Anaganaga Oka Raju directed by Maari reached theaters in the Sankranthi season of 2026. With Naveen Polishetty and Meenakshi Chaudhary stars, the movie was promoted as a fun-filled family entertainer. Naveen rising in popularity and due to the festive release slot meant expectations soared that there was a comedy drama suitable to strike a chord with audiences of all ages. The tale centers around Raju (Naveen Polishetty), a young man from a once-wealthy family who finds himself in financial trouble.
He tries to recover this lost stability through a quirky marriage arrangement with Charu (Meenakshi Chaudhary). Behind the scenes, there’s both situational comedy and family drama, there’s emotional twists, too. But although the premise is comedic by design, the story often feels predictable and relies heavily on Naveen’s comic timing to keep the audience engaged. Performance-wise, Naveen Polishetty is the star of the movie.
He delivers witty dialogue and a jovial screen presence to the role that carries the movie, particularly in the opening scenes. Meenakshi Chaudhary adds charm and balances the humor with emotional depth. Supporting actors such as Rao Ramesh and Goparaju Ramana also serve in lighter moments, but their roles remain largely limited.
The film’s pluses are its breezy comedy sequences and jubilant mood — great for viewing at holiday time. But the second half suffers from pacing and forced emotional scenes. The film is not innovative or new in genre as there are routine tropes that prevent the film from reaching its full potential. There is music from Mickey J. Meyer and cinematography by J. Yuvraj, which makes for tasty flavors but does not push the film beyond its restrictions. In the grander scheme of things, Anaganaga Oka Raju is truly a one-man show powered by Naveen Polishetty’s charisma. For audiences hoping for a light-hearted entertainer at Sankranthi, it’s a good watch, if not one to remember.
