The pellikoduku, edited as its own short film
The pellikoduku is the ceremony that makes a Telugu man a groom. Held at his family's home, commonly the day before the wedding or on its morning, it usually involves married women of the family applying turmeric and oil, a ritual bath, new clothes, a small black dot on his cheek against the evil eye and blessings with rice from the elders. To get a highlight of it, upload the pellikoduku footage as its own WeddingEditor project, name the relatives and moments in the preference questions, and WeddingEditor's AI editing turns it into a Highlight Reel of about 5 minutes or a Social Teaser.
Timing, names and details vary between families and regions. Ask the groom's family what they plan to do.
Creating an account is free.
Last updated October 2026
How to get a pellikoduku highlight
- 1
Upload the groom's day as a project
Create a project just for the pellikoduku and add the clips from the groom's home, including any second camera. If you also filmed the pellikuthuru at the bride's home, keep that in a separate project unless you want both in one film.
- 2
Describe the household
A home ceremony is crowded with relatives WeddingEditor has never met. In the specific people question, name the women who apply the turmeric, the groom's parents and grandparents, and any sibling or cousin who plays a part. List the turmeric, the bath, the dressing and the blessings as must-include moments.
- 3
Watch and refine
Once you have paid or used a credit, processing typically takes 24 to 72 hours. The edit then reaches your project, where you watch it and download a widescreen 1080p MP4. Up to two revision rounds, requested by email, are included.
Moments of the pellikoduku to list
Not every family includes all of these. List the ones that happened, in order.
The groom seated for the ritual
The groom on a low wooden seat, often in a simple dhoti, with relatives gathering around him and plates of turmeric and oil ready.
Turmeric and oil
Married women of the family, one after another, applying turmeric paste and oil to his face, arms and feet, usually with plenty of teasing.
The ritual bath
The mangala snanam, often poured over him by relatives. Agree with the family beforehand how much of this they want shown.
Dressing as a groom
The groom in new clothes, sometimes with a decorative forehead ornament, being made ready by his family.
The dot on the cheek
A small black dot placed on his cheek to ward off the evil eye, and in many families a lamp waved before him in arati.
Blessings with rice
Elders sprinkling rice over his head and blessing him, often with his parents beside him.
What happens at a pellikoduku, in order
A common sequence. Families differ, so check it on the day.
1. Preparation at home
The groom's home is decorated and relatives gather. The groom is seated, and plates of turmeric, oil, rice and flowers are arranged near him.
2. Nalugu
Married women of the family apply turmeric paste and oil to the groom, a ritual commonly called nalugu. It is informal and often loud with laughter.
3. Bath and new clothes
The groom is bathed and then dressed in new clothes for the occasion, a moment many families treat as the point he becomes the pellikoduku, the bridegroom.
4. Protection and blessings
A dot of black kohl is placed on his cheek against the evil eye, arati is performed in many families, and elders bless him with rice.
Separate from the wedding
As its own project, the pellikoduku gets its own edit, either a Highlight Reel of about 5 minutes or a Social Teaser, with its own purchase or credit.
Sound as it was
Women's songs, teasing and the family's voices stay in the edit as recorded, and music joins them at the balance your audio preference sets.
Parts of the pellikoduku and what to write in the preferences
| Part of the ceremony | What it looks or sounds like | What to note in the preferences |
|---|---|---|
| Seating the groom | Groom on a low seat, family crowding in, plates of turmeric and oil | "Groom in a white dhoti; feature his grandmother in purple." |
| Nalugu | Turmeric and oil applied by married women, laughter and teasing | "Must include his aunts with the turmeric; keep the laughter audible." |
| Mangala snanam | Water poured over the groom by relatives | "Only a short, modest part of the bath." |
| Dressing | New clothes, the groom looking like a bridegroom for the first time | "Include his father helping with the kanduva." |
| Dot and arati | A kohl dot on the cheek, a lamp waved before him | "Close view of the dot being placed." |
| Blessings | Rice sprinkled over his head by elders | "End on his parents blessing him." |
What is the pellikoduku?
Pellikoduku means bridegroom in Telugu, and the name is also used for the ceremony at the groom's home that prepares him for the wedding with turmeric, a ritual bath, new clothes and blessings. A pellikoduku highlight is a short WeddingEditor edit of that ceremony alone.
It is not the pellikuthuru, the matching ceremony held for the bride at her family's home. It resembles the haldi held in many North Indian weddings, but has its own name, songs and order.
Pellikoduku video questions
Should the pellikoduku and pellikuthuru be one project or two?
Two, if the families want a film of each. One project gives one edit, so a joint project gives a single film that cuts between both homes, which suits some couples and not others.
How do I keep the bath tasteful in the edit?
Say exactly what to show in the moments question and what to leave out in the avoid question, for example "only the first pour of water, shoulders up". The edit follows those notes.
The pellikoduku was held on the morning of the wedding. Can it go in the wedding project instead?
Yes. Upload it to the wedding project if you want it as the opening of the main highlight, and say how much of it to use.
My second shooter was at the groom's home while I was with the bride. How do they upload?
If they are a signed-in member of your WeddingEditor team, WeddingEditor can set up a team upload link, and their files are moved into your project.
Does WeddingEditor decide which parts of the pellikoduku to show?
No. WeddingEditor follows the people, moments and exclusions you write, and does not judge family custom. Agree that with the groom's family first.
More for Telugu weddings
The morning he became the pellikoduku
Sign up for free, upload the groom's ceremony as its own project, and name the relatives to find.
Start your first wedding