Watch Dasara (2023) online

Dasara (transl. Vijayadashami) is a 2023 Indian Telugu-language period action drama film written and directed by debutant Srikanth Odela. It stars an ensemble cast of Nani, Keerthy Suresh, Dheekshith Shetty, Shine Tom Chacko, Samuthirakani, Sai Kumar and Poorna. The film is set in the backdrop of Singareni coal mines near Godavarikhani of Telangana.

The film was announced in October 2021. Principal photography commenced in March 2022 and ended in January 2023. Santhosh Narayanan composed the soundtrack and background score.

Dasara was released on 30 March 2023 and generally received positive reviews from critics.

In 1995, Dharani is a young ruffian, who steals coal for a living and lives with his grandmother in Veerlapally. The villagers always consume alcohol and get entangled with family problems. He spends most of his time with his best friends Siddham "Suri" Suryam and Vennela. Dharani loves Vennela since their childhood, but later learns that Vennela loves Suri. As a result, he sacrifices his love for her and decides to get the duo married. However, their relationship is objected by Vennela's mother Ramanamma, due to Suri's involvement in stealing coal.

Dharani makes Suri win a local cricket match in order to receive a job at the famous "Silk" bar, as announced by the village's political rivals: Shivanna's son Chinna Nambi and Shivanna's adopted brother Rajanna. Chinna Nambi creates a ruckus at the bar and gets Dharani and his friends arrested. Rajanna calls Suri and asks him to contest in the sarpanch elections, to which Suri agrees. Suri eventually wins the election and his marriage with Vennela is fixed. On the day of his marriage with Vennela, Suri and his friends are mysteriously killed, devastating Dharani and Vennela. Baying for vengeance, Dharani begins to investigate into the matter. He learns that Chinna Nambi was the perpetrator and ordered Suri's death.

Chinna Nambi's wife tells him that Chinna Nambi lusts for Vennela and had Suri killed when he learnt about Suri and Vennela's relationship, not because he contested against him. Learning this, Dharani begins to protect Vennela from Chinna Nambi. On the day of Dasara, Chinna Nambi reveals to Vennela about his involvement in Suri's death and Dharani's devotion to her. In the Rama Navami event, Chinna Nambi hires men to kill Dharani and his friends. However, Dharani manages to decapitate Chinna Nambi, while his friends kill his men. Dharani gets arrested and is released a few years later, where he sets the bar on fire, finally realizing that the effects of alcohol will ruin the villagers' lives.