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{{short description|2013 film by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Welcome Obama
| image = Welcome Obama.jpg
| caption = Poster
| director = [[Singeetam Srinivasa Rao]]
| producer = Bharati Krishna
| based_on = {{Based on|''[[Mala Aai Vhhaychy!]]''|Samruoddhi Porey}}
| starring = [[Urmilla Kothare|Urmila Kanitkar]]<br />Rachel<br />Esteban
| music = Singeetam Srinivasa Rao
| cinematography = S. S. Darshan
| editing = Suriya
| studio = Sandalwood Media
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2013|09|20}}
| runtime = 120 minutes
| country = India
| language = Telugu
}}

'''''Welcome Obama''''' is a 2013 Indian [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-language [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] directed by [[Singeetam Srinivasa Rao]] who also composed the soundtrack. A remake of the [[Marathi language|Marathi]] film ''[[Mala Aai Vhhaychy!]]'' (2011), the film stars [[Urmilla Kothare|Urmila Kanitkar]], Rachel and Esteban. It focuses on a surrogate mother who bears a foreigner's child. The film was released on 20 September 2013.

== Plot ==
Lucy, an American woman, comes to India looking for a surrogate mother to bear her a child. She lands a deal with Yashodha, an impoverished single mother. Yashodha has an accidental fall when pregnant and the doctors conjecture that there is a risk of the baby being born deformed, leading to Lucy revoking the contract and returning to the United States. But Yashodha delivers a healthy and active boy named Krishna, and everyone calls him "Obama" due to his white skin. Years later, Lucy gets to know about the boy and comes to India to take him. But Yashodha, having developed a strong bond with Krishna, refuses to send him back.

== Cast ==
* [[Urmilla Kothare|Urmila Kanitkar]] as Yashodha<ref name="deccan-chronicle" />
* Rachel as Lucy<ref name="deccan-chronicle" />
* Esteban as Krishna<ref name="deccan-chronicle" />

== Production ==
''Welcome Obama'', directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao and produced by Bharati Krishna under Sandalwood Media,<ref name="news18" /> is a remake of the [[Marathi language|Marathi]] film ''[[Mala Aai Vhhaychy!]]'' (2011). [[Urmilla Kothare|Urmila Kanitkar]], the lead actress of that film, was chosen to reprise her role.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jha |first=Lata |date=11 September 2017 |title=Ten Marathi films remade in other languages |work=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]] |url=https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/KYhiSTqNNAPN9bzm8JlAhP/Ten-Marathi-films-remade-in-other-languages.html |url-status=live |access-date=25 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401105234/https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/KYhiSTqNNAPN9bzm8JlAhP/Ten-Marathi-films-remade-in-other-languages.html |archive-date=1 April 2019}}</ref> British actress Rachel was chosen to portray an American woman, and French child actor Esteban was cast as the surrogate child.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Singeetam Srinivasa Rao to direct Marathi film Mala Aai Vhhaychy in Telugu |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/marathi/movies/news/Singeetam-Srinivasa-Rao-to-direct-Marathi-film-Mala-Aai-Vhhaychy-in-Telugu/articleshow/19005073.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190626093927/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/marathi/movies/news/Singeetam-Srinivasa-Rao-to-direct-Marathi-film-Mala-Aai-Vhhaychy-in-Telugu/articleshow/19005073.cms |archive-date=26 June 2019 |access-date=25 July 2019 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> The dialogues were written by Rohini.<ref name="idlebrain" /> Cinematography was handled by S. S. Darshan.<ref name="news18">{{Cite web |date=24 April 2013 |title=Audio release of 'Welcome Obama' to be released in May |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/audio-release-of-welcome-obama-to-be-released-in-may-605168.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190725061417/https://www.news18.com/news/india/audio-release-of-welcome-obama-to-be-released-in-may-605168.html |archive-date=25 July 2019 |access-date=25 July 2019 |website=[[CNN-News18]]}}</ref> ''Welcome Obama'' was shot on [[Eastmancolor]] film, as opposed to being shot digitally.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dundoo |first=Sangeetha Devi |date=19 September 2013 |title='My life is not drab' |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/my-life-is-not-drab/article5145963.ece |url-status=live |access-date=25 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207011202/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/my-life-is-not-drab/article5145963.ece |archive-date=7 February 2014}}</ref> Shooting was completed in 33 days.<ref name="idlebrain">{{Cite web |date=20 September 2013 |title=Singeetham Srinivasa Rao interview |url=http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/singeethamsrinivasarao.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190725060655/http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/singeethamsrinivasarao.html |archive-date=25 July 2019 |access-date=25 July 2019 |website=[[Idlebrain.com]]}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
The soundtrack was composed by Singeetham Srinivasa Rao who also worked as lyricist.<ref name="idlebrain" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome Obama (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/welcome-obama-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/675993306 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190725060424/https://music.apple.com/us/album/welcome-obama-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/675993306 |archive-date=25 July 2019 |access-date=25 July 2019 |website=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref>
{{Track listing
| collapsed =
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| all_music =
| title1 = Oh God
| extra1 = [[Karthik (singer)|Karthik]]
| length1 = 4:40
| title2 = Puttindi Palakadalilo
| extra2 = Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, Nikhila Singeetam
| length2 = 4:28
| title3 = Bujji Bujji Nadakalatho
| extra3 = [[Chinmayi]]
| length3 = 4:54
| title4 = I Am a Hero
| extra4 = Pravasti
| length4 = 3:26
| title5 = Aakasaanante
| extra5 = Chinmayi
| length5 = 3:58
}}

== Release and reception ==
''Welcome Obama'' was released on 20 September 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 2013 |title=Welcome {{sic|nolink=y|Obamma}} Movie Review |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/welcome-obamma/movie-review/22896642.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190725052107/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/welcome-obamma/movie-review/22896642.cms |archive-date=25 July 2019 |access-date=25 July 2019 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> Sandeep Atreysa of ''[[Deccan Chronicle]]'' wrote, "Certainly, this is not a runof-the-mill story Telugu audiences would watch often. But what went wrong? Slow-paced narration in the first half and a bad comedy track in second half."<ref name="deccan-chronicle">{{Cite news |last=Atreysa |first=Sandeep |date=21 September 2013 |title=Experiment goes wrong |work=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |url=https://www.pressreader.com/india/deccan-chronicle/20130921/page/9/textview |access-date=25 July 2019}}</ref> Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of ''[[The Hindu]]'' wrote, "There was a time when Singeetam Srinivasa Rao gave us some of the most entertaining films that broke new grounds both in storytelling and technical departments [...] Now, at the age of 82, when the filmmaker with unbeatable fervour comes up with a story that discusses surrogacy, it is natural to expect a social family drama that tugs at your heart strings while making observations about surrogacy. But as the drama unfolds, you are left looking for the missing magic of a once-brilliant filmmaker."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dundoo |first=Sangeetha Devi |date=21 September 2013 |title=Welcome Obama: Magic sorely missing |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/welcome-obama-magic-sorely-missing/article5153973.ece |url-status=live |access-date=25 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928233958/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/welcome-obama-magic-sorely-missing/article5153973.ece |archive-date=28 September 2017}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|id=12704560}}
{{Singeetam Srinivasa Rao}}

[[Category:2010s Telugu-language films]]
[[Category:2013 drama films]]
[[Category:2013 films]]
[[Category:Films about surrogacy]]
[[Category:Films directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao]]
[[Category:Indian drama films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Indian pregnancy films]]
[[Category:Telugu remakes of Marathi films]]

Welcome Obama - Revision history

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