It was on 16 January 2009 that 'Arundhati', starring Anushka Shetty in a dual role (as Jejamma, the Queen of Gadwal, and Arundhati, Jejamma's great-granddaughter) hit the screens. The Kodi Ramakrishna directorial has turned 15 today.
The horror fantasy, which became a blockbuster of sorts, was a turning point in Anushka's career. Till the 'Baahubali' movies, it remained her most-rewatched movie. The 'Bhaagamathie' actress' career was sorted once it was released in theatres. Casting Anushka was producer Shyam Prasad Reddy's call. Sonu Sood landed the antagonist's role because of his performance in Jr NTR's 'Ashok'.
Adorned with superb VFX, the film won ten Nandi Awards and two Filmfare Awards. The Nandi Special Jury Award for Anushka was a deserved recognition. P Ravi Shankar, who won the Best Male Dubbing Artist for dubbing for Sonu Sood, also became more sought-after. Also starring Sayaji Shinde, Raghu Babu and others, the film had music by Koti.
It had cinematography by K Senthil Kumar, who later became the most preferred DoP for SS Rajamouli. 'Arundhati' was lauded for its new-age filmmaking at that time.
