Plot
Rishendra 'Rishi' Bhushan is the young, brilliant and dynamic Managing Director (MD) and Mathematics Professor at a college in Hyderabad, Devendra Bhushan Institute of Science and Technology (DBST), which is owned by his family. He is rich, arrogant, hot-tempered, and is hostile towards his mother, Jagathi, due to a misunderstanding that she left him in his childhood because she didn't want him in her life and chose her career over him. Jagathi had left five-year old Rishi to care for her ailing parents. But his envious aunt Devyani did not let Jagathi come back home to Rishi, and poisoned young Rishi's mind against her. Rishi is raised by Devyani and his father, Mahindra, both of whom he loves and respects tremendously. An extremely talented and intelligent student, Rishi becomes a university gold medalist, and starts managing the DBST college. Rishi agrees for an arranged marriage with a friend, Sakshi, but breaks his engagement with her because Sakshi wants to do a PhD abroad first. Rishi and Jagathi are separated for twenty years, during which she did not try to meet or contact Rishi. While Jagathi remains miserable and profusely misses Rishi, he is both pained and enraged at her for leaving him.
Rishi's paths cross with Vasudhara 'Vasu', a headstrong and brilliant student from a village who dreams to become a teacher. Vasu escapes from a forced wedding with Rajiv, her elder sister's evil widower, who convinces Vasu's orthodox father Chakrapani 'Chakram' to let Rajiv marry her for the sake of his motherless child. Jagathi, who is Vasu's former teacher in her village, advises her to run away from home and study at her son Rishi's college, DBST. When Rishi learns that Jagathi sent Vasu, he deliberately sets a very difficult admission interview for her, which she passes painstakingly with Mahindra and Jagathi's help. Rishi admits Vasu to DBST and is now her mathematics professor.
Rishi and Vasu's ideologies initially clash at various instances. Vasu doesn't understand Rishi's animosity towards Jagathi, and he slaps her for insulting his character. But Vasu slowly earns Rishi's acceptance, support and favour with her hard work and sincerity. Rishi accompanies Vasu to the 'Youth Icon' contest and motivates her to win. Rishi also saves her multiple times from the lustful conspiracies of Rajiv, who is later jailed by SI Sireesh, Vasu's childhood friend. Jagathi proposes a project called 'Mission Education', which Rishi reluctantly agrees to lead at DBST, and eventually acquires Government support for it. Rishi reluctantly employs Jagathi as a professor at DBST, but ensures that no one knows she is his mother. Rishi recruits Vasudhara as his project assistant, and they all work together to make Mission Education a grand success. Mahindra, Vasu and Jagathi try hard to convince Rishi to forgive and reunite with Jagathi, but Rishi does not accept.
As Rishi and Vasu spend time together, they start developing feelings for each other. Vasu hallucinates Rishi's presence everywhere and longs for his support, while Rishi grows possessive of her and dislikes her spending time with her friend Sireesh. To make Rishi reveal his feelings for Vasu, Mahindra misleads Rishi into thinking that she is about to marry Sireesh. But instead, Rishi grows furious at Vasu for hiding things from him, avoids her, and fires her from the post of his assistant. A hurt Vasu tries hard to ask an unyielding Rishi what her mistake is and why he is angry with her. Finally, desperate, she stands for hours in the rain before Rishi relents and confronts her about marrying Sireesh. Vasu emotionally reveals that she isn't engaged to Sireesh, and begs Rishi to scold her all he wants, but not punish her by being distant or ignoring her. Rishi becomes friendly with Vasu again.
Rishi's friend Gautam comes from USA to stay with him, and to Rishi's annoyance, harbours feelings for Vasu. Against Devyani's wishes, Rishi reluctantly brings Jagathi to his house for the first time in 22 years to celebrate Makar Sankranti, for Mahindra's happiness after he suffers a heart stroke. To stop Devyani from tarnishing Jagathi's reputation, Mahendra publicly reveals that Jagathi is Rishi's mother and his wife. Rishi's anger at this causes Jagathi and Mahindra to move out of Rishi's house. Jagathi informs Rishi that Mahindra's health is suffering as he misses Rishi. To Devyani's horror, Rishi brings both Jagathi and Mahindra back home to live together after 22 years, as a birthday gift for Mahindra. Vasu continually admires and appreciates Rishi's stellar character. Her concern for Rishi and eagerness to make him happy attract him to her. A proud Jagathi is constantly appreciated for Rishi's professional and personal virtues. Vasu rejects Gautam's proposal, citing that she interacts with him only because he is Rishi's friend. Sakshi returns, pausing her PhD to win Rishi back with Devyani's help, but is rejected vehemently by a furious Rishi. Sakshi insults Vasu for being close to Rishi, and warns her to stay away from him.
