Stalin (2006 film)

Plot

The film is a remake of the 2000 Hollywood film Pay It Forward

The only mission in Stalin's (Chiranjeevi) life is to help others and to make the world a better place. It turns out that Stalin served as a Major in the Indian Army. Although a war hero, he had quit the army after a rift with Lt. Col. Iqbal (Mukesh Rishi) when he transfers him to administrative division from the battlefield as a disciplinary action. His family includes his mother (Sharada Urvashi) as well as his sister Jhansi (Khushboo), who is not in talking terms with their mother since she got married to a Punjabi.

Stalin keeps helping a physically challenged girl Sumati to write her intermediate examination and her suicide disturbs him. The death occurs as none of the people around her extend help. Then Stalin plans a chain system. The theme works on a principle that everyone should help others and in return they should not seek a mere thanks but tell those who get the help to help three more, with a condition that those who get help from them should also demand the same. Stalin thinks that this chain will develop helping attitude among the people. But, to his dismay, Stalin finds that the chain did not work. On one occasion, Stalin bashes a rich boy, who injured a beggar.

This goes in chain reaction and the rich boy employs some goons to attack Stalin. As Stalin disappears from the scene, the goons take Jhansi and her friend Chitra (Trisha) into their custody. Stalin reaches the spot and hacks the hand of one goon. That goon happens to be the henchman of an MLA (Pradeep Rawat), who is also the son-in-law of Home Minister Muddu Krishnayya (Prakash Raj). Muddu Krishnayya takes it as a prestige issue and tries to eliminate Stalin but loses his son (Riyaz Khan) in the process. When the Chief Minister intervenes to bring in a patch-up, the crooked Muddu Krishnayya plans to kill him and implicate Stalin in the murder, but Stalin takes away the injured Paul Matteo and saves him, but he gets a severe chest pain due to exertion.

The reason for the chest pain is a bullet, which remained in his chest, very near to the heart. Stalin sustains the bullet injury in the Kargil War, and that was why Iqbal shifted him to administrative department. Finally, the truth prevails and the Chief Minister returns to the hospital to visit Stalin, that the help three people concept was his brainchild, which saved him from death in the form of a school girl. Finally, the doctors successfully remove the bullet, in a very delicate surgery. Stalin comes to know that his "help three people" concept worked well and the same theme saved his life in the form of auto driver. He thanks all the people for making his concept a success.

Cast

Music

Audio of Stalin was launched on 22 August 2006 at a jam pack auditorium of Lalitha Kala Vedika in Public Gardens, Hyderabad. Pawan Kalyan launched the audio of gave the first cassette to Nimmagadda Prasad (Matrix Labs) and Murali Krishnam Raju (MAA TV). The film has six songs composed by Mani Sharma, with lyrics by Anantha Sriram, Pedada Murthy, Kadikonda & Suddala Ashok Teja.

Critical reception

The film received mixed to positive reviews. Jeevi of idlebrain.com praised the performances of Chiranjeevi and Khushboo and stated that "First half of the film is pretty mediocre as there is no conflict thread in terms of villain. Second half is better from the moment villain enters the scene. The last 20 minutes of the film stands out with very good emotions." Sify.com gave it 3 on 5 stars as well and stated "The much hyped Murugadoss directed Stalin does not have Chiru as the comic book superhero in the first half. He is basically a do-gooder for his fellow-men as he attempts to make the world a better place to live. Chiru in such a role may or may not work with the masses but in this refreshingly different role, he is cool with a capital C." Indiaglitz.com also commented "Director Murugadoss, who made us all sit up and take notice through Tagore (story) and Ghajini, once again underlines his talent for making a wholesome and powerful mass masala movie. In Chiranjeevi, he has somebody who can bring to life any kind of idea he (Murugadoss) has. Chiranjeevi, it seems, has been particular about the 'message' aspect — at his stature and seniority, he had every reason to be."