| Salaam Venky | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Revathi |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by | Shrikant Murthy |
| Based on | The Last Hurrah by Shrikant Murthy |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Ravi Varman |
| Edited by | Manan Ajay Sagar |
| Music by | Mithoon |
Production |
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| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing International |
Release date |
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Running time | 136 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Salaam Venky (transl. Salute to you, Venky) is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language slice-of-life drama film directed by Revathi.[1] The film is produced by Connekkt Media along with Suraj Singh and Shraddha Agrawal through their banners, Blive Productions and RTake Studios, respectively. Starring Kajol and Vishal Jethwa (as the title character) in the lead roles, the film is centered around the true story of a mother who does everything she can to let her son, diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, live life to the fullest. The film is based on the book The Last Hurrah[2] by Shrikanth Murthy, which is based on the real-life events of Kolavennu Venkatesh and his mother, K. Sujata.[3]
The film was announced on 7 October 2021 by Revathi and Kajol. Principal photography began on 11 February 2022; the first schedule took place in Mumbai.[4] The film was theatrically released on 9 December 2022.[5]
Diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Venkatesh is supposed to be sick and die by the age of 16. Instead, his zest for life, determination, and soaring human spirit surprise medical science. The ever-smiling Venkatesh wants to donate his organs before he leaves this world. At 24-years-old, he challenges the state, and the law of the country and earns his place in the hearts of people.
The film was announced in October 2021, tentatively titled The Last Hurrah. The announcement consisted of a picture of the lead and the director. Later however, the name was changed to Salaam Venky when the shooting commenced.[8]
The main parts of the film were shot from February–April 2022 in India, the remaining parts were shot later on in the year including Aamir Khan's cameo. Filming wrapped up on 3 October 2022.[9]
| Salaam Venky | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 7 December 2022 |
| Recorded | 2021–22 |
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
| Length | 29:22 |
| Label | Zee Music Company |
| Official audio | |
| Salaam Venky - Full AlbumonYouTube | |
| Singles from Salmaam Venky | |
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The music of the film is composed by Mithoon. Lyrics are penned by Mithoon, Sandeep Shrivastava and Kausar Munir.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Jo Tum Saath Ho" | Mithoon | Arijit Singh | 5:49 |
| 2. | "Dhan Te Nan Zindagi" | Mithoon | Mohit Chauhan, Mithoon | 4:18 |
| 3. | "Yu Tere Hue Hum" | Mithoon | Jubin Nautiyal, Palak Muchhal | 3:59 |
| 4. | "Anda Bata Paratha" | Sandeep Shrivastava | Benny Dayal, Mithoon, Aditi Singh Sharma | 3:18 |
| 5. | "Jo Tum Saath Ho" (Duet) | Mithoon | Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal | 5:49 |
| 6. | "Badi Zindagi" | Kausar Munir | Shaan | 3:13 |
| 7. | "Jo Tum Saath Ho" (Lullaby) | Mithoon | Shreya Ghoshal, Shambhavi Thakur, Sminit Mhatre | 1:56 |
| Total length: | 29:22 | |||
Salaam Venky was released on 9 December 2022 in cinemas.
The digital and satellite rights are held by Zee5 and Zee Cinema, respectively.[10] The film was premiered on ZEE5 from February 10, 2023.[11]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 25% of 8 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.8/10.[12]
Dhaval Roy of The Times of India rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "The heart-touching fare, replete with positivity as much as pain, is a must-watch".[13]
