Sri Manjunatha

Sri Manjunatha
Directed by	K. Raghavendra Rao
Produced by	Nara Jaya Sridevi
Written by	J. K. Bharavi (Telugu dialogues), V. Nagendra Prasad (Kannada dialogues)
Story by	J. K. Bharavi
Starring	Chiranjeevi Arjun Meena Soundarya
Music by	Hamsalekha
Cinematography	Sundarnath Suvarna
Edited by	R. Janardhan
Production company	Chinni films
Release date	22 June 2001
Running time	152 minutes
Country	India
Language	Kannada Telugu

Sri Manjunatha is an Indian bilingual devotional film, made simultaneously in Kannada and Telugu. The film starred, Chiranjeevi, Arjun Sarja, Meena and Soundarya in lead roles. The film directed by K. Raghavendra Rao and produced by Nara Jaya Sridevi, emerged as a musical blockbuster.

Manjunatha is an incarnation of "Lord Shiva". Manju means snow and Natha means lord. Since Shiva lives in kailasa (now called himalayas), and he is the lord of that loka, he is called Manjunatha. Manjunatha is one of the most common name in Karnataka state for males and Manjula for females. Both are commonly called by a shorter name "Manju". This is mostly because of Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy located in Sri Kshethra Dharmasthala.

Manjunatha (Arjun Sarja) is an atheist, but a good person helping others in need and fighting evil and so even though Manjunatha hates his namesake Lord Manjunatha (Chiranjeevi), the latter loves his would be devotee. Manjunatha meets Kathyayini (Soundarya) a to-become devadasi and marries her. Soon they beget a son who like his mother is a staunch devotee of Lord Manjunatha.

After marriage Manjunatha slowly transforms into a great devotee of Lord Manjunatha and with his devotion wins the hearts of everybody including the local King, Ambikeswara Maharaju (Ambareesh) who invites him to his court where he felicitates Manjunatha much to Manjunatha's dislike where the king realises that Manjunatha is going to die.

In the meantime Manjunatha starts a koti linga pooja. Manjunatha is also troubled by his enemies and is aided by Lord Manjunatha who comes in various disguises to save his devotee and help him and his wife attain salvation.