Welcome Obama

Welcome Obama is a 2013 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, who also composed the soundtrack. A remake of the Marathi film Mala Aai Vhhaychy! (2011), the film stars Urmila Kanetkar, Rachel and Esteban. It focuses on a surrogate mother who bears a foreigner's child. The film was released on 20 September 2013.

Welcome Obama
Poster
Directed bySingeetam Srinivasa Rao
Based onMala Aai Vhhaychy!
by Samruoddhi Porey
Produced byBharati Krishna
StarringUrmila Kanetkar
Rachel
Esteban
CinematographyS. S. Darshan
Edited bySuriya
Music bySingeetam Srinivasa Rao
Production
company
Sandalwood Media
Release date
  • 20 September 2013 (2013-09-20)
Running time
120 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTelugu

Plot

Lucy, an American woman, comes to India looking for a surrogate mother to bear her a child. She lands a deal with Yashodha, an impoverished single mother. Yashodha has an accidental fall when pregnant and the doctors conjecture that there is a risk of the baby being born deformed, leading to Lucy revoking the contract and returning to the United States. But Yashodha delivers a healthy and active boy named Krishna, and everyone calls him "Obama" due to his white skin. Years later, Lucy gets to know about the boy and comes to India to take him. But Yashodha, having developed a strong bond with Krishna, refuses to send him back.

Cast

Production

Welcome Obama, directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao and produced by Bharati Krishna under Sandalwood Media,[1] is a remake of the Marathi film Mala Aai Vhhaychy! (2011). Urmila Kanetkar, the lead actress of that film, was chosen to reprise her role.[2] British actress Rachel was chosen to portray an American woman, and French child actor Esteban was cast as the surrogate child.[3] The dialogues were written by Rohini.[4] Cinematography was handled by S. S. Darshan.[1] Welcome Obama was shot on Eastmancolor film, as opposed to being shot digitally.[5] Shooting was completed in 33 days.[4]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by Singeetham Srinivasa Rao who also worked as lyricist.[4][6]

Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Oh God"Karthik4:40
2."Puttindi Palakadalilo"Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, Nikhila Singeetam4:28
3."Bujji Bujji Nadakalatho"Chinmayi4:54
4."I Am a Hero"Pravasti3:26
5."Aakasaanante"Chinmayi3:58

Release and reception

Welcome Obama was released on 20 September 2013.[7] Sandeep Atreysa of Deccan Chronicle wrote, "Certainly, this is not a runof-the-mill story Telugu audiences would watch often. But what went wrong? Slow-paced narration in the first half and a bad comedy track in second half."[8] Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu wrote, "There was a time when Singeetam Srinivasa Rao gave us some of the most entertaining films that broke new grounds both in storytelling and technical departments [...] Now, at the age of 82, when the filmmaker with unbeatable fervour comes up with a story that discusses surrogacy, it is natural to expect a social family drama that tugs at your heart strings while making observations about surrogacy. But as the drama unfolds, you are left looking for the missing magic of a once-brilliant filmmaker."[9]

References
  1. "Audio release of 'Welcome Obama' to be released in May". News18. 24 April 2013. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  2. Jha, Lata (11 September 2017). "Ten Marathi films remade in other languages". Mint. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  3. "Singeetam Srinivasa Rao to direct Marathi film Mala Aai Vhhaychy in Telugu". The Times of India. 17 March 2013. Archived from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  4. "Singeetham Srinivasa Rao interview". Idlebrain.com. 20 September 2013. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  5. Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (19 September 2013). "'My life is not drab'". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  6. "Welcome Obama (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  7. "Welcome Obamma [sic] Movie Review". The Times of India. September 2013. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  8. Atreysa, Sandeep (21 September 2013). "Experiment goes wrong". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 25 July 2019 – via PressReader.
  9. Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (21 September 2013). "Welcome Obama: Magic sorely missing". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
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