Athadu
A gunman for hire is framed for murder, and assumes a dead man's identity while hiding from the police.
Directed by Trivikram Srinivas · Action · Crime · Drama · 172 min · 2005
Director
Trivikram Srinivas
Writer
Trivikram Srinivas
Studio
Jayabheri Arts
Release
10 Aug 2005
Runtime
172 min
Genres
Action, Crime, Drama
Full Plot
To receive a sympathy vote, a crooked politician plans his own assassination attempt. Nandu is hired to merely wound the politician, but someone else pulls the trigger first. Framed for murder, Nandu flees and meets Pardhu, a man returning home after a long absence. The young man is killed in the police crossfire meant for Nandu. Nandu assumes Pardhu's identity and his new "cousin" has a romantic interest in him...
Cast & Characters
Nanda Gopal "Nandu", a hitman who takes up the identity of Pardhu
Mahesh Babu
Malli, Nandu's partner (voice dubbed by P. Ravi Shankar)
Sonu Sood
Young Nanda Gopal "Nandu"
Manoj Nandam
Anjaneya Prasad IPS, designated to CBI Officer, takes up the case of Siva Reddy's assassination.
Prakash RajRamana, Pardhu's friend
Sunil
Did You Know?
The film netted ₹10 lakh from three screens in Chennai in its opening weekend debuting at second position pushing Shankar's Anniyan down to the third place.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
The film received praise for its plot, slick screenplay, creative action sequences, the amalgamation of humor, emotional weightage, suspense music, dialogues, cinematography and the central performance of Mahesh Babu.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
In an interview with the media about his film Julayi (2012), Trivikram shared his views on this film, stating : I narrated the story of Athadu to Mahesh Babu before the start of Nuvve Nuvve shoot.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
Athadu holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (15,313 votes).
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.2/10 on IMDb (15,313 votes)), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Athadu's IMDb rating?+
Athadu has a 8.2/10 rating on IMDb from 15,313 votes.
Is Athadu good? What are critics saying?+
Athadu holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (15,313 votes).
How long is Athadu?+
Athadu has a runtime of 172 min.
Who directed Athadu?+
Athadu was directed by Trivikram Srinivas.
Where can I watch Athadu?+
Athadu is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Prime Video, aha, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
