Now that both Telusu Kada and Dude are streaming on OTT, cinephiles are having a field day comparing the two movies, which have been polarizing in different ways. Telusu Kada is deemed pro-men, while Dude is seen as embarrassingly anti-men. The two films have been compared and contrasted by vocal feminists and anti-feminists alike.
A female movie buff stated that Dude is not about cheating a partner or defying social norms. "How come many men are ignoring the fact that the heroine (Mamitha Baiju) is forced to live in an arranged marriage set-up by someone who believes honour killing is fair?" a woman asked on Instagram. She then added that Telusu Kada is kiddish in pitting estrogen and testosterone.
Debates on love triangles, ego clashes, toxicity, and modern challenges like infertility/surrogacy have been sparked by Telusu Kada, directed by Neeraja Kona. The Siddu Jonnalagadda movie throws light on handling exes, parenthood pressures, and reconciliation, while Pradeep Ranganathan's Dude is praised for breaking the 'mangalsutra' sanctity and questioning marriage norms. Both films, incidentally, are directed by newcomers.
