Cast of Bubblegum 2023: A deep dive into the cast, crew, and director of the Telugu film

In the Telugu film industry, there are several movies and series that are constantly being produced and launched. In 2023, a fun-loving romantic drama caught the audience with its exploration of love. Bubblegum is a 2023 film that explores not only the shapes and complexities of love but also the dynamics of family and personal redemption.

The director of Bubblegum 2023 is Ravikanh Perepu, and the film marked a promising debut for several newcomers in the industry. 

This article will cover in-depth detail and analysis of the cast, crew, and directors of the movie.

Name of Film	Bubblegum
Release Date	29th December 2023
Running Time	148 minutes
Directed by	Ravikanth Perepu
Written By	Ravikanth Perepu
Starring	Roshan Kanakala; Maanasa Chowdary; Harsha Chemudu; Kiran Macha, etc
Produced By	P. Vimala
Language	Telugu
Country	India

Bubblegum (2023) Plot Overview

Bubblegum is a 2023 Telugu romantic drama film that was directed by Ravikanth Perepu. The film follows the chronicles of the unlikely romance between two characters.  Sai Aditya ‘Adhi/Aadi’ is the male protagonist, played by Roshan Kanakala, and Jahnvi ‘Jaanu’ is played by Maanasa Chowdary. 

Adhi is a young boy who grows up in Hyderabad’s modest Mehnipatnam slums, and is the son of butcher Yadagiri (played by Jairam Eeshwar), and Saraswati (played by Bindu Chandramouli). He is a carefree dreamer who is quite passionate about music and wants to be different from his father’s profession. Adhi aspires to become a DJ in his career, and is prone to enjoying Hyderabad’s street life, his friends, and mutton biriyani. 

​Enter Janhvi ‘Jaanu,’ who hails from a wealthy, modern family. Her father Vishwanath (played by Harsha Chemudu) is very protective wherea Jaanu’s mother, Neelima (played by Anu Hasan) is carefree. She also runs a Goa yoga retreat with her husband.

Janhvi is a vegan high-maintenance fashion designer who wants to study abroad, with her eyes set on Turkey. She exudes grace, with a hint of entitlement and independence. Interestingly, her paths cross with Adhi at a Hyderabad pub, during his DJ set. Jahnvi is instantly intrigued. There are sparks, and this leads to flirtation and thus a passionate affair despite the stark contrast in their world. His gritty roots versus her privileged life seem blurry at the time when love is the current drug that intoxicates both of them.

However, challenges slowly start to pile up – Janhvi’s ex, Joel, comes into the picture, her family pressures, and her departure to study abroad all seem to fall together. Adhi, on the other hand,  especially Bujji (played by Ananya Akula) and Asif (played by Kiran Macha) offer comic support amid the serious undertones. Tensions start to surface and erupt, wherein Jahnvi publicly ends up belittling and humiliating Adhi. This causes a heartbreaking split among the lovers. She ends up prioritizing her career, whereas he retreats to his bitterness while still pursuing his DJ dream career.

The second half of the movie explores more serious themes like redemption and fallouts. Janhvi returns to Adhi’s city without any clear circumstances. Is it a career hiccup or just the fact that she was missing him? During her visit, she gets all the flashbacks that flood her mind about the humiliation. Adhi, on the other hand, confronts his past and his pain, especially after having received advice from his father and friends. 

The question that overrides everything is, can love overcome the divides and gain parental nods? Can it blend different worlds and lifestyles? What about the doubts, the pride, and the growth? Will they come together? Or will society stop them from choosing love?

Cast of Bubblegum 2023

Actor/Actress	Role
Roshan Kanakala	Sai Aditya “Aadi/Adhi”
Maanasa Chowdary	Jhanvi “Jaanu/Janvi”
Harsha Chemudu	Vishwanath (Jaanu’s father)
Anu Hasan	Neelima (Jaanu’s mother)
Jairam Eeshwar	Yadagiri (Aadi’s father)
Bindu Chandramouli	Saraswati (Aadi’s mother)
Anannyaa Akulaa	Bujji
Kiran Macha	Asif
Chaitu Jonnalagadda	Supporting friend
Harsha Vardhan	Supporting role

Sai Aditya ‘Adhi’ (played by Roshan Kanakala)

This is the film’s protagonist, and he is Jahnvi’s love interest. Sai is a carefree young man who hails from the slums of Hyderabad. He is a music lover who dreams and aspires to become a DJ in the future, with an appetite for mutton biriyani. Roshan makes a fantastic debut, effortlessly capturing Adhi’s charm and vulnerability.

