# That Is Mahalakshmi
**That Is Mahalakshmi** (Telugu: దట్ ఐస్ మహా లక్ష్మి) is an unreleased Telugu-language comedy drama directed by [Prasanth Varma](https://www.edgepedia.org/prasanth-varma) and starring [Tamannaah Bhatia](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamannaah-bhatia) as Mahalakshmi, a sheltered young woman from [Rajahmundry](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajahmundry) who goes on her honeymoon alone after her wedding is canceled a day before the ceremony[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/) • [2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w3LSY9EALY). It is the Telugu remake of the Hindi film *Queen* (2013), which starred Kangana Ranaut[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/). Although the film completed shooting in 2018 and was certified by the Central Board of Film Certification in 2021, it has not received a verified theatrical or streaming release[3](https://telugucinema.com/news/mahalakshmi-where-director) • [4](https://cbfcindia.gov.in/cbfcAdmin/assets/pdf/Films_certified_2021.pdf) • [5](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/that-is-mahalakshmi).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Telugu title | దట్ ఐస్ మహా లక్ష్మి[6](https://www.moviebuff.com/that-is-maha-lakshmi) |
| Basis | Telugu remake of the Hindi film *Queen* (2013)[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/) |
| Director | Prasanth Varma, after Neelakantha left the project[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/) • [3](https://telugucinema.com/news/mahalakshmi-where-director) |
| Lead | Tamannaah Bhatia as Mahalakshmi[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/) |
| Music | Amit Trivedi, with background music by Kiran Varanasi[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/fullcredits/) |
| Certification | CBFC certificate issued 6 August 2021; runtime 117.08 minutes; UA rating[4](https://cbfcindia.gov.in/cbfcAdmin/assets/pdf/Films_certified_2021.pdf) |
| Release status | Certified but unreleased; not available for streaming on the services JustWatch tracks[5](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/that-is-mahalakshmi) |
## Story and cast
The film follows Mahalakshmi, described in the teaser as a sheltered, under-confident girl from Rajahmundry, a small town in [Andhra Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/andhra-pradesh), who is dumped a day before her wedding. Shocked, she decides to go ahead with her honeymoon alone; as she travels and meets new people, she gains new experiences and discovers her own identity[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w3LSY9EALY). IMDb's synopsis condenses the same premise: a traditional girl sets out on a solo honeymoon after her marriage gets canceled[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/).
Tamannaah Bhatia plays the title role. The supporting cast includes Shibani Akthar (credited as [Shibani Dandekar](https://www.edgepedia.org/shibani-dandekar)) as Vijayalakshmi, Aram Arakelyan as Constantin, Sidhu Jonnalagadda as Vijay, Jeffrey Ho as Taka, Clifton Brown as Tim, and Guillermo Uria as Oleksander[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/). The film was shot partly in France, and the first-look poster showed Tamannaah in the traditional Telugu attire Langa Voni against the backdrop of the [Eiffel Tower](https://www.edgepedia.org/eiffel-tower)[3](https://telugucinema.com/news/mahalakshmi-where-director).
## Production
*Queen* was remade in four South Indian languages at the same time: *[Paris Paris](https://www.edgepedia.org/paris-paris)* in Tamil with Kajal Agarwal, *That Is Mahalakshmi* in Telugu with Tamannaah Bhatia, *Zam Zam* in Malayalam with [Manjima Mohan](https://www.edgepedia.org/manjima-mohan), and *Butterfly* in Kannada with [Parul Yadav](https://www.edgepedia.org/parul-yadav). The four lead actresses shared first-look posters in October 2018[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/queen-remakes-tamannaah-bhatia-kajal-agarwal-manjima-mohan-parul-yadav-5408687/). Parul Yadav, who co-produced the remakes, announced the wrap of shooting for all four versions[9](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/all-four-queen-remakes-including-tamannaahs-that-is-mahalakshmi-wrap-up-shoot/articleshow/65023616.cms).
**A director without credit.** The first-look poster named the producers, the music director [Amit Trivedi](https://www.edgepedia.org/amit-trivedi), and other crew members, but no director. According to TeluguCinema.com, Neelakantha was the original director and walked out of the film after differences with Tamannaah; Prasanth Varma then directed it but did not take the director's credit for technical reasons[3](https://telugucinema.com/news/mahalakshmi-where-director). IMDb nonetheless credits Prasanth Varma as director and [Vikas Bahl](https://www.edgepedia.org/vikas-bahl), the director of the original *Queen*, as writer[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/).
