Naale Rajaa Koli Majaa


Naale Rajaa Koli Majaa is a Kannada comedy drama film written, directed, and produced by Abhilash Shetty. The film follows an 11-year-old girl's quirky adventure to seek a forbidden chicken curry on Gandhi Jayanti, a day when meat sales are banned nationwide.
The film premiered at the 19th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival on 4 December 2024, and had a theatrical release in India on 9 May 2025.
And had its New York premiere at the 25th New York Indian Film Festival on 22 June 2025.

Synopsis

Sneha is an 11-year-old schoolgirl residing in a small town and has a deep love for chicken dishes. Every Sunday, her family cooks her favorite chicken dish. Anticipating the same delight on a particular Sunday coinciding with Gandhi Jayanthi, Sneha learns about the nationwide prohibition on meat consumption as a gesture of non-violence. Sneha goes on a quirky adventure pursuing a forbidden chicken curry, challenging societal norms, and encountering unforeseen twists.

Cast

The film casts:
  • Samrudhi Kundapura as Sneha
  • Sanidhya Acharya as Sophia
  • Radha Ramachandra as Vanaja
  • Prabhakar Kunder as Mahabala Shetty
  • Ganesh Mogaveera as Manja

Release

Theatrical

The film was released in cinemas across Karnataka on 9 May 2025, following its film festival run.

Home media

Naale Rajaa Koli Majaa was released on Amazon Prime Video in India on 13 June 2025, and internationally on 16 September 2025 as Sunday Special.
The film later saw a DVD release across the United States in December 2025.

Reception

The Times of India gave 3.5 stars out of 5 saying "a deliciously personal adventure that leaves you smiling and hungry". The Hindu praised the film and said, "Director Abhilash Shetty's sophomore effort is a charming film that balances gentle humour with socio-political commentary." Deccan Herald gave 3.5 stars and praised the film for its well-crafted screenplay, noting that "Abhilash weaves this in a well-written screenplay. There's never a dull moment. By the end of the film, you're craving for a meal of koli curry yourself." Asian Movie Pulse gave the film a positive review, calling it a "Charming and likeable tale". French magazine KinoCulture Montreal gave 3.5 stars out of 5 saying "La nostalgie comme repère moral". Vague Visages described the film as "never a dull moment". OTTplay awarded the film 3.5 stars, describing it as a "sweet and funny tale."