Race Gurram

Ram Prasad and Lakshman "Lucky" Prasad are brothers and polar opposites. While the former is an honorable and driven Assistant Commissioner of Police, the latter is a happy-go-lucky guy who is constantly at odds with his brother. Criminal turned politician Madhav Shiva Reddy and his goons hold a squad of police officers at gunpoint, and force Officer Rajeev to kill his commanding officer, ACP Sameer, to save the lives of the rest of the officers. Ram is motivated to prevent Shiva Reddy's participation in the upcoming elections.

Lucky falls for Spandana, daughter of the wealthy Bheem Prakash. After meeting Lucky on a regular basis, she reciprocates his love. Ram comes to know of Lucky's relationship and tells Prakash that Lucky is lazy and good for nothing as retribution for a previous prank, and Prakash tells Lucky he cannot marry his daughter. Lucky confronts Ram, and they start fighting. When Lucky doesn't stop, he's slapped by his mother for the first time in his life. Emotionally shaken and angry at his brother, he steals Ram's Jeep, in which Ram was transporting files that incriminated Shiva Reddy in numerous crimes. Lucky is then attacked by Shiva Reddy's men, and the Jeep goes up in flames along with the files. Lucky beats up the goons, who then reveal they meant to kill Ram and dispose of the files on orders from Shiva Reddy. Lucky becomes infuriated and abducts Shiva Reddy from his nomination parade. He lets Shiva Reddy live since Ram was not killed, but severely wounds him and leaves him hanging from a tree.

After recovering and being elected a Member of Legislative Council, Shiva Reddy starts to take revenge on Lucky and his family. After hiring people to publicly shame Ram with false stories and get him suspended from the police force, Shiva Reddy pulls strings and has the government demolish the family's house, claiming that it was illegally built. Ram is then informed that it was Lucky that stole his Jeep. Lucky admits to his mistake but says that Ram would've been killed if Lucky hadn't stolen the Jeep. Ram retorts that Lucky wasn't trying to save his life, and kicks Lucky out of the family after berating him for what his mistake has cost them.

Lucky is abducted by Shiva Reddy, who brutally beats him and leaves him hanging from the same tree Lucky hung him from. Lucky escapes and plans to take revenge on Shiva Reddy with the help of Home Minister Govardhan, who owes Lucky for his promotion from MLA. Lucky fools Govardhan by staging a hospital room where he seems to be dying and a fake doctor claims he has one day to live. Govardhan says he will grant any wish Lucky asks, and Lucky requests to be instated as a special police officer and that Govardhan do a solitary 12-hour prayer so that there might be a chance of his survival. His requests are reluctantly accepted, and, for one day, he is put in charge of a team of frustrated police officers headed by Kill Bill Pandey.

Lucky first arrests Ram, knowing that his brother would prevent him from bringing justice to Shiva Reddy illegally. When meeting with Shiva Reddy's auditor, Lucky learns of a few of Shiva Reddy's factories and raids them. When Shiva Reddy calls Lucky's special forces team to berate them, they claim ignorance and Lucky sends Pandey to Shiva Reddy in person to get a list of his factories under the pretense that they'll know which factories to not raid. Using the list and the media, the special forces team invades and exposes Shiva Reddy's illegal operations. Govardhan's prayer finishes and after the Chief Minister tells him of his mistake and scolds him, he releases and reinstates Ram. Lucky fights and defeats Shiva Reddy, but after he cuffs him, Ram appears and cuffs Lucky. Govardhan and the Chief Minister want to publicly hang Lucky for illegally arresting a government official and humiliating them, but Ram tells them that people wouldn't take well to killing the man who exposed Shiva Reddy as a criminal. He turns on the TV and shows them that the media believes that Govardhan and the CM orchestrated the successful one-day operation to take down Shiva Reddy and that the public plan on re-electing them because of their heroics. Govardhan and the CM are satisfied with the golden opportunity they've received, but Lucky, threatening to reveal the truth to the media, blackmails them into also installing his special forces team full-time with Pandey as its leader and giving independent powers to sincere police officers like Ram. Realizing Shiva Reddy has been listening to them, they let him run free out into the street, where he is shot and killed by Rajeev. Lucky steps down as a special officer with his involvement not known to the media, and Pandey speaks to the media as Lucky reunites with his brother and his family.

Golconda Fort where some scenes were shot on Allu Arjun and others.

