Kathanayakudu (Telugu: కథానాయకుడు)
is a 2008 Telugu drama film directed by P. Vasu, which was
simultaneously made in Tamil as Kuselan. Both remake the Malayalam film
Kadha Parayumbol; the film is directed by P. Vasu and produced by Aswani
Dutt and G. P. Vijayakumar in two languages. Kuselan stars Jagapati
Babu in the lead role paired opposite Meena. Rajinikanth and Nayantara
appear in extended cameo roles.
The film revolves around a villager,
who had shared a strong friendship with a popular cinema actor in their
youth. However due to their different pursuit in careers they eventually
are forced to part ways, one becoming a national figure, the other, a
village barber. Decades later, the actor returns to the village to
participate in his film's shooting. Whilst the entire village become
excited about the prospect of seeing the actor, the barber fears that
his old friend would have forgotten him and would neglect him. The story
explores the pressures of friendship.An emotional tale, the story is
about two childhood friends Balakrishna (Jagapathi Babu) and Ashok Kumar
(Rajinikanth). Balu does not stop at anything to make his friend feel
happy. As time passes by, they take different paths and Balu becomes a
barber in a small village called Siricilla. He gets married to Devi
(Meena) and has three children and leads a happy life. However, his
finances are dry and he is often led to the door of Dharmaraju
(Dharmavarapu), the financier. On the other hand, Balu has tough
competition from the more smart and clever Kantha Rao (Sunil) who has a
saloon right opposite to his shop. Balu is a man with self-respect and
honesty. His life continues to roll until one day there is news that a
film shooting is going to happen in a place near their village and the
hero of the film is Superstar Ashok Kumar (Rajinikanth). The news
spreads like wildfire and Balu knows this but hesitates to show himself
as a friend of Ashok Kumar. On the other hand, folks around get to know
the friendship of Balu and Ashok Kumar and in this process those who
have been ridiculing him start doing favors for him only with the
intention of meeting Ashok Kumar or at least watching him from outside.
But hesitant Balu is unable to do what they want and soon people start
shunning him, even his own children start showing anger towards him.
