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Top Ten Telugu Rom-Com movies on Netflix, Prime Video and more: From Prabhas’ Darling to Nani’s Hi Nanna
Who does not love a good rom-com! Here are the top 10 must-watch Telugu romantic-comedy films that will surely give audiences heartwarming moments.
The Telugu Film Industry, also known as Tollywood, has mostly always been associated with masala commercial entertainers, offering a mix of romance, action, thrill, and comedy all in one film.
But the fact is that Telugu cinema has consistently produced some of the best romantic comedies ever, eliciting feelings of love, loss, happiness, and a general sense of warmth. Here, we’ll look at the top ten Telugu romantic comedies ever made, in descending order of their year of release.
Top Ten Telugu Rom-Coms:
1. Hi Nanna (2023)
- Writer-Director: Shouryuv
- Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Cast: Nani, Mrunal Thakur, Kiara Khanna, Jayaram, Angad Bedi, Shruti Haasan
- Genre: Romance/Drama/Comedy
- Where To Watch: Netflix
Hi Nanna is a beautiful story of a single father who has to take care of his daughter, who is suffering from a rare condition called cystic fibrosis. As much as Hi Nanna is a father-daughter love story, it is also the story of Viraj, played by amazing Nani, and Yashna, played by the elegant and gorgeous Mrunal Thakur. How their lives intertwine in this journey of love is presented in the form of a wonderfully written screenplay with adequate twists to keep the audience engaged. By the end of the film, make sure to keep a box of tissues ready because, trust me, you will need them.
2. Geetha Govindam (2018)
- Writer-Director: Parasuram Petla
- Runtime: 2 hours 28 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
- Cast: Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna, Subbaraju
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Where To Watch: Disney+Hotstar/ZEE5
After the hot-headed Arjun Reddy, Vijay’s next release was the cool and calm Govindam in Geetha Govindam, and the actor managed to pull it off with such ease, establishing him as a force to be reckoned with in Tollywood. Geetha Govindam is celebrated to this day for its breezy romance, hilarious comedic episodes, and a lovely album. When released, the film was also a blockbuster, amassing close to 132 crores at a budget of just five crores.
3. Oohalu Gusagusalade (2014)
- Writer-Director: Srinivas Avasarala
- Runtime: 2 hours 11 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
- Cast: Naga Shaurya, Srinivas Avasarala, Raashi Khanna
- Genre: Comedy/Romance
- Where To Watch: Disney+Hotstar/Netflix/Prime Video
Oohalu Gusagusalade is one of the most underrated rom-coms ever to be made in Telugu cinema. It is an adaptation of the 1897 French play titled Cyrano De Bergerac, and the plot revolves around Venky, an aspiring newsreader who has to impress his boss to get the job he wants. But the plot gets interesting when he has to help his boss woo a girl who happens to be Venky’s ex-girlfriend. The film stars a charming Naga Shaurya and a beautiful Raashi Khanna in her Telugu debut.
4. Ishq (2012)
- Writer-Director: Vikram Kumar
- Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Cast: Nithiin, Nithya Menen, Thagubothu Ramesh, Rohini
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Where To Watch: Sun NXT
When two strangers on a flight to Hyderabad unexpectedly end up in Goa, they feel themselves undeniably falling for each other. The plot of Ishq, although pretty simple, it was the performances of Nithiin and Nithya Menen that made the film so special. Their chemistry was effortless, and Nithya’s bubbly character added quite a bit to the film. The film worked so well that Nithiin and Nithya were featured in yet another rom-com right after Ishq titled Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde.