It was reported in the early September 2012 that Surender Reddy would direct Allu Arjun in this film which was announced to be produced by Nallamalupu Bujji.[12] It was titled Race Gurram in the end of October 2012.[13] This was the first film for Allu Arjun with Surender Reddy and S. Thaman. The film was launched on 24 October 2012, the day of Vijayadasami, at Ramanaidu Studios in Hyderabad.[14] Chiranjeevi, Allu Aravind, Nallamalupu Srinivas (Bujji), Dr. Venkateswara Rao, D. Ramanaidu, K. Raghavendra Rao, Nagababu, Ali, V. V. Vinayak, Rana Daggubati, Shyam Prasad Reddy, Vakkantham Vamsi graced the event.[15] D. Ramanaidu did the formal pooja and Chiranjeevi gave the clap. V. V. Vinayak directed the first shot while Shyam Prasad Reddy switched on the Camera. One of the producers, Dr. Venkateshwar Rao said that the Regular shoot would start in December after the Completion of Allu Arjun's Iddarammayilatho.[16] During the film's launch, it was reported that Vijayan would provide the fights and thrills in the film.[16] Initially Samantha was approached for female lead in it, but later Shruti Haasan was selected as the Heroine, which was confirmed by the actress in her Twitter.[17] It was declared that the regular shooting would start from 2 May 2013 aiming a Vijaya Dasami Release.[18] However, due to some delay, the regular shooting started from 13 May 2013 in Hyderabad.[19]

After completing the first schedule in Hyderabad, the team headed to Norway for canning some important scenes including some of the songs, making it a long schedule.[20] At that point of time, it was reported that Surender Reddy roped in Shaam after he worked with him in Kick and Oosaravelli.[21] Meanwhile, after the completion of the shoot at Norway, the unit proceeded to Europe[22] (Switzerland, Italy) where 2 songs were scheduled to be canned in a period of 8 days ranging from 1 July 2013 after which the regular shoot would continue in Hyderabad.[23] However, the shooting resumed in Geneva which later continued in Milan.[24] At this point of time, Saloni was selected as the second heroine in the film which marks her first collaboration with Allu Arjun and Surender Reddy.[25] Later on the unit returned to Hyderabad and Allu Arjun and Shruti Haasan participated in the shooting at Annapurna Studios 7 Acres.[26] There the song "Cinema Choopista Maava" was shot under the choreography of Johnny Master.[27] After the completion of the song shoot, Allu Arjun participated in a fight scene shoot which was choreographed by noted fight masters Ram-Lakshman.[28] In early September 2013, it was confirmed that Bhojpuri Superstar Ravi Kishan was roped in as the antagonist thus marking this film his Telugu Debut.[29]

Later in September, some scenes were canned on Allu Arjun and others at Golconda Fort in Hyderabad.[30] Later on some fight scenes were canned in and around Hyderabad in which the leads participated.[31] On the night of 28 October 2013 scenes between Allu Arjun and Shaam were shot at Hell pad Junction in Ramoji Film City at Hyderabad.[32] In early November 2013, shooting continued in Ramoji Film City where some comedy scenes were shot.[33] From 16 November 2013 some action sequences were canned in which Allu Arjun participated.[34] The shooting continued in Ramoji Film City and the unit shot some more fight sequences at the outskirts of Hyderabad from 19 November 2013.[35] The shooting continued in Jadcherla where scenes on Allu Arjun, Brahmanandam and Ravi Kishan were shot.[36] Later some crucial scenes were shot near Charminar area in Hyderabad.[37] After wrapping up a chase sequence on Allu Arjun and Shruti Haasan there, the unit yet again continued its shooting at Ramoji Film City. By then Surender Reddy revealed that most of the film's shoot had been wrapped up.[38] On 24 December, it was announced that the film's talkie part was completed and 2 songs were left to be shot which would start form the new schedule which would commence from 5 January 2014.[39]

On 5 January, the new schedule yet again began at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad where some crucial scenes and an item number will be shot. It was said that the last song's shoot was said to be held from 20 to 25 January with which the filming would come to an end.[40] Later on 13 January 2014 a song was shot on Allu Arjun and Kaira Dutta in which Thagubothu Ramesh and Srinivas Reddy also participated.[41] It was said to be the introduction song of Allu Arjun in the film which was composed by Dinesh Master.[42] A song was planned to be shot on Allu Arjun and Shruti Haasan from 15 February.[43] However, since the latter had a surgery, the filming of the song was shifted to 17 February.[44] In February 2014, it was reported that Veteran Kannada and Telugu actress Pavitra Lokesh is playing the role of Allu Arjun's Mother in this film.[45] Meanwhile, on 20 February Shruti Haasan announced that she wrapped up her part of the shoot.[46] The song's shoot came to an end on 22 February 2014 thus ending the film's shoot.[8] In mid March 2014, it was reported that Brahmanandam would play the role of a police officer in this film.[47] In an interview to the IANS, Brahmanandam told that he and Allu Arjun play the roles of partners in Police Department. He said "I play his assistant in the film and scenes between us are a laugh riot. I'm extremely happy with the character because it's something I haven't played in a long time. I'm sure audiences are going to love watching us together on screen".[48] Sunil gave voice-over for the film.