After deep thought, Rishi realizes and confesses his love for Vasu. But influenced by Sakshi, Vasu tells a stunned Rishi that she does not love him and does not believe his love for her, because he rejected both Jagathi and Sakshi in the past. Rishi resolves to stay away from Vasu, while she hallucinates him everywhere and can't concentrate in class or her part-time job. She makes several unsuccessful attempts to talk and apologize to Rishi, prays profusely for him when he meets with a road accident, plans a grand welcome for him in college when he recovers, gives him all her food despite being hungry, and realizes that she would die without Rishi when he risks his life to save his students from a fire in the chemistry lab. Vasu regrets not accepting Rishi's proposal, publicly credits Rishi for her academic success and garlands him with flowers, feels jealous seeing him with Sakshi and vows to win him back, but is afraid to propose lest Rishi slap her and reject her in anger. Vasu constantly tries to appease Rishi's anger, while he scolds her for losing focus on her studies. When Sakshi publicly proposes marriage to a furious Rishi in college, Devyani begs him to marry her for their family's reputation. But Rishi forces Sakshi to call off their wedding with his deliberate negligence and open interest in Vasu. Vasu apologizes to Rishi and emotionally confesses her love to him, with a ring with their initials 'R' and 'V'. Rishi gracefully accepts her proposal on the condition that in his love, she won't neglect her education and career. Sakshi plots to prevent Vasu from writing her final examinations, but Rishi foils her plan. His threat to get her arrested causes Sakshi to flee. Vasu ranks first in the University and dedicates her success to Rishi and Jagathi.
Rishi slowly develops a positive impression on Jagathi as he observes her good behavior, good understanding of him and the similarity in their thoughts. Rishi grandly celebrates his parents' wedding anniversary for Mahindra's happiness. Mahindra and Vasu clash with an irritated Rishi in a bid to convince him to accept Jagathi as his mother. Triggered by Devyani, Mahindra and Jagathi leave Rishi's house for his happiness, but Rishi brings them back. Mahindra and Vasu apologize to Rishi for hurting him with their stubbornness. When Jagathi meets with a road accident, Rishi saves her life by donating blood to her and takes great care of her. Rishi employs Vasu at DBST to work for the Mission Education efforts. Devyani cunningly misrepresents Rishi's closeness with Vasu and maligns her publicly. But Rishi protects Vasu by declaring her as his fianceè. Rishi takes Vasu to her parents' house to fix their marriage, where Rajeev blackmails a terrified Vasu that he will kill Rishi if she does not marry him. Unknown to Rishi, a desperate Vasu wears a mangalasutra (nuptial chain) in his name and declares herself as Rishi's wife to her family, to save herself from marrying Rajeev. An angry Rajeev assaults Vasu's parents, who are saved by Rishi. Rajeev gets Vasu arrested under false charges of attempting to murder her parents so that she can marry Rishi. Fearing that Rajeev will harm Rishi, an anguished Vasu refuses Rishi's help to get out of prison, and misleads him that she has married Rajeev. A stunned and hurt Rishi leaves. Vasu's parents recover and close the case against her by testifying against Rajeev. Vasu returns to DBST college to win back Rishi's love and trust.
Rishi and his family are furious at Vasu for having betrayed his love. Vasu deeply regrets hurting Rishi, calls, texts, and goes to meet him several times a day, happily takes the flowers that Rishi offers God at a temple, gives Rishi a head massage, prays for him to accept her back and requests him repeatedly to guide her in the Mission Education work. Rishi ignores Vasu thinking that she married Rajeev, but saves her from a road accident, provides her accommodation as a college employee, protects her from his family's harsh words, and supports her in her work when she is neglected by everyone in the college for hurting Rishi. Seeing her nuptial chain, an uncomfortable Vasu is repeatedly asked who her husband is in college, but she remains silent fearing Rishi's wrath if she reveals that imagined her marriage with him. Rishi helps the police arrest Rajeev for assaulting Vasu's parents, and learns that Rajeev did not marry her. Vasu's informal familiarity with Rishi, the importance she gives him and his memories, and his name written everywhere in her bedroom make Rishi realize that there is no one in her life except him. Rishi lashes out at a scared Vasu for taking major decisions about their lives without telling him, portraying herself as a married woman despite being unmarried, and risking the dignity of their relationship in society. To save Vasu from public humiliation by Devyani, Rishi declares Vasu as his wife in front of the media, but firmly warns her in private that she simply wearing a mangalasutra in his name without his knowledge does not make her his wife. Vasu realizes her mistakes and tries to make Rishi happy. Rishi eventually forgives and accepts Vasu in his life again. Rishi and Vasu get engaged in a grand ceremony.
