Hi Nanna

<p>Six-year-old Mahi lives in with her father Viraj, grandfather, and their pet dog, Pluto. Mahi suffers from , and Viraj, a successful , dedicates his life to caring for her. Whenever Mahi asks about her absent mother, Viraj avoids the topic. Upset by his silence, Mahi runs away from home with Pluto. They are saved from an accident by Yashna, a kind woman. At Mahi’s request, Yashna invites Viraj to a restaurant, where she and Mahi convince him to tell the story of her mother, “Varsha.” To make it easier for Mahi to imagine, Yashna pretends to be Varsha. Viraj recounts how, ten years ago, he met Varsha, a woman disillusioned by her parents’ divorce, in . Over time, Varsha overcame her fears and married Viraj despite her mother’s objections. Though they struggled financially, they were happy. When Viraj’s career took off, he wanted a child, and Varsha, initially hesitant, agreed. However, their joy turned to sorrow when their daughter, Mahi, was born with a fatal illness. Devastated, Varsha blamed Viraj and regretted their marriage. Mahi, upset by the story, asks Viraj to stop. Privately, Yashna, visibly emotional, urges him to finish. Viraj reveals that shortly after Varsha’s breakdown, they met with a car accident. In a twist, it’s revealed that Yashna is Varsha herself. She survived the accident but developed , forgetting her past, marriage, and child. Her mother lied to Viraj, claiming Varsha wanted a divorce, and forced him to stay away. Viraj, crushed but loving, raised Mahi alone. Pluto recognizing Yashna led to their reunion, though Viraj tried to keep the truth hidden to protect them both. Meanwhile, Yashna was engaged to Dr. Aravind, the neurosurgeon who had once treated her. Hoping to avoid pain, Viraj took Mahi and Pluto to . However, Mahi secretly invited Yashna, and they reconnected. Yashna found herself naturally drawn to Viraj and Mahi, even falling in love with Viraj again. On her wedding day, after learning the truth from Yashna’s mother, Mahi was devastated. Later, Yashna’s estranged father revealed to her that Viraj had raised Mahi selflessly and that they were still meant to be together. Yashna abandoned her wedding and rushed to the hospital where Mahi, after a sudden health crisis, was fighting for her life. Supported by Aravind and his medical team, Mahi was operated on. Before the surgery, Yashna promised Mahi she would stay and teach her a song. The movie ends with a grown-up, healthy Mahi singing onstage the song taught to her by her mother, symbolizing the family’s reunion and the enduring power of love and destiny. On January 1, 2023, Vyra Entertainment announced their maiden production film, with and as cast and debut director Shouryuv, music and background score composer , cinematographer , editor Praveen Anthony, and art director Jothish Shankar as crew. It was tentatively titled . The film marks Thakur’s second Telugu film after (2022). In late March, was announced as being a part of the cast in his debut Telugu film. In late April, it was reported that was going to be a part of the cast. On July 13 July, the title was revealed. Nani reportedly received (US$2.6 million) as remuneration. began in February 2023, with the first schedule in . The second schedule commenced in . The schedule was concluded by May 31. The third schedule was filmed in . Thakur wrapped up her portions for the schedule by July 27. The fourth schedule commenced on September 2 September in . The schedule reportedly featured a song sequence. The music and background score is composed by in his maiden collaboration with Shouryuv and Nani. The audio rights were acquired by . The tracks “Samayama”, “Gaaju Bomma”, “Ammadi”, “Odiyamma,” and “Idhe Idhe” were released as singles before the full 10-song album on 18 December 2023. Wahab re-recorded the film’s background score using thereby becoming the first Indian film to do so. had a worldwide theatrical release on 7 December 2023, along with dubbed versions in , , and . The film was initially scheduled to release on 21 December 2023, but was later moved to 7 December 2023 in order to avoid clash with and . The digital streaming and satellite rights of the film were sold for (US$4.4 million) to . The film was made available on Netflix in January 2024 in , along with dubbed versions of Tamil, Hindi (Hi Papa), Kannada and Malayalam. On the website , of 7 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.7/10. Paul Nicodemus of gave it 3.5/5 stars and wrote, ” a must-watch for those seeking a blend of heart and soul in cinema.” Raghu Bandi of gave it 3/5 stars and wrote “Nani and Mrunal Thakur star in a high-emotion drama that will remind you of actor’s .” Neeshitha Nyayapati of wrote, “Shouryuv’s debut film is an emotional drama that’ll tug at your heart, both with its performances and storyline.” Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of wrote, “Shouryuv’s drama is a breather amid larger-than-life action entertainers.” Ram Venkat Srikar of wrote “Hi Nanna makes up for its weaker parts with some super strong emotional moments and even after not being convinced with it in certain aspects, it’s a story that’s largely satisfying on the emotional level.”</p>