Sahasam (2013 film)

Plot

In 2003, a Pakistani Archaeologist Dr. M. Alam Siddiqui after seeking permission from the Government of Pakistan starts researching about the hidden treasure of King Kanishka whose treasure map is hidden in an old box whose key is a Garuda Locket which was last seen in the research books of David, a British Archaeologist. His team led by Siddiqui and Thilavar try hard to search the key as they find the box in an old market in Pakistan. Fate takes a reverse turn as a dreaded terrorist Sultan (Shakti Kapoor) along with his men visit the Archaeology department. He coerces Siddiqui and takes the box away from him and make all the people his slaves till Siddiqui finds the treasure and hands over it to Sultan.

The story shifts to 2013 in Hyderabad, India. Gautham Kumar Varma (Gopichand) is a poor, brave and money-greedy security guard who wants to make easy money and settle in life. His motto is that he would not take even a crore if it's not his, but would never let go even a penny if it is his. Gautham Kumar spends his time in testing his fortune by buying lottery tickets and using gadgets which bring luck but sadly both end up giving nothing to him. His friends who are four kids live along with him in the slum colony. Once they ask him to show a 1000 rupee note out of curiosity to which Gautham Kumar agrees. The next day the ATM's cash cartridge is being refilled and Gautham Kumar requests the officials to show a 1000 rupee note to the kids. They accept and show a note. Meanwhile, a gang of thieves come and rob the ATM. Gautham Kumar catches the criminals and handovers the money. But however since the CCTV footage shows that Gautham Kumar's request was the reason for it, he is posted to a dumping yard where he would work for nearly 12 hours.

The night he returned from his duty, a heavy rain drenches the colony and the roof in his room fall down. From the roof, he finds a Diary, an old empty bag on which "Pushkalavathi Jewelers, Peshawar" is printed, a Garuda locket, two magnifying lenses and a small stone with a design. He opens the diary and starts reading which is narrated by his grandfather Satyanarayana Varma (Suman). On the day of India-Pakistan, partition activists were attacking rich men and were looting them. After finding no resort to hiding, Satyanarayana Varma packs all his Jewelry and Diamonds and rushes out to a cave which is rumored to be a king's escape runway. After reaching the spot, he rests at a place keeping his bag on a door of an inlet. A bag with Diamonds falls into one of the Birds attached thus opening the inlet and the bags entering the inner space. He tried hard to get it back but removes the bird from there and falls in an abyss. But however he survived. Now there was a promissory note that 900 Diamonds of his would be inherited by his Grand Son. Gautham Kumar sets to Pakistan with the help of Sreenidhi (Taapsee Pannu), an ardent Hindu devotee who wishes to visit the Hinglaj Mata temple in Pakistan.

There Gautham Kumar and Sreenidhi along with Indian Security contractor Khayamat Raju (Ali) reach the Hinglaj Mata Temple. There he finds his grandfather's name on a slab and also comes to know by two dwellers that Archaeologists searched about this person. He goes to the Archaeology Department where Thilavar is the new in charge after the brutal murder of Siddiqui and shows the empty bag to them and finds that the address would be in Peshawar. Meanwhile, Gautham Kumar sees the Garuda Locket sketch on the research papers and shows the locket to them. Thilavar offers him money, gold and many things in return for this locket as per Sultan's orders but Gautham Kumar neither accepts to take any one or all of them nor accepts to give away the locket with respect to his motto. He escapes from them and along with Sreenidhi and Khayamat Raju he goes away to a safe place. Meanwhile, Sreenidhi is made a prey to a Buzkashi game with a rule that the one who parks her in the goal would marry her. A masked Gautham Kumar joins them and after a stiff competition, he wins the match by parking her thus making her fall for him. They move to Peshawar to a local hospital where they join Khayamat Raju with fake injuries and rest there that night.

The next morning he starts searching in the streets of Peshawar Markets for his grandfather's address only to be kidnapped by terrorists. Then he is brought before Sultan who asks Gautham Kumar to submit the Garuda Locket to which he responds saying he wouldn't give it to Sultan or anyone as it is his. They torture him, trash him, injure him severely only to make him much determined not to give it to Sultan. So Sultan orders Thilavar and his men to take him away to Peshawar and kill him. In transit, Gautham Kumar kills most of them leaving Thilavar and three others and escaping to Peshawar in a Bus. He reaches to Hospital where he comes to know by Khayamat Raju that a girl kidnapped Sreenidhi and gave her address to meet her. He goes to the address and frees Sreenidhi. He then ties up the kidnapper with a rope only to know that she is Dr. Alam Siddiqui's daughter Zara whose ambition is to hand over the treasure of Kanishka to Pakistan Government as per her father's wish. Now, Gautham Kumar, Zara and Sreenidhi come to know that the Box containing the Map is in Sultan's house where Gautham goes along with Zara. There Gautham Kumar breaks the Power supply, kills a Jihadi and wears his dress and finds the Box.

However, the power is on now and Thilavar takes him to the living room where Sultan and his men are waiting. They dress him with a bomb with a piston to activate it. They remove his mask and find out that it was Gautham Kumar only to be threatened by him to leave him or else all would be destroyed along with the Box. He reaches out, ties the piston with a wire, carefully removes the bomb from his back with the help of Zara and both escape from there with the Box. They use the Garuda Locket and take the map which indicates a place near Hinglaj Mata Temple. The trio reaches there and according to the map there were 5 wheels to be arranged in a particular order. After arranging them correctly, the water in the well goes down with a spiral staircase leading to a huge old door. Sultan arrives at the spot and to save themselves, Gautham Kumar throws the map in the abyss thus making the trio the only source to reach the place. Gautham removes a metal flower from one of the wheels and all go into the door with some of them dying to fall into the abyss.

