Anji (film)

Anji is a 2004 Indian Telugu-language fantasy action-adventure film directed by Kodi Ramakrishna and produced by Shyam Prasad Reddy. The film stars Chiranjeevi in the titular role, alongside Namrata Shirodkar, Tinnu Anand and Nagendra Babu. The film has music composed by Mani Sharma with cinematography by Chota K. Naidu. It was produced on an estimated budget of ₹25–35 crore, making it the most expensive Telugu film at the time of its release. The story follows Anji's quest to protect the mystical Aatmalingam, which grants immortality every 72 years, from the clutches of the ruthless billionaire Veerendra Bhatia.

The film was in production for over six years, facing multiple delays before its release on 15 January 2004, during the Sankranthi festival. Anji received praise for its visual effects and Chiranjeevi's performance, but struggled to achieve commercial success due to its high budget. The film won two Nandi Awards and the National Film Award for Best Special Effects, marking the first time a Telugu film won a National Award in that category. Additionally, Anji was featured in the Limca Book of Records as the first Indian film to use 3D digital graphics. The film was later dubbed into Hindi as Diler - Daring, Tamil as Kollimalai Singam, and Malayalam as Chekavan.