Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu () is a 2012 Indian Telugu-language political action film written and directed by Puri Jagannadh. The film stars Pawan Kalyan, Tamanna, and Gabriela Bertante, Prakash Raj and Kota Srinivasa Rao. Mani Sharma composed the soundtrack and background score, while Shyam K. Naidu and S. R. Shekhar handled the cinematography and editing. It was the second collaboration between Kalyan and Jagannadh after 12 years since Badri (2000).
Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu was released worldwide on 18 October 2012 and received mixed reviews from critics. Later the film was dubbed in Malayalam as Jananayakan and Tamil as Makkalveeran and it was also dubbed and released in Hindi as Mera Target in 2015.
Plot
Ram Prakash “Rambabu” is a short-tempered mechanic who has a kind heart as well as a tendency to react to various social incidents shown or published in the electronic media. After studying his personality, Ganga, a cameraman from NC Channel, offers a job as a journalist to Rambabu, who accepts it. Jawahar Naidu, who is the state's ex-CM Jawahar Naidu tries to collapse the government and regain the post of CM, where he is strongly supported by his son Rana Babu, a newbie to politics.
Dasaradh Ram is a reputed journalist who supplies proof of the scams and atrocities committed by Jawahar Naidu, only to be brutally murdered by Rana Babu. Although everyone, including the police, is aware that Rana Babu is behind this. Rambabu valiantly opposes him and gets him arrested. However, Rana Babu is released from prison with the help of his political contacts, and he challenges Rambabu to become the CM by using the media. A war ensues between Rambabu and Rana Babu where Rambabu enters politics. For gaining political mileage, Rana Babu starts a movement opposing the presence of other states people in Andhra Pradesh and makes it a big movement and even injuring Rambabu severely, but he is rescued by Smitha, who works for a rival news channel.
Rambabu later joins Smitha's news channel after getting discharged from the hospital. Rambabu tricks Rana Babu into making some controversial statements on air, thus destroying the momentum of the movement. For making his position in politics, Rana Babu makes Jawahar Naidu deliver his last speech and kills him, which is recorded by Rana Babu's driver, who later calls Rambabu and Smitha to show them the video. After this, Smitha arrives and shoots Rambabu, where she steals the video and makes a deal with Rana Babu to disclose the whole for a hefty price.
With the support of the young blood influenced by his speech, Rambabu reaches the building where Rana Babu hosted a party for his colleagues. Rambabu sends a message to the police commissioner that Rana Babu's guests should vacate the building to avoid being killed by the people along with Rana Babu. Before leaving, Smitha orders to telecast the video, only to be murdered by Rana Babu. Rana Babu arrives outside with his pistol and shoots Rambabu, but Rana Babu is killed in a stampede and Rambabu reaches the ambulance accompanied by Ganga.
Cast
Pawan Kalyan as Ram Prakash “Rambabu”, a mechanic-turned-journalist
Tamannaah Bhatia as Ganga, NC Channel cameraman and Rambabu's love interest
Gabriela Bertante as Smitha, rival news channel worker
Prakash Raj as Rana Prathap Naidu, Jawahar Naidu's son
Kota Srinivasa Rao as Ex-Chief Minister Jawahar Naidu, the opposition leader
Brahmanandam as Bobby
Nassar as Chandrasekhara Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
Surya Kumar as Dasaradh Ram
Ali as SRK
Dharmavarapu Subramanyam as MD
M. S. Narayana as Rambabu's uncle
Tanikella Bharani as Rana's uncle
Prudhvi Raj as MLA
Scarlett Mellish Wilson as a bar dancer in the song "Joramochindhi"
Controversy
The film led to a massive political tension in the state of Andhra Pradesh with the film's characters being compared to the political leaders during the Telangana Movement and the Andhra politics during the tenure of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy as the CMRS Politburo member. D. Sharavan said that deleting some scenes from the film would not pacify the people of Telangana and demanded a total ban on its screening.