They reach an old bridge which starts breaking while all are in a midway. The bridge breaks into nearly 3 parts, one on which the terrorists are there, one on which Gautham is there and the last on which Zara, Sreenidhi and Sultan are there. To sustain on the bridge, Sultan kicks Zara into the abyss with the flow of water and she is pronounced dead. Gautham connects the two bridges with the help of a rope and all of them including Sreenidhi and Sultan enter the next phase. The next phase is the way to the inlet where the Bird used to be there. Using two metal flower arrangements, a way is made due to movements of levers and wheels and all go to the inlet. Gautham Kumar keeps the Bird there and a circular door with a small hole appears. The metal flower of the previous wheel is arranged there as a key and all of the theme enter the next phase walking through a deep tunnel behind the circular door. They enter another room with a drum surrounded by nearly hundreds of metal chains surrounded in a circular curtain fashion with sharp metal weapons and they start rotating round as they are sound-sensitive. Gautham after severe struggle enters the middle chain, removes the Trident lock making a metal ball fall on the drum. Due to opposite vibrations, the chains restore their position. They enter the last phase by a circular staircase.

Gautham, Sreenidhi, Sultan, Thilavar and terrorists less than 10 enter a room with a door away from their position nearly a 10 meters. The tiles are arranged with a Landmine system where some creatures are painted. If one would stand in the wrong place they would be killed by the sharp arrows projected from the mouths of sculptures on both the walls. Gautham arranges the trident in a platform due to which the land mine system is deactivated and the mouths of the sculptures are sealed by metal plates. Everyone go toward the room and a fight starts between the terrorists and Gautham. While most of the terrorists die one accidentally kicks the trident once again reverting the changes. Thilavar and Gautham are on the sculptures and at the right time, Gautham attacks Thilavar with a war equipment thus deviating him from the place and resulting in his death due to the arrows. Gautham then risks reaching Sultan who threatens to kill Sreenidhi and attacks him. By the time Sultan raises a sword on Gautham, Zara shoot's Sultan with a Gun and re-arranges the trident. She tells later that she fell in a place where there were no rocks and reached the other shore of the flow and reached the chamber through another stairway. The trio rejoices as they see the treasure in front of them. Gautham becomes the proud owner of 900 Diamonds of his grandfather and Zara fulfills Siddiqui's last wish by handing over the entire wealth to Pakistan Government after Gautham refuses to take any one single coin of it as it belongs not to him but to the Government of Pakistan.

Cast

Soundtrack

Music composed by Sri. Lyrics were penned by Anantha Sreeram. The audio rights were secured by T-Series for ₹ 2 million. The audio was launched on 2 June 2013.

Reception

The Times of India wrote, "In a time where the beat comes over everything else in Telugu cinema music, the album of Sahasam will come as a surprise. This album is all about rhythm and melody and the lyrics are all in Telugu as well. The music director Sri has given a very classic feel to the whole record" and rated the album 3/5. Cinecorn.com wrote, "Sri delivers and delivers well even after such a long gap. Wish he composed more often" and rated the album 3.25/5. Musicperk.com wrote Sahasam is not really a commercial album but it definitely suits the film’s genre. It has got the potential to go on to become a chartbuster, but the usual veteran composition might not work out in the modern day music. Few listens may definitely pop you out of the mood" and rated it 6/10.

Pre-release revenue

Gopichand's action adventure movie Sahasam satellite rights secured by MAA TV for a whopping amount of ₹ 35 million. The overseas distribution rights were sold to Blue sky cinemas for a record disclosed price.

Release

The film released worldwide on 12 July 2013, after being postponed several times, by Bluesky Cinemas to the entire Overseas and Reliance Entertainment in India, with a U/A Certificate from Central Board of Film Certification. The film received positive reviews from the critics from the day of release and was declared as a Super Hit at the box office as well as in Gopichand's career.

Reception

The Times of India gave a review stating "Chandrasekhar Yeleti needs to be applauded for his tryst of an adventurous film – something that's unique in Telugu films." idlebrain.com gave a review of rating 3.25/5 stating "I am giving it a rating of 3.25 for the guts of producers who came forward to make a different film and for the conviction of director to stick to the core subject and for not deviating from it for the sake of commercial elements" 123telugu.com gave a review of rating 3.25/5. stating "Sahasam is not your average Telugu cinema. The plot, the setting and the execution are very fresh and novel. You can safely watch Sahasam for some desi Indiana Jones moments." Oneindia Entertainment gave a review of rating 3/5 stating "Sahasam is a unique entertainer in Telugu, which is a right blend of brilliant performances and rich production values. The movie will impress all classes of audiences except glamour and comedy lovers. Watch the movie for its technical brilliance." APHerald.com gave a review of rating 3/5 stating "Firstly we must appreciate director Chandra Sekhar Yeleti and Gopi bringing an adventurous film to Telugu audience after a long time. And should applaud for trying a non-commercial film beveling in the content during the time where commercial films ruling the industry. If you go without any expectation, Sahasam will surprise you and impressive without the doubt." SuperGoodMovies gave a review of rating 3.25/5 stating "Gopichand’s Sahasam is a beautiful movie. Everyone must watch this movie. This is definitely a worthy watch for this rainy weekend."