Galla Manjunath

Jathara (2024), with Galla Manjunath at the forefront, isn’t your run-of-the-mill flick—it dives right into the thick of rural Andhra Pradesh, where tradition and chaos love to dance together. The story’s rooted in the heart of a village, where the annual jathara (that’s basically a festival, but on steroids) turns the whole place upside down. You’ve got the usual suspects: a stubborn priest, the local politician who thinks he’s a god, and families with enough drama to fuel a dozen soap operas. In the middle of all this, there’s a brewing rivalry that’s been simmering for years, threatening to explode bigger than last year’s firecrackers. Manjunath’s character? He’s not your typical hero. More like the guy who’s always in the wrong place at the wrong time but somehow ends up at the heart of the action. He’s got his flaws—lets his temper win a little too often and can’t seem to keep his nose out of trouble. But when the festival’s sacred idol goes missing (of course it does), he gets sucked into a wild hunt, dodging accusations, superstitions, and more than a little small-town politics. Honestly, the movie juggles a bunch of stuff: family feuds, faith, ambition, and a pinch of dark comedy. It’s noisy, colorful, and sometimes a little messy—just like real village life. And by the end, you’re left wondering if tradition’s holding things together or pulling everything apart. Now that’s a ride.