Telugu film ‘23’ revisits Chilakaluripet bus burning incident

VIJAYAWADA: Director Raj Rachakonda’s upcoming Telugu film 23 revisits the tragic Chilakaluripet bus fire accident of the 1990s, which claimed the lives of several young people. The film is inspired by the real-life incident that killed many youth aged between 20 and 23.Rachakonda, best known for Mallesham, said the film is not just a retelling of the event, but a commentary on legal and social disparities.

“We named the film 23 because most of the victims were of that age. It’s about how the law treats people and whether justice is equal for all,” he said. Shot in Chilakaluripet, Sattenapalli and Hyderabad, 23 features courtroom sequences and emotional narratives designed to spark conversation about the judicial system.



The film had a special premiere at Ram Cinemas in Gunadala, Vijayawada, on Sunday, followed by a media interaction with the cast and crew. Actor Teja, who plays the lead, said the story’s depth attracted him to the project..