The film's first look was released on 7 December 2013.[56] The teaser was released on the same day at 10:00 AM in the Morning on the occasion of Surender Reddy's birthday in YouTube.[57] The Teaser was of 30 seconds in which Arjun runs in a Black shirt and Black Trousers with Black Goggles with the Background Music notching the word Boochodu (Bogeyman) with Ravi Kishan's eyes highlighted twice. The teaser received positive response from fans of Arjun as well as common audience.[58] The Audio release poster featuring Allu Arjun and Shruti Haasan was released on 13 March 2014 in High Quality version after the low quality version released into the Internet.[59] That poster received viral response from all corners.[60] On 16 March 2014 the teasers of all the six songs were released into YouTube officially by the makers.[61]

The hot pose featuring Allu Arjun and Shruti Haasan went viral. Before the music launch was held in a low key affair at Park Hyatt, it was reported that the makers opted for organizing a big fanfare event before the film's release.[62] After the Audio released into the market, it was reported that the film's theatrical trailer would be launched in a function held at Rajahmundry on 22 March 2014.[63] The venue was confirmed on 21 March 2014 as the GIET college youth fest in Rajamundry.[64] The trailer received positive response from all corners.[65] It was reported that the producers ordered unique light based standees featuring a dancing still of Allu Arjun and each of these standees costed around ₹10,000. It was said that the producer has ordered around 50 standees and keep it prominently in all multiplexes and important single screens.[66]

S. Thaman composed the Music and Background Score for this film which marks his first collaboration with Allu Arjun and second collaboration with Surender Reddy.[67] In January 2014, Lahari Music purchased the Audio rights for an amount of ₹75 lakh (US$110,000).[68] Later in early March 2014, Thaman confirmed that the film's audio would be launched on 16 March at Hyderabad.[69] The film's Soundtrack Album was released in a simple and formal promotional event on 16 March 2014 at Park Hyatt hotel in Hyderabad.[62] The Audio received predominant positive response from all corners and many celebrities praised Thaman for his work.[70] The soundtrack also debuted as one among the top ten albums in iTunes along with Maan Karate and Kochadaiiyaan.[71]

Initially, the film was planned as a Vijayadashami release viz. 13 October 2013.[72] However it was later shifted to January 2014 as a Sankranti special along with Mahesh Babu's 1 - Nenokkadine.[73] In the end of November 2013, it was confirmed that the film would be using the Auro 11.1 Audio file format by Barco Sounds thus making it the third Telugu movie to adopt this next-generation three-layer sound technology from Auro Technologies, powered by Barco Sounds which was succeeded by Mahesh Babu's 1 - Nenokkadine.[74] But in early December 2013, it was confirmed that the film's release postponed again thus exiting the Sankranti race.[75] Then it was declared that it would hit the screens in February 2014.[76] In the end of December 2013, Reports emerged that the film postponed yet again from February and was slated as a Summer Release.[77][78]

In the end of January 2014, it was reported that the film would release worldwide on 4 April 2014.[79] In mid February 2014, it was reported that the film is expected to release on 11 April 2014.[8] But on the last day of February 2014, it was reported that the film would release on 28 March 2014 clashing with Nandamuri Balakrishna's Legend which was also slated for a 28 March 2014 release worldwide.[80] On 13 March 2014 FICUS Inc released a press note which stated that they purchased the entire overseas theatrical screening rights of the film.[81] During the theatrical trailer launch at Rajahmundry, Allu Arjun confirmed that the film would release on 11 April 2014.[9] In association with FICUS Inc, European Telugu Colors purchased the theatrical screening rights of the film in Europe except in UK.[82] It was later dubbed in hindi titled Main Hoon Lucky The Racer by Goldmines Teleflims which grossed more than 121 million youtube views.[83]

The word Devuda often spelt by Allu Arjun in the film became very famous and was used by many artists. Also, the song "Cinema Choopista Mava" became extremely popular, including the part where Allu Arjun carries Shruti Hassan with his feet. Kapil Dev praised Allu Arjun's work in this film when Allu Arjun and his wife Sneha Reddy met him. Kapil told him that he had watched all his Hindi-dubbed films.[97]

• Race Gurram at IMDb