Chennai Love Story was released in theatres on 24 July 2026. It is directed by Ravi Namburii and produced by Sreenivasa Kumar Naidu and Sai Rajesh. Sai Rajesh has also written the story for this film. The leading actors are Kiran Abbavaram and Sri Gouri Priya. Kiran plays the role of Steven Shankar, an aspiring filmmaker who comes to Chennai with big dreams. Sri Gouri Priya plays Nivedita, also called Nivi, a girl who is trying to recover from a bad breakup. The music is composed by Mani Sharma, who came back after a long time to work on this project. It is a Telugu romantic drama that runs for three hours and is mostly set in Chennai.
The film was announced in June 2025 and the shooting was completed by December that same year. It was released with a UA16+ certificate and had to face tough competition from other films. Even then, it managed to collect over fifty crore rupees worldwide on a budget of about fifteen crore rupees. That is a clean hit by any measure. This is not your regular fluffy romance. It tries to mix real heartbreak with something supernatural. Three hours is a long time to sit in a theatre, so the film has a lot to prove. Let me break it down for you simply.
Chennai Love Story Movie Overview
| Movie name | Chennai Love Story |
|---|---|
| Release Date | 24 July 2026 |
| Casting | Kiran Abbavaram, Sri Gouri Priya, Thrigun, Devi Prasad, P. Vasu, Deepa Shankar |
| Writer | Sai Rajesh |
| Director | Ravi Namburii |
| Producer | Sreenivasa Kumar Naidu, Sai Rajesh |
| Genre | Romance, Drama |
| Language | Telugu |
| Run Time | 3 hours |
| Platform | Theatrical Release |
The film was announced in June 2025 and filming wrapped up by December that same year. It released with a UA16+ certificate and went up against some heavy competition at the box office. Still, it managed to pull in over fifty crore rupees worldwide on a budget of about fifteen crore rupees. That is a clean hit no matter how you look at it.
Chennai Love Story Movie Cast and Crew
The whole film basically rides on its lead pair. Kiran Abbavaram plays Steven Shankar, a small town guy who comes to Chennai with big dreams of becoming a filmmaker. He has this innocent charm about him that makes you want to root for him. Sri Gouri Priya plays Nivedita, or Nivi as everyone calls her, and honestly she is the real star here. She plays a girl who is broken, depressed, and slowly finding her way back to life. Her performance feels real. Not overdone, not fake. Just genuine pain and genuine healing. The chemistry between these two works best in the first half when things are light and easy.
Thrigun plays Ajay, the ex boyfriend who dumps Nivi right at the start. Devi Prasad shows up in a supporting role. P. Vasu makes a special appearance as himself which is a nice little treat. Deepa Shankar plays a Chennai bus passenger and adds some local color. Behind the camera, Ravi Namburii directs this as his first film. Sai Rajesh wrote the story and also co produced it. Mani Sharma composed the music and he clearly put his heart into it. The cinematography makes Chennai look beautiful and the editing keeps things from getting too slow.
Casting members and their roles:
| Cast Name | Character Name |
|---|---|
| Kiran Abbavaram | Steven Shankar |
| Sri Gouri Priya | Nivedita “Nivi” |
| Thrigun | Ajay, Nivi’s ex-boyfriend |
| Devi Prasad | Nivi’s father |
Chennai Love Story Movie Storyline
The film opens at a railway station where Ajay breaks up with Nivi after three years together. He tells her straight up that he has fallen for someone else. Nivi falls apart. She starts drinking heavily and her life goes downhill fast. She decides to leave everything behind and moves to Chennai to stay with her friends. She thinks a new city will fix her broken heart. In Chennai, she meets Steven Shankar, a young man who is running from producer to producer, trying to sell his film stories. He gets rejected everywhere but never loses his smile. His cheerful nature slowly pulls Nivi out of her darkness. She starts laughing again. She starts feeling again. And before she knows it, she falls for him. Steven also finally impresses a producer with one of his stories. Everything is falling into place. They decide to get married at a register office.
But then tragedy strikes. On the day of their wedding, Steven dies in an accident. Nivi crashes back into depression and returns to her old drinking habits. She visits Steven’s grave, angry and crying, and somehow her blood touches the grave. His soul appears before her. Only she can see him. He becomes her invisible companion, making her laugh and keeping her company. Then Ajay comes back and wants her back. Nivi agrees to marry him in front of her sick mother who is in the hospital. In the end, Steven’s soul convinces Nivi that she deserves real happiness and should go back to Ajay. He leaves forever while Nivi and Ajay reconcile.
Chennai Love Story Movie Budget
This was never meant to be a big-budget blockbuster and it is not. Made on about 15 crore rupees, the film proves that a good story and solid acting can bring people to theatres without spending crazy money. The team shot across Chennai and kept costs under control. The box office numbers speak for themselves. Over fifty crore rupees worldwide. Mythri Movie Makers handled distribution in Nizam and Prathyangira Cinemas managed the wider release. With digital streaming rights also sold, the producers are sitting pretty. This is a profitable film by every measure.
Final Word
Chennai Love Story opened on 24 July 2026 and the honest verdict is this. The first half is genuinely good. The setup is relatable, the performances are warm, and Mani Sharma’s music hits all the right notes. Sri Gouri Priya is the highlight, bringing real emotion to Nivi’s journey. But the second half loses its way. The supernatural angle feels forced, the melodrama goes overboard, and at three hours the film starts to test your patience. It is worth watching for the acting and the first half, but go in with realistic expectations and maybe some snacks for the long runtime.
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