Acharya (2022 film)
Acharya ( is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by Koratala Siva. Produced by Konidela Production Company and Matinee Entertainment, the film stars Chiranjeevi as the titular character alongside Ram Charan, Pooja Hegde, Sonu Sood and Jisshu Sengupta. The film tells the story of Acharya, a Naxalite leader who enters a shrine named Dharmasthali to put an end to the oppression caused by a local politician named Basava. Sidda confronts drugs and harassments inside the sanctum. Despite this, Sidda may have to work with the Naxalites in the event of unforeseen circumstances. The film has music composed by Mani Sharma and cinematography by Tirru. The film was launched in October 2019. Principal photography began in January 2020 and suffered delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Acharya was released theatrically on 29 April 2022 and opened to generally mixed to negative reviews. It was a commercial failure, grossing  crore over a budget of  crore. Plot
Dharmasthali and adjoining hamlet of Padaghattam are Temple towns, which are surrounded by the Siddhavanam forest. Dharmasthali and Padaghattam are interlinked by their values and faith to the goddess Gattamma. Dharmasthali operates under the tyrannical rule of Basava, the local municipal chairman. He intends to give the lands of Dharmasthali and Padaghattam to Rathod and his brother for mining purposes. The people of Padaghattam, who are known for their expertise in Ayurvedic medicine, start visiting Dharmasthali less frequently due to Basava's cruel regime. Acharya, a naxal, arrives in Dharmasthali in the guise of a carpenter. He starts retaliating for the atrocities committed by Basava to the villagers. It is revealed that Acharya came to Dharmasthali to fulfill his best friend Siddha's promise. He reveals about Siddha's past and origin to Dharmasthali villagers: Siddha is a disciple of the local Gurukul and a strong advocate for Dharma. Apart from him, Basava and the other men of the village study with him in the Gurukul. Basava hatches a plan with Rathod's brother and his friend to destroy the village's Gattamma Temple, under the guise of flooding from torrential rain to start mining. Siddha discovers Basava's plan and attacks the trio on the night they plan to destroy the temple. He is gravely injured in the ensuing chaos

Acharya's squad arrives to his rescue and take him away to the nearby Siddhavanam forest and heal him. Siddha wakes up, and Acharya's comrade Bose reveals his origins. Siddha was born to Comrade Shankar, Acharya's naxal squadron leader. In a shootout with the local law enforcement, Siddha's parents are both killed. Before dying, Shankar makes a young Acharya promise to raise Siddha with awareness about their fight for Dharma. To protect him, Acharya hands the newborn Siddha over to Adanna, to be brought up in Dharmasthali. However, Acharya watches and protects Siddha from afar as he grows up. Siddha learns of his origins and is willingly initiated into Acharya's naxal squad. During a mission in rescuing the children of Adivasis who were forcibly taken away by Rathod's men for child labour in his mines, Siddha comes across a map of lands to be blasted for mining purposes which includes the lands around Padaghattam and Dharmasthali. When Siddha goes back to his village to stop the mining, he comes across Rathod's henchmen heading to kill Acharya's squad. While trying to finish them with Acharya, Siddha is shot and killed by Rathod's henchman, Khilla. Before dying, Acharya promises to Siddha that he will protect the village and stop the illegal mining planned by Basava and Rathod. After the reveal of Siddha's past, Acharya is arrested by the local police, while Basava and Rathod hatch a plan to wipe out the entire village during Gattamma's festival. Meanwhile, Acharya's squad manage to break him out of the police convoy while he is being taken away. He then kills each and every one of Rathod's henchmen, including Khilla, and Rathod's brother before killing both Rathod and Basava. After coming to terms with Siddha's demise, Acharya bids his farewell to Padaghattam and Dharmasthali and goes back to the forest with his squad to continue Siddha's legacy of upholding Dharma and their fight. 