10 Years of Khaleja – A Tribute

If there was ever an image and role makeover for an actor in Telugu cinema, Mahesh’s transformation in Khaleja would easily top the charts. Known for his subtle acting and dialogue delivery until then, in Khaleja he is a revelation with his hilarious comic timing and energy levels.

The movie itself is a complete fresh breath of air when it released, bringing in witty humour and an interesting concept different from the regular run of the mill commercial entertainers. Unfortunately when it released, people didn’t appreciate and understand the movie as much, but it has grown on to be a cult movie over the years especially for families and Mahesh’s fans.

The primary crux where the movie had failed was the audience perception that the role potrayed by the hero was of a God, but what Trivikram wanted to convey was,anyone who fights unselfishly for other people without expecting anything from it is considered a God from another person’s point of view and infact it was shown brilliantly in the film. Alas, it took quite some time for the audience to understand this viewpoint and it was too late.

Trivikram’s writing skills come at a full display in this picture where his impeccable comic elements combined with his philosophical thoughts, before he started making more commercial cinema over the years imbibed with family elements. Apart from Mahesh’s incredible performance, this film will also be remembered for one of the last few amazing performances of Sunil’s role as a comedian before he turned into a full fledged actor. The whole Rajasthan episode in the movie is a treat to watch. Subbaraju too had a memorable role in this movie among others.

All said and done , this movie is a classic example of how to never judge a cinema instantly at their first view as an audience. Khaleja is indeed a memorable movie not just for Mahesh and his fans, but for a whole a set of audience. It is a film which ages like wine and keeps getting better with each viewing.