Mr. Perfect

About the film

Mr. Perfect is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language romantic drama film directed by Dasaradh, and produced by Dil Raju under Sri Venkateswara Creations. The film features Prabhas, Kajal Aggarwal and Taapsee Pannu alongside Murali Mohan, Prakash Raj, Nassar, Sayaji Shinde and K. Vishwanath. The music is composed by Devi Sri Prasad. The film follows Vicky (Prabhas), who never compromises in his life, a principle that he has adhered to since childhood. He breaks off his engagement with Priya (Kajal) after he learns that she is making many compromises for his sake. However, time makes him realize the need for compromises in life.

Mr. Perfect was released theatrically on 22 April 2011 to positive reviews and went on to be successful at the box office, emerging as Prabhas's highest grosser up until that point, collecting a distributor's share of over ₹29 crore at the box office. It also became the second highest-grossing Telugu film of 2011. The film won the newly incorporated Nagi Reddy Memorial Award for "Best Telugu Family" entertainer for the year 2011. It received 6 nominations at the 59th Filmfare Awards South.

Plot

Vicky, a successful entrepreneur running a video game development firm in Australia, adheres to a strict lifelong philosophy of absolute non-compromise. He firmly believes that individuals must remain unapologetically themselves within a relationship rather than altering their core personality traits to accommodate a partner. While he aggressively advocates this rigid mindset among his peers, it creates an ongoing conflict with his father, who consistently advises him that mutual adjustment is essential for collective happiness.

Concurrently in India, Vicky's parents arrange his alliance with Priya, a compassionate physician and his childhood friend. The two are diametrically opposed: Vicky is fiercely individualistic and modern, whereas Priya is traditional, conservative, and always willing to sacrifice her personal preferences for the joy of others. Their initial interactions are characterized by mutual friction and petty practical jokes. However, following her father's guidance, Priya adopts a more positive outlook toward Vicky and gradually falls deeply in love with him. To align with his lifestyle, she systematically alters her own identity, abandoning her passion for classical dance, eating non-vegetarian cuisine, and adopting contemporary attire.

Reciprocating her affection, Vicky agrees to the wedding. However, his convictions are severely shaken when he learns that his close friend, Shiva, is undergoing a bitter divorce caused by the long-term resentment of excessive marital compromises. Upon realizing that Priya has completely sublimated her own identity for his sake, a disturbed Vicky calls off the wedding, arguing that a relationship built on forced modifications cannot survive, and abruptly returns to Australia.

Reception

Sify mentioned "Director Dasarath should be appreciated for his clean, family-oriented outlook, keeping under check all the elements that are not his forte. The screenplay is slow, but interesting, and remains unpredictable till the end of the film". Idlebrain.com mentioned " First half of the film is okay though the conflict point is revealed only in the interval block. Second half is predictable. The plus points of the movie are casting (Prabhas, Kajal & Tapsee), production values, cinematography and music".

The Statesman described the film as a "timeless classic". At the heart of “Mr. Perfect” lies a poignant narrative about sacrifice and self-discovery. As the protagonist navigates the complexities of love and relationships, audiences are drawn into a riveting journey of personal growth and realization. The Statesman quotes "What’s truly remarkable is the universal appeal of Prabhas, evident in the overwhelming turnout at Japanese theatres screening “Mr Perfect”.

Soundtrack

The original score was composed by Devi Sri Prasad and the soundtrack for the film was released on 19 March 2011. Shreya Ghoshal won The Hyderabad Times Film Award in 2011 for best playback singing for her track "Chali Chaliga".

Release

Mr. Perfect was released theatrically on 22 April 2011.

The film was released in almost 800 theatres in Andhra Pradesh. It was also released across India, and overseas with 200 odd prints.

It was dubbed into Tamil and Malayalam under the same title and later into Hindi under the title No.1 Mr. Perfect (by Goldmines Telefilms in 2013).

Plagiarism

Novelist Shyamala Rani has approached the court, claiming the storyline of Mr Perfect is based on her novel Naa Manasu Korindi Ninne and many scenes and the overall tone of the film also coincides with her writing. Shyamala Rani also claimed in April 2019 that the court has passed an interim judgement in favour of her.

Key details