • [2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/May/11/srikanth-movie-review-a-straight-biopic-marred-by-melodrama-2) [Rajkummar Rao](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajkummar-rao) plays the title role, with Jyothika, Alaya F, and Sharad Kelkar in supporting parts.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/srikanth) The film was released in Indian theaters on 10 May 2024 and began streaming on Netflix on 5 July 2024.[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/movies/srikanth/ott.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subject | The life of Srikanth Bolla, visually impaired founder of Bollant Industries, from a village in Andhra Pradesh to MIT and back to India[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/srikanth-movie-review-rajkummar-rao-brings-skill-and-sincerity-to-this-inspiring-biopic-9319649/) |
| Director | Tushar Hiranandani, whose earlier credits include *Saand Ki Aankh* (2019) and the series *Scam 2003*[5](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/srikanth-review-aided-by-rajkummar-raos-skilful-performance-this-is-no-ordinary-bollywood-biopic-3-stars-5629985/amp/1) |
| Cast | Rajkummar Rao (Srikanth Bolla), Jyothika (Devika), Alaya F (Swathi), Sharad Kelkar (Ravi)[6](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/sri-2023) |
| Release | Theatrical 10 May 2024; Netflix from 5 July 2024; runtime 134 minutes; CBFC certificate U[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/movies/srikanth/ott.html) |
| Box office | ₹24.1 million (₹2.41 crore) on opening day in India; lifetime India collection ₹500.5 million (₹50.05 crore)[7](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/srikanth/box-office/) |
| Reception | 78% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (9 reviews); 7.4/10 on IMDb from about 15,000 votes[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/srikanth) • [8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23790740/ratings/) |
| Awards | Filmfare Award 2025 for Best Actor (Critics) for Rao; National Film Award for Best Hindi Film[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23790740/awards/) |
## Spoilers
### Story and subject
The film follows Bolla's life from birth in a poor village in [Andhra Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/andhra-pradesh), where his father initially reacts with dismay to his sightless newborn, through bullying at his local school, a legal fight for the right to study science after the tenth grade, admission to MIT after IIT refuses him, and his return to India to build Bollant Industries.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/srikanth-movie-review-rajkummar-rao-brings-skill-and-sincerity-to-this-inspiring-biopic-9319649/) Its tagline, "Aa Raha Hai Sabki Aankhein Kholne" (He is coming to open everyone's eyes), frames the protagonist as a challenger of social attitudes toward the blind.[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/May/11/srikanth-movie-review-a-straight-biopic-marred-by-melodrama-2)
The film also shows a second-half arc in which success turns the character arrogant: he develops a power-hungry attitude and begins using his disability to pull favors before recognizing his mistakes.[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/May/11/srikanth-movie-review-a-straight-biopic-marred-by-melodrama-2) In the final scene, Srikanth rejects an award given to him in a special "especially abled" category, saying he wants to be treated normally.[10](https://adtu.in/files/current_issue/vol3_issue2/vol3-issue2-article022.pdf)
Bolla himself assessed the film's accuracy at "98-99%" true to life, with "a little bit of sauce here and there." He explained that the teacher Devika, played by Jyothika, is a composite character inspired by the efforts and sacrifices of his mentors and teachers over the years.[11](https://indiacurrents.com/srikanth-bolla-to-me-challenges-are-opportunities/)
## Production and cast
Tushar Hiranandani, an Indian film director and screenwriter who wrote films including *Masti* (2004), *Housefull 2* (2012), and *Ek Villain* (2014), made his directing debut with *[Saand Ki Aankh](https://www.edgepedia.org/saand-ki-aankh)* (2019) and directed the SonyLIV series *Scam 2003* in 2023 before making *Srikanth*.[12](https://iffigoa.org/hi/international-cinema/competition/srikanth) The screenplay is credited to Sumit Purohit and [Jagdeep Sidhu](https://www.edgepedia.org/jagdeep-sidhu), and the film was distributed by T-Series Films, whose principals [Bhushan Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/bhushan-kumar), Krishan Kumar, and Nidhi Parmar Hiranandani produced alongside Hiranandani.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/srikanth)
