‘Geethanjali’ re-release: Cinematographer PC Sreeram revisits Mani Ratnam’s iconic love story

May 12, 1989. Mani Ratnam’s Telugu film Geethanjali was released rather quietly. It took time for the love story starring Nagarjuna Akkineni and Girija, with haunting music by Ilaiyaraaja, to become a rage across erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. It remains one of the most memorable love stories in Telugu cinema. Its Tamil dubbed version Idhayathai Thirudathey was equally phenomenal at the box office in Tamil Nadu. Thirty seven years later, the digitally restored film will re-release in 4K format in Telugu and Tamil on August 28, 2026.

Geethanjali is titled after its female protagonist (played by Girija) whose zest for life belies the fact that her days are probably numbered. She is grappling with a terminal heart condition. The story follows her journey and that of Prakash (Nagarjuna), a college graduate diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. When the two cross paths, a relationship blossoms amid questions of life and death and the yearning to celebrate each day.