Sridevi with Sobhan Babu in the Telugu hit Mundadugu (1983)

Sridevi, 19, and Sobhan Babu in the Telugu hit Mundadugu (1983).  

This film was the second highest grossing Telugu film of 1983.

Film was remade the year later as Maqsad (1984) with Jeetendra replacing Sobhan Babu in the Hindi version while Sridevi reprised her role. 

Originally released on 25 February 1983. 

Stepping Ahead: The Unstoppable Charm of Mundadugu (1983)

When producer D. Ramanaidu mounted Mundadugu in early 1983, the Telugu film industry witnessed a casting coup. Directed by K. Bapaiah, the film united two male juggernauts - Superstars Krishna and Sobhan Babu - alongside two reigning screen queens, Sridevi and Jaya Prada. The result was nothing short of a box-office phenomenon that went on to celebrate a glorious Silver Jubilee run.

The Romance and the Rivalry

At its core, Mundadugu ("A Step Forward") wove a sweeping narrative of estranged family ties, ideological clashes, and corporate deception, scripted to perfection by the Paruchuri Brothers. Sobhan Babu played Chakravarthi, the principled son of a wealthy family, opposite Sridevi as Bharati, the strong-willed daughter of a local schoolteacher.

+------------------+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Key Details      | Film Overview                                         |
+------------------+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Release Date     | February 25, 1983                                     |
| Director         | K. Bapaiah                                            |
| Lead Ensemble    | Krishna, Sobhan Babu, Sridevi, Jaya Prada             |
| Box Office Status| Blockbuster (Silver Jubilee / 100+ Days)              |
| Hindi Remake     | Maqsad (1984)                                         |
+------------------+-------------------------------------------------------+

Young, beautiful sari-clad Sridevi’s electric screen presence provided the ideal foil to Sobhan Babu’s understated, suave charm. Whether exchanging witty banter or navigating the heightened melodramatic turns of the plot, their dynamic anchored the film's emotional heart. Paired with K. Chakravarthy’s soundtrack and Veturi’s poetic verses, their romantic sequences became instant classics, defining early-80s Telugu cinema glamor.

A Lasting Legacy

Mundadugu proved to be a colossal commercial victory, emerging as the second highest-grossing Telugu film of 1983. It was a cultural event that packed theaters for over 100 days across multiple centers. Its formula for multi-starrer success was so potent that Suresh Productions remade it in Hindi the following year as the blockbuster Maqsad - the leading ladies remained, as Jeetendra and Rajesh Khanna took over the other lead roles.  

You can revisit this classic Telugu multi-starrer in full on Suresh Productions' YouTube Channel, which features the complete remastered release of Mundadugu. Slim, svelte, 19-year-old Sridevi looks so gorgeous in the movie. So does Jaya Prada, in a modern avatar, which was rare for her.