Kathanayakudu (Telugu: కథానాయకుడు) is a 2008 Telugu drama film directed by P. Vasu, which was simultaneously made in Tamil as Kuselan. Both remake the Malayalam film Kadha Parayumbol; the film is directed by P. Vasu and produced by Aswani Dutt and G. P. Vijayakumar in two languages. Kuselan stars Jagapati Babu in the lead role paired opposite Meena. Rajinikanth and Nayantara appear in extended cameo roles. The film revolves around a villager, who had shared a strong friendship with a popular cinema actor in their youth. However due to their different pursuit in careers they eventually are forced to part ways, one becoming a national figure, the other, a village barber. Decades later, the actor returns to the village to participate in his film's shooting. Whilst the entire village become excited about the prospect of seeing the actor, the barber fears that his old friend would have forgotten him and would neglect him. The story explores the pressures of friendship.An emotional tale, the story is about two childhood friends Balakrishna (Jagapathi Babu) and Ashok Kumar (Rajinikanth). Balu does not stop at anything to make his friend feel happy. As time passes by, they take different paths and Balu becomes a barber in a small village called Siricilla. He gets married to Devi (Meena) and has three children and leads a happy life. However, his finances are dry and he is often led to the door of Dharmaraju (Dharmavarapu), the financier. On the other hand, Balu has tough competition from the more smart and clever Kantha Rao (Sunil) who has a saloon right opposite to his shop. Balu is a man with self-respect and honesty. His life continues to roll until one day there is news that a film shooting is going to happen in a place near their village and the hero of the film is Superstar Ashok Kumar (Rajinikanth). The news spreads like wildfire and Balu knows this but hesitates to show himself as a friend of Ashok Kumar. On the other hand, folks around get to know the friendship of Balu and Ashok Kumar and in this process those who have been ridiculing him start doing favors for him only with the intention of meeting Ashok Kumar or at least watching him from outside. But hesitant Balu is unable to do what they want and soon people start shunning him, even his own children start showing anger towards him.

• published: 14 Jan 2014
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