My favourite movie is Abhinandana. It was directed by Ashok Kumar, one of the best Cinematographer of India and produced by R V Ramana Murthy. The lyricist was the Poet of Heart - Aathreya and the Music Director was none other than the Music Maestro Illayaraja. The lyrics were given life by the voice of S.P Balasubramanyam and S. Janaki. The film was starred by Karthik, Shobhana, Rajyalakshmi, Sarat Babu, Somayajulu. The film had its audio release in 1986 and technically released in 1988 on Lalitha Sri Combines Banner. The obviously backbone of a movie – the songs, having melodious tunings associated with melancholic voices made the Movie Team and the audience have high expectations about the film. Ultimately when released in 1988, Abhinandana was a big hit.

The film has a peculiar story with few characters involving in it. Raja (Karthik) and Rani (Shobhana) studying in an Arts college at Ooty meet one another again and again accidentally and their constant glimpses at each other nurtures love between them. They wish to marry with the consent of Rani's father (Somayajulu). Rani’s sister Kamala (Rajyalakshmi) comes to Ooty from Madras to bear a third child. While Kamala’s children play and swing in Rani’s garden, accidentally the swing hits Kamala leading to her death. Kamala's children and husband Srikanth return back to Madras with Rani and her father. The children get attached to Rani and forget their mother’s death in her companionship. Rani goes into a dilemma between love and responsibility. On expressing about her love to her father, he leaves it to her decision to marry Srikanth and sacrifice her love or marry Raja and make her love succeed.

Rani decides to take the consent of Raja to come out of the dilemma as she felt suffocated with the circumstances around her. She writes a letter to Raja to meet her  in  Ooty soon and talk to her father. Rani’s father pleads Raja to understand the situation and give his decision. Raja writes a letter to Rani giving his consent to her marriage with Srikanth, sacrificing himself for the future of the motherless children. Youthful Raja becomes light hearted thinking of Rani. Jovial Rani becomes silent after marrying Srikanth giving up her dreams and hopes about love, gets compromised with situations. Before her death Kamala writes a letter to her husband Srikanth telling him about the love between Raja and Rani and that she wishes to perform the marriage ceremony of Rani with Raja as soon as possible. That letter comes to the sight of Srikanth few days after his marriage with Rani. Srikanth fixes in his mind that Rani should become a mother to his children but not his wife. He goes back to Ooty with his family and finds out Raja. He finds immense compassion and deep feelings for Rani making Raja still long for her. He convinces Raja to sing for his Cassette Company and to give him a good break as an excellent singer. He tries to reunite the lovers by sacrificing his life to fulfill the wish of his wife. He asks Rani and Raja to marry again to keep up their love and give the affection of parents to his children. Thus the story comes to an end.

The story emphasizes the theme of love with deep understanding of one another intertwined with the sacrifice of love and life. There is a combat between love and conscience in the hearts of the two compassionate lovers. Finally love succeeds with sacrifice and responsibility undertaken. This movie fetched Nandi Award of Andhra Pradesh Government for Karthik in the best actor category. Karthik who was already a lover boy in Tamil Film Industry became the heart throb of the Telugu female audience too. The each word of the song lyrics is a masterpiece that touches one’s heart. It makes one have an in depth feeling of involvement. Illayaraja's Composition and voices of the playback singers S P Balasubramanyam and S. Janaki gives listeners a feeling of standing amidst the cool breeze at a high mountain altitude. Audience feel the shower and spring in their heart. Still the songs of the movie are evergreen and heard by one and all again and again. Each time you hear the songs you have the feel of listening to them for the first time. The Telugu Industry could rarely have the combination of the the esteem director, lyricist, composer and playback singers in producing more and more wonderful movies like this with a unique story and picturisation empanelled with sweet music and voices pleasing to the ears.