Rishi's professional rivals try to besmirch his college's reputation, but he foils their plans. Rishi aspires to advance DBST college to new heights by offering medical degree courses. Rishi's cousin brother, Shailendra, returns home from USA. Jealous of Rishi's fame, career and achievements; Shailendra threatens a terrified Jagathi that he will kill Rishi and become the MD of DBST college. To save Rishi from Shailendra and send him away from the college, in front of the college board and education minister, Jagathi and Vasu falsely accuse a stunned Rishi of stealing college funds for his personal use. Furious and anguished at this character assassination, Rishi resigns and appoints Jagathi as the college MD. Jagathi and Vasu beg Rishi to forgive their betrayal. But Rishi lashes out at them for publicly maligning his integrity, breaks his engagement with a heartbroken Vasu and leaves the city. Vasu also leaves, unable to stay in the city without Rishi. Vasu's mother dies of a heart attack after learning that Rishi has ended his relationship with Vasu. Fearing that Mahindra will bring Rishi back, Shailendra hires goons who stab Rishi. He is admitted to the hospital in a critical condition.
Three Years Later
Mahindra, Jagathi and Vasu are pained, lonely and miserable, living distant from each other and desperately hoping to find Rishi. Rishi's childhood friend, Angel, donates blood to him and saves his life. Angel's grandfather Vishwanandham, who chairs a college named "Vish college", requests Rishi to work there to control a group of delinquent students. For the first time in three years, Rishi runs into Vasu, who joins Vish college as a lecturer. Rishi is still cold towards a remorseful Vasu for betraying him three years ago, and rejects all attempts made by her and Chakram to gain his forgiveness. But Rishi stops Vasu when she tries to leave the city fearing his anger, and cares for her when she meets with an accident. Rishi reforms the unruly students by teaching them the importance of education and discipline, and improves Vish college's reputation via successful educational schemes. Mahindra and Jagathi are ecstatic to discover Rishi's whereabouts through Chakram, and try to spend time with him by creating collaborations between Vish college and DBST. Shailendra is horrified to learn that Rishi is alive and plans multiple, unsuccessful attacks on him. Vasu has a mental breakdown when Angel reveals that she loves Rishi. However, Rishi firmly rejects Angel's marriage proposal. Shailendra colludes with Rishi's professional rivals to take over DBST college, but Rishi foils his plans. An angry Shailendra tries to get Rishi shot, but Jagathi takes the bullet for him. Finally recognizing her love for him, Rishi accepts an overjoyed Jagathi as his mother and returns home with her. Honouring an emotional Jagathi's last wish, Rishi marries Vasu. Shailendra poisons Jagathi's food, and she passes away after witnessing her son's wedding, shattering Rishi and Mahindra.
Rishi is furious at Devyani for insulting a grieving Mahindra for drinking to cope with Jagathi's death, and leaves his house with Mahindra and Vasu. Hoping that a change of scenery will help Mahindra recover, Rishi takes him and Vasu to Araku, where they run into Mahindra and Jagathi's friend, Anupama, who also turns out to be Angel's aunt. Angel and Vishwanandham are unhappy at having lost Rishi. Vasu tries to reveal Shailendra's misdeeds to Rishi, but is terrified of his reaction. Shailendra tries to falsely accuse Vasu of murdering Jagathi, but Rishi saves her. Mahindra promises to give up alcohol for Rishi's happiness.
Reception
The pair of Rishi and Vasudhara, fondly called by fans as 'Rishidhara', is immensely loved and tremendously popular among audiences of all age groups.
In September 2022, Guppedantha Manasu became the top GEC show in Telugu television in both Urban and Rural ratings, breaking the 221-week long first place record of the Star Maa serial, Karthika Deepam. Guppedantha Manasu has also enjoyed the position of the most popular Telugu show, as well as the top viewed show across the whole of India, online on Disney+Hotstar beginning from 2021. Guppedantha Manasu was the seventh most watched show on TV in the whole of India across all languages, in 2022.
In June 2022, Guppedantha Manasu became the top show in terms of Urban ratings and the top 2 GEC show overall for the Telugu audience, and has remained so ever since. In February 2022, the show became a top 3[4] show in both Telugu GEC and Star Maa.[5] In November 2021 and December 2021, the show received its highest ever ratings of 14+ TRP points.