Rajkummar Rao plays Bolla, with Jyothika as his teacher Devika, Alaya F as Swathi, a character who urges him to return to India and contribute to the society that raised him, and [Sharad Kelkar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sharad-kelkar) as Ravi.[6](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/sri-2023) • [13](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/movies/srikanth-review-rajkummar-rao-starrer-is-a-radically-optimistic-feel-good-biopic-marred-by-melodrama-article-12718924.html/amp) Jameel Khan appears as former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, who in real life was one of Bollant's prominent investors along with [Ratan Tata](https://www.edgepedia.org/ratan-tata).[6](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/sri-2023) • [2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/May/11/srikanth-movie-review-a-straight-biopic-marred-by-melodrama-2) The soundtrack includes a remixed version of "Papa Kehte Hain," the song originally composed by Anand-Milind for *Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak* (1988).[14](https://filminformation.com/featured/srikanth-review-10-may-2024/)
## Release and box office
The film opened in Indian theaters on 10 May 2024 with a runtime of 134 minutes and a U certificate from the [Central Board of Film Certification](https://www.edgepedia.org/central-board-of-film-certification).[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/movies/srikanth/ott.html) It collected ₹24.1 million (₹2.41 crore) on its opening day, ₹119.5 million (₹11.95 crore) by the end of the opening weekend, and ₹180.4 million (₹18.04 crore) by the end of week one, reaching a lifetime India total of ₹500.5 million (₹50.05 crore) after six weeks.[7](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/srikanth/box-office/) The trade magazine Film Information reported a dull opening.[14](https://filminformation.com/featured/srikanth-review-10-may-2024/)
It moved to Netflix on 5 July 2024 and remains available there by subscription in India and many other territories.[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/movies/srikanth/ott.html) • [15](https://in.flixboss.com/movie/srikanth-81631011)
## Critical reception
Reviews were mixed to positive, with critics converging on Rao's performance as the film's strength. Shubhra Gupta of *The Indian Express* rated it 2.5 out of 5, writing that Rao is "one of the few actors who is capable of fully inhabiting his role" and shedding vanity in the process.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/srikanth-movie-review-rajkummar-rao-brings-skill-and-sincerity-to-this-inspiring-biopic-9319649/) Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 3 stars, calling it "no ordinary Bollywood biopic" for avoiding overt melodrama while noting that it sometimes states the obvious.[5](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/srikanth-review-aided-by-rajkummar-raos-skilful-performance-this-is-no-ordinary-bollywood-biopic-3-stars-5629985/amp/1) *The Times of India* gave 4 stars, describing it as an honest, understated biopic that goes beyond glorification, though it repeats some ideas, such as the belief that blind people can only beg or make candles for a living.[16](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/srikanth/amp_movie_review/109892315.cms)
The most negative reviews targeted the writing. *The New Indian Express* rated it 2 out of 5, objecting to sight-related wordplay in a film that preaches against reducing its subject to his disability, and judging Rao's performance "more sincere than deep."[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/May/11/srikanth-movie-review-a-straight-biopic-marred-by-melodrama-2) Film Information called the scripting and narration "terrible letdowns" and predicted weak business.[14](https://filminformation.com/featured/srikanth-review-10-may-2024/) On aggregate, the film scored 78% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer from 9 reviews and 79% on its audience Popcornmeter, with an average critics' rating of 6.80 out of 10.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/srikanth)
## Awards
The film earned 8 wins and 15 nominations overall.[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23790740/awards/) Rajkummar Rao won the 2025 [Filmfare Award for Best Actor](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-award-for-best-actor) (Critics) and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2025 IIFA Awards; Jyothika was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the IIFA Awards and won the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival award in the same category.[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23790740/awards/) The film won the National Film Award for Best Hindi Film.[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23790740/awards/)
