Andhra King Taluka Dialogue Stirs Debate Yet Ends Confusion

Ram Pothineni’s new film Andhra King Taluka released on Thursday. The story follows a die-hard fan who almost worships his favourite star hero. In the film, Kannada actor Upendra plays the star hero Andhra King, while Ram plays his crazy fan. Before the release, many people wondered why the makers brought Upendra from Kannada when Tollywood already has so many senior stars for such roles. But after the first show yesterday, most viewers felt that Upendra actually suited the role perfectly.

Upendra’s screen time is short, around 20 to 25 minutes. If a Tollywood star had played such a brief role, fans might have felt the character was too small or not given enough elevation. In the climax, the fan’s character gets more elevation than the star hero, which again could have created fan wars if a big Telugu hero had been cast. But with Upendra, there was no such issue. Everyone is receiving his character positively. His humble image and the sincere, no-ego performance helped the role blend smoothly into the story. Telugu audiences are praising him everywhere, even if Kannada fans might feel differently.

A small dialogue in the climax has become a talking point. Ram shakes hands with Upendra and says, “I heard your hand is soft, it is indeed soft.” This instantly reminded people of the famous moment from Indra’s 175-day celebration in 2002, when actor Sunil said Chiranjeevi’s hand was very soft. Because of this, some viewers assumed the film is indirectly inspired by Chiranjeevi. But the movie also shows a mix of random references that don’t match any one hero. A poster titled Pratijna shows Upendra’s face instead of Mohan Babu, another poster uses Nagarjuna’s Agni Putrudu title, and the drink brands “Cool Cola” and “Lime Up” look like spoofs of Coca Cola and 7UP. These don’t match the 1980s setting or any real endorsements either. So, apart from the “soft hand” dialogue, the rest of the hints are fictional.

In the end, Andhra King Taluka is not about any one hero. It reflects the typical bond between Telugu fans and their favourite stars, without pointing directly at any single actor.