# Ninne Pelladata (1996 film)

Ninne Pelladata (transl. 'I will marry only you') is a 1996 Indian Telugu-language romantic family drama film written and directed by Krishna Vamsi and produced by Nagarjuna under the Annapurna Studios banner. The film stars Nagarjuna and Tabu, with music composed by Sandeep Chowta, marking his debut in Telugu cinema.
The film's production began after Nagarjuna expressed interest in collaborating with Krishna Vamsi, who was impressed after watching the song sequences of Krishna Vamsi's debut film Gulabi (1995). Initially, Krishna Vamsi had developed an action-oriented script, but following feedback from Gulabi, he shifted focus to a family-oriented drama.
Ninne Pelladata was a major commercial success, marking Nagarjuna's first silver jubilee hit in Telugu. It received several accolades, including three Filmfare Awards South (Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actress), two Nandi Awards (including Best Home-viewing Feature Film), and the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. The film was later dubbed into Tamil as Unnaiye Kalyanam Pannikiren and remade in Kannada as Preethsod Thappa (1998).

## Plot

Seenu, a cheerful young man, enjoys a happy life with his close-knit family and friends. His mother, Mahalakshmi, shares a special bond with him, and their family has a warm relationship with the neighboring Murthy family. Mahalakshmi, an aspiring pilot from Vizag, moves to Hyderabad for flight training and stays with the Murthy family, where she grows fond of their familial atmosphere. Over time, she develops feelings for Seenu, who reciprocates her affection. With the approval of Seenu’s family, their marriage is arranged.
However, it is soon revealed that Mahalakshmi’s mother is the estranged sister of Seenu’s father, having married against her brothers' wishes, which created a longstanding family feud. This revelation complicates their relationship, as Mahalakshmi’s parents forcibly intervene and try to arrange her marriage to another man. Seenu and Mahalakshmi confront their families and urge them to reconcile. Their efforts lead to the resolution of the family conflict, allowing for the couple's marriage to proceed.

## Cast

* Nagarjuna Akkineni as Seenu
* Tabu as Mahalakshmi "Pandu" (Voice by S. P. Sailaja)
* Chalapathi Rao as Seenu's father
* Chandra Mohan as Murthy
* Giri Babu as Hari
* Ahuti Prasad as Prasad, Mahalakshmi's father
* Brahmaji as Sivaji
* Banerjee as Bachi
* Ravi Teja as a bike racer who challenges Seenu
* C. V. L. Narasimha Rao
* Jeeva
* Uttej as Anji
* Prudhviraj
* Lakshmi as Mahalakshmi
* Rama Prabha as Paapa
* Manju Bhargavi as Bhavani, Mahalakshmi's mother
* Kavitha
* Shanoor Sana
* Ramaraju
* Chitti
* Kadambari Kiran
* Geeta as Seenu's sister

## Production
### Development

While Gulabi (1995) was still under production, director Krishna Vamsi caught the attention of Nagarjuna, who expressed interest in collaborating with him. Impressed by a few songs from Gulabi, Nagarjuna decided Krishna Vamsi should direct his next film. Despite Nagarjuna's enthusiasm, Krishna Vamsi hesitated to commit before Gulabi was released. Nevertheless, Nagarjuna announced the project even before the film’s release, demonstrating his confidence in the director.
Initially, Krishna Vamsi developed a script featuring action and violence, scouting locations in Visakhapatnam for a project that would later become Samudram (1999). However, audience feedback about the violent tone of Gulabi led him to reconsider his approach. Seeking to distinguish his style from his mentor Ram Gopal Varma’s, Krishna Vamsi decided to create a family-oriented drama focusing on relationships and entertainment. Drawing inspiration from the celebratory and emotional themes of Hindi films like Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994) and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), he adapted their essence to suit Telugu audiences while avoiding their idealised, dreamy settings.
Krishna Vamsi completed the script in just 15 days and presented it to Nagarjuna. After a narration of the storyline, Nagarjuna approved the project. Krishna Vamsi aimed to incorporate Telugu cultural elements into the film, ensuring it remained relatable while retaining the emotional appeal of its Hindi counterparts.

### Casting

Casting for the film involved extensive deliberation. Meena was initially considered for the female lead but could not commit due to scheduling conflicts. The production team auditioned over 65 actresses before finalizing Tabu. Krishna Vamsi met her in Mumbai and narrated the story amidst busy traffic. Tabu expressed enthusiasm for the role and later received a detailed script reading in Madras, after which she formally joined the project.
The film's cinematography was handled by K. Prasad, with art direction by Peketi Ranga and editing by Shankar. Y. V. S. Chowdary served as the co-director.
During the censor process, the board requested the removal of a shot featuring Nagarjuna and Tabu rolling on the ground, along with objections to some other scenes.

## Music

The music for the film was composed by Sandeep Chowta, marking his debut as a film composer. Prior to this, he had only composed background scores. The audio soundtrack was released under the T-Series label.
Telugu version

### Unnaiye Kalyaanam Pannikkiren (Tamil Version)
## Box office

Ninne Pelladatha was released on 4 October 1996 and became Nagarjuna's first direct silver jubilee (175 days) hit in Telugu. The film had a 100-day run in 38 theatres and a 175-day run across three centres. It made history as the first film to gross over ₹1 crore in the Hyderabad twin cities. It also set a new record in the Nizam region by completing a 100-day run in seven theatres.
The film was dubbed into Tamil as Unnaiye Kalyanam Pannikiren and released on 9 May 1997, where it also succeeded. It was later remade in Kannada as Preethsod Thappa (1998), starring V. Ravichandran and Shilpa Shetty.

## Accolades

| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
| Filmfare Awards South | 30 August 1997 | Best Film – Telugu | Nagarjuna (Annapurna Studios) | Won |
| Filmfare Awards South | 30 August 1997 | Best Director – Telugu | Krishna Vamsi | Won |
| Filmfare Awards South | 30 August 1997 | Best Actress – Telugu | Tabu | Won |
| Nandi Awards | 1997 | Akkineni Award for Best Home-viewing Feature Film | Ninne Pelladata (Nagarjuna) | Won |
| Nandi Awards | 1997 | Best Male Playback Singer | Rajesh Krishnan for ("Yeto Vellipoyindi") | Won |
| National Film Awards | 15 July 1997 | Best Feature Film in Telugu | Nagarjuna and Krishna Vamsi | Won |