The crew included Michel Taburiaux as cinematographer, Gowtham Nerusu as editor, and Amit Trivedi as composer, with [Shreya Ghoshal](https://www.edgepedia.org/shreya-ghoshal) among the playback singers[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/fullcredits/). Manu Kumaran and Parul Yadav produced[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/fullcredits/). The production companies listed on IMDb are Medient Studios, Liger Commercial Brokers, and Mediente International Films[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/).
Tamannaah said in interviews that her aim was to retain the essence of the original rather than make a fresh film, while adding the Telugu version's own perspective; she also connected with the character's inexperience with solo travel, saying she had never taken a vacation alone herself[10](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/that-is-mahalakshmi-actor-tamannaah-bhatia-my-idea-was-to-explore-the-queen-in-myself-5579307/lite/). The title was reportedly chosen because a song beginning "That is Mahalakshmi" already existed in the Telugu film *100% Love*, which the makers felt made the name apt[11](https://english.tupaki.com/amp/entertainment/article/tamanna-look-in-queen-remake/72001).
## Release status
The film's release history is unusual. The [Central Board of Film Certification](https://www.edgepedia.org/central-board-of-film-certification) issued a certificate on 6 August 2021 for a Telugu film with English subtitles, runtime 117.08 minutes, rated UA, with M/S Mediente Film International Pvt Ltd as the applicant[4](https://cbfcindia.gov.in/cbfcAdmin/assets/pdf/Films_certified_2021.pdf). A Samayam Telugu report in late 2020 said the film was eyeing a direct digital release[12](https://telugu.samayam.com/telugu-movies/cinema-news/tamannaahs-that-is-mahalakshmi-eyeing-for-an-ott-release/articleshow/77074021.cms). IMDb lists a release date of February 11, 2022 in India[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/), while [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch) dates the film as 2019 and reports that it is not available for streaming on any of the services it tracks[5](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/that-is-mahalakshmi). Filmibeat's page lists a theatrical date of 20 December 2026 with the OTT platform and release date marked TBA[13](https://www.filmibeat.com/telugu/movies/that-is-mahalakshmi.html). These dates conflict, and no verified theatrical release is recorded in the available listings.
A Zee Telugu registration record lists "That Is Mahalakshmi" as a serial (series) title, indicating the property was registered for television use[14](https://www.iprs.org/wp-content/uploads/Unidentified-Works-for-TVSeries_FY18-23-II-1.pdf).
## Reception
Because the film has not been released, there is no body of professional criticism. IMDb shows a user rating of 6.2 out of 10 based on 43 votes[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/). The official teaser published by Zee Music South in December 2018 has drawn several million views[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w3LSY9EALY).
## References
1. [That Is Mahalakshmi (2022), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/)
2. [That Is Mahalakshmi – Official Movie Teaser, Zee Music South, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w3LSY9EALY)
3. [That Is Mahalakshmi, but where is the director? Jalapathy Gudelli, TeluguCinema.com](https://telugucinema.com/news/mahalakshmi-where-director)
4. [CBFC Films Certified 2021 list](https://cbfcindia.gov.in/cbfcAdmin/assets/pdf/Films_certified_2021.pdf)
5. [That is Mahalakshmi streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/that-is-mahalakshmi)
6. [That Is Maha Lakshmi, Moviebuff](https://www.moviebuff.com/that-is-maha-lakshmi)
7. [That Is Mahalakshmi full cast and crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7943256/fullcredits/)
8. [Queen remakes: Meet the queens, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/queen-remakes-tamannaah-bhatia-kajal-agarwal-manjima-mohan-parul-yadav-5408687/)
9. [All four Queen remakes wrap up shoot, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/all-four-queen-remakes-including-tamannaahs-that-is-mahalakshmi-wrap-up-shoot/articleshow/65023616.cms)
10. [Tamannaah Bhatia: My idea was to explore the Queen in me, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/that-is-mahalakshmi-actor-tamannaah-bhatia-my-idea-was-to-explore-the-queen-in-myself-5579307/lite/)
11. [Can Mahalakshmi Impress The Audience?, Tupaki](https://english.tupaki.com/amp/entertainment/article/tamanna-look-in-queen-remake/72001)
12. [Tamannaah's That Is Mahalakshmi eyeing an OTT release?, Samayam Telugu](https://telugu.samayam.com/telugu-movies/cinema-news/tamannaahs-that-is-mahalakshmi-eyeing-for-an-ott-release/articleshow/77074021.cms)
13. [That Is Mahalakshmi, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/telugu/movies/that-is-mahalakshmi.html)
14. [Zee Entertainment TV serial registrations, IPRS](https://www.iprs.org/wp-content/uploads/Unidentified-Works-for-TVSeries_FY18-23-II-1.pdf)
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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 › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of 2026 and later › Titles K to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license