

A hitman, Nandu, is hired to stage the assassination of a politician. However, when the politician is actually killed and Nandu is framed for the murder, he assumes a dead man's identity to evade the law.
Acting
Mahesh Babu's deadpan delivery masking genuine vulnerability.
Writing
Trivikram's signature dialogue that works in comedy and tension.
Direction
The seamless tonal shifts from slapstick to life-or-death.

Director
Trivikram Srinivas
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The train fight sequence was shot in actual moving trains without green screen, a rarity even then for Telugu cinema.
Athadu cemented the 'Trivikram-Mahesh' template: urbane hero, rural disguise, family warmth masking dark past. This combo defined mid-2000s Telugu star vehicles.