Aapathbandavudu (1992)

This socially relevant romantic drama revolves around Madhava (Chiranjeevi), a straightforward and kind cowherd, who is a loyal friend and servant to Hema (Meenakshi Seshadri) and her father (Jandhyala). He also performs in stage plays, in which he portrays the role of Lord Shiva.

Hema's father is a school teacher and a great poet. However, since his classical poetry is no longer popular, he cannot find a publisher to print his poems. Even though Hema and Madhava love each other, neither is able to express the emotion due to societal divisions of caste and economic class. Hema is the first to realize her love during a drama when she portrays the role of Lord Shiva's consort, but suppresses her feelings owing to societal divisions.

One day, in order to pay for the expenditures for the marriage of Hema's elder sister, Lalita (Geeta) Madhava sells his cows and gives the money to a family friend to give to Hema's father as a loan. When her father hears what he has done, he gives Madhava his manuscripts. Madhava goes to town to have them printed.

When he returns, he is shocked to see Hema being taken away to an asylum. He learns that Hema has gone into shock after her brother-in-law tried to rape her and killed Lalitha who tried to stop him.

Madhava pretends to be mentally retarded and enters the asylum, where he goes through many hardships in order to save Hema. After stopping a guard from attacking her, he is falsely accused of attempted rape and is electrocuted. He tries many times to help her regain her memory. When she finally does and realizes what he did for her, she wants to marry him after she is safely rescued.

However, Madhava objects to her proposal as he is from a lower strata of society when Hema's fiancée Sripathi (Sarath Babu) convinces him to change his mind. Hema and Madhava finally unite.