Acharya (Eng: Teacher) is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by Koratala Siva. Produced by Konidela Production Company and Matinee Entertainment, the film stars Chiranjeevi as the titular character alongside Ram Charan, Pooja Hegde and Sonu Sood. The film tells the story of Acharya, a Naxalite leader who enters a shrine named Dharmasthali to put an end to the oppression caused by a local politician named Basava. Sidda confronts drugs and harassments inside the sanctum. Despite this, Sidda may have to work with the Naxalites in the event of unforeseen circumstances. The film has music composed by Mani Sharma and cinematography by Tirru.
Dharmasthali and adjoining hamlet of Padaghattam are Temple towns, which are surrounded by the Siddhavanam forest. Dharmasthali and Padaghattam are interlinked by their values and faith to the goddess, Gattamma. Dharmasthali operates under the tyrannical rule of Basava, the local municipal chairman. He intends to give the lands of Dharmasthali and Padaghattam to Rathod and his brother for mining purposes. The people of Padaghattam, who are known for their expertise in Ayurvedic medicine, start visiting Dharmasthali less frequently due to Basava’s cruel regime.
Acharya who is a naxal, arrives in Dharmasthali in the guise of a carpenter. He starts retaliating for the atrocities committed by Basava to the villagers. It is revealed that Acharya came to Dharmasthali to fulfill his best friend, Siddha’s promise where he reveals about Siddha’s past and origin to Dharmasthali villagers. In the past, Siddha is a disciple of the local Gurukul and a strong advocate for Dharma. Apart from him, Basava and the other men of the village study with him in the Gurukul. Basava hatches a plan with Rathod’s brother and his friend to destroy the village’s Gattamma Temple, under the guise of flooding from torrential rain to start mining. Siddha discovers Basava’s plan and attacks the trio on the night they plan to destroy the temple. He is gravely injured in the ensuing chaos, when Acharya’s squad arrives to his rescue where they take him away to the nearby Siddhavanam forest, for his recuperation where Acharya reveals where Siddha is actually from. Siddha was born to Comrade Shankar, Acharya’s naxal squadron leader, and in a shootout with the local law enforcement, Siddha’s parents are both killed. Before dying, a young Acharya promises Shankar to raise Siddha with awareness about their fight for Dharma.
To protect him, Acharya hands the newborn Siddha over to Adanna, to be brought up in Dharmasthali. However, he watches and protects Siddha from afar, as he grows up. Siddha learns of his origins and is willingly initiated into Acharya’s naxal squad. During a mission in rescuing the children of Adivasis who were forcibly taken away by Rathod’s men for child labour in his mines, Siddha comes across a map of lands to be blasted for mining purposes which includes the lands around Padaghattam and Dharmasthali. When Siddha goes back to his village to stop the mining, he comes across Rathod’s henchmen under the orders of Rathod, to kill Acharya’s squad. While trying to finish them with Acharya, Siddha is shot and killed by Rathod’s henchman, Khilla, before he is killed by Acharya. Before dying, he promises to Siddha that he will protect the village and stop the illegal mining planned by Basava and Rathod.
After the reveal of Siddha’s past, Acharya is arrested by the local police, while Basava and Rathod hatch a plan to wipe out the entire village during Gattamma’s festival. Meanwhile, Acharya’s squad manage to break him out of the police convoy while he is being taken away. He then kills each and every one of Rathod’s henchmen and Rathod’s brother before killing both Rathod and Basava. After coming to terms with Siddha’s demise, Acharya bids his farewell to Padaghattam and Dharmasthali and goes back to the forest with his squad to continue Siddha’s legacy of upholding Dharma and their fight.
Directed by Koratala Siva
Written by Koratala Siva
Produced by Niranjan Reddy & Anvesh Reddy
Starring Chiranjeevi, Ram Charan, Pooja Hegde, Sonu Sood
Cinematography Tirru
Edited by Naveen Nooli
Music by Mani Sharma
Production Konidela Production Company & Matinee Entertainment
Release date 29 April 2022
Running time 154 minutes
Country India
Language Tamil
