Movie: Anaganaga Oka Raju
Rating: 2.75/5
Banner: Sithara Entertainments
Cast: Naveen Polishetty, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Rao Ramesh, Tarak Ponnappa, Goparaju Ramana, Mahesh, Chammak Chandra, and others.
Music: Mickey J Meyer
Producers: Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya
Direction: Maari
Release Date: Jan 14, 2026
Although Naveen Polishetty delivered hits like Jathi Ratnalu and Miss Shetty Mr.Polishetty, he has taken three years to come up with another film. “Anaganaga Oka Raju” is his latest film and arrived in theaters today to join the Sankranthi 2026 race.
Let’s find out its merits and demerits.
Story:
Raju (Naveen Polishetty), the grandson of a once-wealthy landlord from the Godavari district, is drowning in financial trouble. Determined to secure his future, he sets his sights on marrying into wealth and finds the perfect match in Charulatha (Meenakshi Chaudhary), the daughter of affluent landlord Bhupathi Raja (Rao Ramesh). Raju wins her love, and the two eventually marry.
However, his dreams shatter soon after the wedding when he discovers that Bhupathi Raja has left him not with riches, but with massive debts and liabilities. Realising he has been cleverly duped, Raju is forced to confront his harsh reality. What will he do next?
Artistes’ Performances:
Naveen Polishetty once again shoulders the film almost entirely. Not only does he play the lead, but he also co-writes the script, making this very much his show. With his trademark comic timing and expressive performance, he keeps the narrative engaging throughout. While his comedy here may not quite match the high benchmark set by Jathi Ratnalu, he still manages to drive the film effectively on his own shoulders.
Meenakshi Chaudhary is impressive as Charulatha and delivers a neat performance. Rao Ramesh has limited scope, appearing only in a couple of scenes, while Tarak Ponnappa plays a straightforward role as a politician. Among the supporting cast, Chammak Chandra gets a few noticeable moments.
Technical Excellence:
Mickey Meyer’s music lacks a catchy appeal, with only the Bhimavaram Balma song making any real impact. On the technical front, the film looks strictly functional—adequate in execution, but with nothing particularly striking or memorable.
Highlights:
Naveen Polishetty’s gag
Breezy first half
Drawback:
Thin story and familiar scenes
Middle portion turns a bit bore
Political campaign scenes drag on
Looks silly at many places
Analysis
Naveen Polishetty has carved a distinct identity for himself with his comic performances in Jathi Ratnalu and Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty, and he continues in the same vein with “Anaganaga Oka Raju.” However, this time, the humour largely borrows from the familiar territory of old EVV Satyanarayana–style comedies. In fact, the core plot strongly recalls classic Rajendra Prasad and EVV films.
Written by Naveen Polishetty and Chinmayi Ghatraju, the story offers little in terms of novelty, though the screenplay remains fairly neat. The first half mainly revolves around Raju pretending to be wealthy despite losing his ancestral properties, and his efforts to woo Charulatha through the so-called “Charulatha Mission.”
This hour-long stretch is dominated by one-liners, gags, and Naveen Polishetty’s one-man show, with a light dose of romance. While these sequences are routine, they do manage to generate decent laughs.
The interval block is handled well and creates curiosity about the second half. Post-interval, however, the film shifts into an election drama. The political setup, combined with social media reels and trending references, feels reminiscent of recent films like “Committee Kurrollu.”
Since election-based humour has already been explored extensively in Telugu comedies, these portions come across as predictable and bland. The prolonged stretch eventually turns tiresome.
That said, the writers manage to wrap up the narrative on a relatively better note by adding an emotional touch to Raju’s election arc. As mentioned earlier, “Anaganaga Oka Raju”is not meant to impress with its story or freshness. It is designed purely for laughs. On that front, Naveen Polishetty does his best to hold the film together, though not entirely successfully.
Overall, if you’re looking for a few decent jokes and a time-pass entertainer, Anaganaga Oka Raju may work for you. While the humour clicks occasionally thanks to Naveen Polishetty’s performance, the film lacks freshness and fails to deliver consistently hilarious moments, offering only a handful of effective gags.
Bottom-line: Few laughs
