Vakeel Saab (2021)

Vakeel Saab 2021: a Telugu remake of Pink

Vakeel Saab 2021 is a Telugu courtroom drama directed by Venu Sriram, remade from the 2016 Hindi film Pink. If you know the original, you know the core: a legal fight over consent and how society judges women. The Telugu version keeps that spine while adapting the setting to Hyderabad and the star presence of its lead.

The remake was notable for casting Pawan Kalyan as the lawyer, the role played by Amitabh Bachchan in the original. Pawan Kalyan is among Telugu cinema's biggest names, so the film was positioned as his return to the screen in a story-driven part, with a social message instead of a purely action-led package.

We have not watched the film, and this page is a pre-watch guide, not a verdict.

Cast and crew

Nivetha Thomas, Anjali and Ananya Nagalla play the three women at the centre of the case, taking on the roles that Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari and Andrea Tariang played in Pink. Prakash Raj appears in a pivotal part, and Shruti Haasan is listed in a special appearance as the lawyer's wife.

Venu Sriram wrote the screenplay, with dialogues by Mamidala Thirupathi, and the story credit goes to Shoojit Sircar, Ritesh Shah and Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, the team behind the original. Dil Raju, Sirish and Boney Kapoor are the producers, S. Thaman composed the music, and the listed runtime is 156 minutes.

Vakeel Saab release date and where to watch

Vakeel Saab opened in cinemas on 9 April 2021, during a period when theatrical releases were limited by the pandemic. According to Wikipedia it began streaming on Amazon Prime Video on 30 April 2021, three weeks later, and one report also mentioned a later theatrical re-release. Platform catalogues change, so confirm current availability on the service before you plan a viewing.

Who will get the most from it: viewers who like talky, issue-led courtroom films, those curious to compare a remake with Pink, and fans of Pawan Kalyan in a more restrained role. If you have already seen the Hindi original, expect the same case and a regional adaptation of its tone, not a different story.

The subject matter involves harassment and a trial about consent, so it is serious viewing rather than light entertainment. A fair way to approach it is to watch for how the courtroom arguments are staged, since a film like this succeeds or fails on its dialogue, and to read the pre-release discussion around the remake with some care.

We could not verify an official certificate, so check the rating for your region if you plan to watch with others.