Maestro is a 2021 Indian Telugu-language black comedy crime thriller film directed by Merlapaka Gandhi.
Principal photography began in December 2020 and ended in June 2021, with filming taking place in Hyderabad, Goa and Dubai.
In Goa, a blind pianist named Arun meets Sophie to buy her piano but offers to play it in her father's restaurant.
Mohan, a retired actor and construction business owner, has recently married a younger woman, Simran, and has a grown-up daughter, Pavitra from a previous marriage.
One day, Mohan is impressed with Arun's performance at the restaurant and hires him for a private concert in occasion of his wedding anniversary.
It is revealed in a flashback that Mohan discovered Simran and Bobby's extra-marital affair when he arrived home, which led to his death.
Simran privately warns Arun that she was driven to her crimes due to circumstances but will kill her stepdaughter if needed.
An auto driver, Murali, and his elder sister, whom Arun previously purchased a lottery ticket from, admit him to Dr. Swamy.
They plan to sell Arun's organs but he describes his last meeting with Murali and his sister, proving that he once had eyesight.
Arun, Murali and his sister pretend Simran committed suicide and call Bobby's wife, Lakshmi, exposing his affair to her and blackmailing them for 1 crore.
As they drive to Goa airport, Swamy reveals that Simran has a rare blood type so he plans to sell her organs and also suggests that her cornea can restore Arun's eyesight.
Arun then got a phone call from Pavitra, who found Mohan's missing money in Simran's possessions, proof that her stepmother murdered her father, and is bringing it to the police.
Simran then lost control of the car when a hare shot by a farmer nearby hit the windshield, killing her.
In September 2019, The Times of India reported that Nithiin's father Sudhakar Reddy acquired the rights for the Telugu remake of Andhadhun (2018).
[3][4][5] In September 2020, Tamannaah Bhatia and Nabha Natesh were cast in the roles played by Tabu and Radhika Apte respectively in the original.
[20] In August 2021, it was announced officially that the film would be skipping theatres due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India; instead it would have a direct-to-streaming release on Disney+ Hotstar.
[24] Writing for Firstpost, Sankeertana Varma opined that Maestro never pretends to be anything but a tamed version of its original, giving a rating of 3 out 5.
[25] Hindustan Times critic Haricharan Pudipeddi said that "Despite not making any effort to leave a lasting impression, it still works as a good-enough entertainer.
The minor tweaks to suit Telugu sensibilities, helps Maestro stay true to the original to a large extent but the audience is spoon-fed a lot too.
"[26] Reviewing the performances, Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu wrote, "Nithiin seems to have enjoyed being part of a story that stands out from mainstream Telugu films, and Nabha is at ease playing the girlfriend.
[30] Manoj Kumar R of The Indian Express called it an "unwitty remake", adding "Director Merlapaka Gandhi has turned the pulsating white-knuckled ride into a story of a damsel in distress.