‘Daaku Maharaaj’ is a 2025 Indian Telugu-language action drama film directed by Bobby Kolli. The film stars Nandamuri Balakrishna in the titular role, alongside Bobby Deol, Pragya Jaiswal, and Shraddha Srinath.
Plot:
- Set in 1996 in Madanapalle, Chittoor district, the story follows Krishnamurthy and his granddaughter Vaishnavi, who lead a peaceful life. After reporting illegal wildlife trade, they face threats from local politician Trimurtulu Naidu. ‘Daaku Maharaaj’ (Sitaram) intervenes to protect them, revealing his transformation into a notorious bandit and his struggles against societal injustices.
Cast:
- Nandamuri Balakrishna as Sitaram / Daaku Maharaaj
- Bobby Deol as Balwant Singh Thakur
- Pragya Jaiswal as Kaveri (Sitaram’s wife)
- Shraddha Srinath as Nandini (Balwant’s wife)
- Supporting roles: Sachin Khedekar, Makarand Deshpande, Ravi Kishan, among others
Production:
- Announced in June 2023 as ‘NBK 109’, marking Balakrishna’s 109th film
- Official title ‘Daaku Maharaaj’ revealed in November 2024
- Filming commenced in November 2023 and concluded in December 2024, with locations including Hyderabad, Ooty, and Jaipur
Music:
- Composed by Thaman S
- First single “The Rage of Daaku” released on 14 December 2024
- Second single “Chinni” released on 23 December 2024
Release and Reception:
- Theatrically released on 12 January 2025, coinciding with Sankranti
- Grossed approximately ₹115 crore worldwide, ranking as the third highest-grossing Telugu film of 2025 citeturn0search11
- Streaming on Netflix from 21 February 2025 in multiple languages
Critical Response:
- The Times of India rated it 3.5/5, highlighting Balakrishna’s commanding performance and stylish action sequences citeturn0search8
- India Today rated it 2.5/5, noting it as a “decent template entertainer” with classic Balakrishna elements
Trivia:
- The Netflix version excludes scenes featuring Urvashi Rautela; the reason for this omission remains undisclosed
The official trailer is available on Netflix India’s YouTube channel.
