Chandra Teja

Neerukulla 35km (2025) drags you into the sweaty, unpredictable chaos of life in a tiny Telugu village where nothing’s ever as simple as it looks. Chandra Teja, who’s got this knack for mixing raw, punchy drama with a dash of oddball humor, sets up a story that’s part road trip, part coming-of-age mess, and part social soapbox. The whole thing kicks off with a stubborn old bus, rattling along the only half-decent road for 35 kilometers from Neerukulla to some place that promises change—or at least, escape. Onboard? A bunch of locals, each with enough baggage (literally and emotionally) to fill the roof rack twice over. There’s an idealistic teacher who thinks he’s going to change the world, a runaway bride with more secrets than luggage, a grumpy drunk who’s seen too much, and a kid who just wants to see the city lights. But the road, of course, isn’t smooth. Flat tires, ancient superstitions, and a weirdly persistent goat all get in the way. As the kilometers tick by, the passengers bicker, flirt, confess, and sometimes even bond over shared snacks and heartbreaks. Teja doesn’t shy away from poking fun at small-town politics, caste drama, and the strange stuff people cling to when life’s falling apart. The journey keeps tripping over the unexpected, forcing these strangers to face their own messes and each other’s quirks. By the time the bus limps into its destination, nobody’s untouched. Honestly, it’s gritty and chaotic, but that’s pretty much the point.