## Representation of disability
Commentators placed the film in the context of how Indian cinema portrays disability. A *Scroll.in* review noted that [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) has, with exceptions such as *Sparsh* (1980) and *Aankhen* (2002), usually used visual impairment as an excuse for melodrama or pity, and found Hiranandani's matter-of-fact approach refreshing.[17](https://scroll.in/reel/1067503/srikanth-review-an-inspiring-tale-of-remarkable-achievement%26quot) A Moneycontrol review argued that the film's biggest win is showing a disabled protagonist with both vices and virtues, including arrogance, which it called a radical step toward normalizing disabled characters.[13](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/movies/srikanth-review-rajkummar-rao-starrer-is-a-radically-optimistic-feel-good-biopic-marred-by-melodrama-article-12718924.html/amp)
The film's release also intersected with legal developments. On 8 July 2024, the [Supreme Court of India](https://www.edgepedia.org/supreme-court-of-india) laid down a framework for the representation of Persons with Disabilities in visual media in a case against the film *Aankh Micholi*, and an *Indian Express* column cited *Srikanth* as the kind of more nuanced portrayal expected from mainstream production houses.[18](https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/film-srikanth-gets-disability-and-aankh-micholi-did-not-9444817/) An academic analysis in *The Criterion* examined the film's treatment of masculinity, stigmatization of the disabled, and the politicization of a minority group in the Indian context.[19](https://www.the-criterion.com/disability-and-dialogues-an-analysis-of-srikanth/) At the same time, a study in the journal AMRIT recorded that the film itself uses derogatory references toward other disabled characters, including an Alzheimer's patient described as a "forgetful father" and a speech-impaired character called a "stranded cassette."[10](https://adtu.in/files/current_issue/vol3_issue2/vol3-issue2-article022.pdf)
## References
1. [Srikanth movie review: Rajkummar Rao brings skill and sincerity to this inspiring biopic, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/srikanth-movie-review-rajkummar-rao-brings-skill-and-sincerity-to-this-inspiring-biopic-9319649/)
2. ['Srikanth' movie review: A straight biopic marred by melodrama, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/May/11/srikanth-movie-review-a-straight-biopic-marred-by-melodrama-2)
3. [Srikanth, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/srikanth)
4. [Srikanth OTT Release Date, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/movies/srikanth/ott.html)
5. [Srikanth Review, Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/srikanth-review-aided-by-rajkummar-raos-skilful-performance-this-is-no-ordinary-bollywood-biopic-3-stars-5629985/amp/1)
6. [Srikanth streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/sri-2023)
7. [Srikanth Box Office Collection, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/srikanth/box-office/)
8. [Srikanth (2024) Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23790740/ratings/)
9. [Srikanth (2024) Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23790740/awards/)
10. [Annals of Multidisciplinary Research, Innovation and Technology (AMRIT), 3(2), 2024](https://adtu.in/files/current_issue/vol3_issue2/vol3-issue2-article022.pdf)
11. [Srikanth Bolla: 'To Me Challenges Are Opportunities!', India Currents](https://indiacurrents.com/srikanth-bolla-to-me-challenges-are-opportunities/)
12. [श्रीकांत, IFFI Goa](https://iffigoa.org/hi/international-cinema/competition/srikanth)
13. [Srikanth Review, Moneycontrol](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/movies/srikanth-review-rajkummar-rao-starrer-is-a-radically-optimistic-feel-good-biopic-marred-by-melodrama-article-12718924.html/amp)
14. ['SRIKANTH' REVIEW, Film Information](https://filminformation.com/featured/srikanth-review-10-may-2024/)
15. [Where to watch 'Srikanth (2024)' on Netflix, Flixboss](https://in.flixboss.com/movie/srikanth-81631011)
16. [Srikanth Movie Review, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/srikanth/amp_movie_review/109892315.cms)
17. ['Srikanth' review: An inspiring tale of remarkable achievement, Scroll.in](https://scroll.in/reel/1067503/srikanth-review-an-inspiring-tale-of-remarkable-achievement%26quot)
18. [Why the film 'Srikanth' gets disability, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/film-srikanth-gets-disability-and-aankh-micholi-did-not-9444817/)
19. [Disability and Dialogues: An Analysis of 'Srikanth', The Criterion](https://www.the-criterion.com/disability-and-dialogues-an-analysis-of-srikanth/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Films by genre, form, and subject › Documentary and biographical films › Individual biographical and docudrama films › Business, law, and journalism*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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