Janhvi ‘Jaanu’ (played by Maanasa Chowdary)

Jahnvi is the female protagonist and is the love interest of Sai Aditya. She comes from a very different world that does not match Adhi’s in any way. She embodies an ambitious, wealthy, vegan fashion designer who comes from an affluent family.  Maanasa delivers the role of Janhvi with grace, poise, and independence. 

Supporting Cast Roles

Vishwanath (played by Harsha Chemudu) 

Known as Jahnvi’s protective and doting father, Chemuddu has done a brilliant job of portraying a true father’s role. He adds gravitas and evolves from a skeptic father to becoming an understanding father.

Neelima (played by Anu Hasan) 

Neelima is Jahnvi’s carefree but loving Tamil mother who runs a yoga retreat in Goa. Anu’s portrayal of Neelima is effortless and charming, and she fits the bill beautifully in balancing the family tensions.

Yadagiri (played by Jairam Eeshwar) 

Yadagiri plays the role of Adhi’s butcher father, who offers him humor and wisdom. Jairam skillfully and masterfully grounds the portrayal of a working-class man and his perspective.

Saraswati (played by Bindu Chandramouli)

Saraswati is Yadagiri’s wife and Adhi’s supportive and loving mother. Bindu takes on the role of Saraswati with grace and poise and keeps the viewers entertained at all times.

Bujji (played by Anannyaa Akulaa)

Bujji is Adhi’s friend, and she brings mischief and comical relief to Adhi’s circle of friends amid his romantic tensions with Janhvi.

Asif (played by Kiran Macha) 

Asif plays the role of a loyal friend to Adhi during his romantic chaos.

Bubblegum 2023 – Reception 

Bubblegum received mixed reviews upon its release on 29th December. The film was, however, praised for the promising debut performances and the emotional moments that the lead actors delivered. However, they also criticized the film for having a routine plot and pacing issues. Naturally, the film appealed mostly to the youth and younger demographics, thanks to the bold romance scenes. The family viewers found the film a little uneven.

The younger audience liked the chemistry between the two actors, the Hyderabad flavour, and the music mixtape score. However, the repetition of romance and failed, but forced comedy, alienated even the broader demographics. 

Box Office Collections

• Bubblegum was a low-budget Telugu romantic drama that performed modestly at the box office. The film was made on a reported budget of INR 4 crores. It managed to earn INR 2-2.8 crores in India. 
• This classified the film as an ‘average’ performer. Some even called it a ‘flop’ performer, despite the steady initial earnings.
• The worldwide gross hovered at around INR 2.35 crores, with a negligible earning of $597 overseas.

Day	Collection (in crores)	Change
Day 1 (Fri)	0.50	–
Day 2 (Sat)	0.48	-4%
Day 3 (Sun)	0.53	+10%
Day 4 (Mon)	0.47	-11%
Total	~2.01-2.81	–

Reviews

• Critic reviews averaged the film at a 2.25-2.5/5 across Telugu outlets.
• 123Telugu. Com rated it 2.5/5, thus lauding Roshan and Maanasa for their promising debut with supporting roles from Adhi’s father. However, it failed thanks to the predictable screenplay and disconnected drama. 
• Telugu360. Com gave a rating of 2.25/5 and noted that the first half was flat and cliched despite a modern vibe. 
• The New Indian Express gave the film a 3/5 and highlighted the post-interval redemption phase, Roshan’s charm.  Jairam’s depth was unmissed with the ‘incomplete love’ theme.
• Hindustan Times called it a modern love story and noted its bold content. 
• Gulte rated it 2/5 and called it a ‘Tasteless bubblegum’. Cinema Express and Times of India rated the film with 2.5/5, appreciating the love track but noting stereotypes

Budget

Bubblegum was produced on a modest budget of INR 4 crores, thus positioning it as a low-to-mid range romantic drama. The figure encompasses pre-production, shooting, post-production and marketing costs.

Cost Allocation Insights

• Principal cast and crew: A significant portion of the budget went to the actors, especially newcomers like Roshan and Maanasa. Veterans like Harsha Chemudu too got a big chunk.
• Technical Aspects: Cinematography, editing and practical VFX costs
• Marketing and Theatrical rights: A break-even threshold of INR 4.75 crores for recovery as per the trade estimates.

Conclusion

Bubblegum stands out as a heartfelt movie, albeit imperfect. It is an addition to Telugu romantic dramas wherein passion and complexities are blended under the directorship of Ravikanth Perepu. 

The tale of Aadi and Jaanu’s class-crossing love, marked by vibrance in Hyderabad style, resonates through debutants Roshan and Maanasa. 

FAQs

Read More –

Cast of Dhurandhar Movie, Movie Review,Budget & Box Office (2026)

Cast of Tere Ishk Mein – Complete Movie Analysis, Budget, Box Office & Reviews

Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2 Cast (2025), Release Date, Budget, Reviews, Rating, And More