5. Ala Modalaindi (2011)
- Writer-Director: Nandini Reddy
- Runtime: 2 hours 9 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
- Cast: Nani, Nithya Menen, Kriti Kharbanda, Sneha Ullal, Ashish Vidyarthi
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Where To Watch: Prime Video/ZEE5
Ala Modalaindi is BV Nandini Reddy’s debut directorial film and is an absolute treat for anyone looking for a light-hearted watch. It has great situational comedy, making the best use of each ridiculous situation. From Nani getting kidnapped by Ashish Vidyarthi to Ashish then helping Nani kidnap somebody, it is all just pure fun and makes for great cinema. Nani and Nithya Menen have gone on to do multiple rom-coms in their career, but this will always be one of the most memorable ones.
6. Darling (2010)
- Writer-Director: A. Karunakaran
- Runtime: 2 hours 33 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Cast: Prabhas, Kajal Aggarwal, Prabhu, MS Narayana, Dharmavarapu Subramanyam, Chandra Mohan
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Where To Watch: Sun NXT
Darling is a name that has become synonymous with actor Prabhas over the years. Prabhas is now associated with massive tentpole films, the likes of Baahubali, Salaar, and Project K, but there was a time when fans enjoyed Prabhas in these sweet boy-next-door romantic movies, and Darling belongs to this list. When watched now, the film gives a bittersweet feeling, watching the late iconic Tollywood comedians like MS Narayana, D. Subramanyam, and Chandra Mohan. The chemistry between Prabhas and Kajal worked so well that the duo was cast next in another romantic comedy, Mr. Perfect.
7. Bommarillu (2006)
- Writer-Director: Bhaskar
- Runtime: 2 hours 48 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Cast: Siddharth, Genelia Deshmukh, Prakash Raj, Jayasudha
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Where To Watch: Youtube
An iconic Telugu film that even many non-Telugu speaking audiences have watched and enjoyed. The plot revolves around Siddu, who has to step out of his father’s dominating presence to find his true love. The story is pretty straightforward, but just like in any rom-com, the moments in Bommarillu make the film so enjoyable even today. Not to mention Devi Sri Prasad’s beautiful album, which added so much to the movie.
8. Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana (2005)
- Director: Prabhu Deva
- Writers: Gopalkrishna Paruchuri, MS Raju
- Runtime: 2 hours 45 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Cast: Siddharth, Trisha Krishnan, Srihari, Sunil
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Where To Watch: Sun NXT
Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana is yet another lovely rom-com from Siddharth featuring a delightful Trisha Krishnan. Trisha’s expressions, antics, and endearing charm are beautiful to watch. Her bonding with the late Srihari and Siddharth’s need to impress Trisha all tied up so well. It is a tale of going after what you love, or in this case, going after who you love. It is a classic remembered for its great comedy and even better story.
9. Manmadhudu (2002)
- Writer: Trivikram Srinivas
- Director: K. Vijaya Bhaskar
- Runtime: 2 hours 22 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Cast: Nagarjuna, Sonali Bendre, Brahmanandam, Sunil
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Where To Watch: Disney+Hotstar
Nagarjuna plays Abhiram, a misogynistic manager in an ad agency. He hates women and everything about them. So, when Harika is appointed as the assistant manager to Abhiram, he takes an instant dislike to her, going out of his way to cause her pain. But things change when Harika learns of Abhiram’s past. Manmadhudu is one of those classic Telugu love stories that has the perfect blend of romance and comedy. Brahamanandam’s comedy timing in this film was just out of this world, and Trivikram’s dialogues added so much to the film.
10. Nuvvu Naaku Nachav(2001)
- Writer: Trivikram Srinivas
- Director: K. Vijaya Bhaskar
- Runtime: 3 hours 4 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
- Cast: Venkatesh, Aarthi Agarwal, Brahmanandam
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Where To Watch: Disney+Hotstar
It would be fair to say that Nuvvu Naaku Nachav is perhaps one of if not, the most iconic romantic comedies ever made in Telugu cinema. The film features some of the best comedy episodes conceived by Trivikram and executed so brilliantly by actors Venkatesh, Brahmandam, and Prakash Raj. This film will always be close to the hearts of Telugu audiences and a testament to Trivikram Srinivas’s caliber as a writer.
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