Month: January 2022

Varudu Kaavalenu is a Telugu romantic drama that explores mature love and relationships. Bhumi (Ritu Varma) is an independent woman who is not interested in marriage. Akash (Naga Shaurya), a talented architect, joins her company and immediately falls in love with her. However, Bhumi rejects his advances due to a personal reason that she keeps secret.

The film follows Akash as he tries to understand Bhumi, navigate the obstacles in their relationship, and win her heart. While the story may sound simple, the charm of Varudu Kaavalenu lies in its subtle handling of emotions, sensible romance, and the realistic portrayal of a 30-year-old couple falling in love.

Movie	Varudu Kaavalenu
Release Date	October 29, 2021
Director	Lakshmi Sowjanya
Cast	Naga Shaurya, Ritu Varma, Murali Sharma, Nadhiya, Vennela Kishore, Praveen, Harsha Vardhan, Vaishnavi Chaitanya
Production Banner	Sithara Entertainments
Music Directors	Vishal Chandrashekhar, S. Thaman
Editor	Naveen Nooli

Highlights

Mature and sensible love story, not a routine rom-com.
Strong performances from Naga Shaurya and Ritu Varma.
Well-written and relatable dialogues.
Good production values and colorful cinematography.
Comedy tracks in the second half work well.

Drawbacks

Slow-paced narrative in the first half may test audience patience.
Predictable storyline with minimal conflict.
Some comedy sequences feel forced.
Placement of songs and flashback episodes disrupts the flow.

Verdict

On the whole, Varudu Kaavalenu is a mature, sensible romance that balances emotions, humor, and relatable conflicts. Naga Shaurya and Ritu Varma’s performances, combined with Lakshmi Sowjanya’s confident direction and Ganesh Ravuri’s dialogues, make it a worthwhile watch, especially for audiences looking for a classy love story this Diwali.

Manchi Rojulochaie is a Telugu romantic comedy with a unique twist of fear and parental concern. The story revolves around Padma (Mehreen Pirzada), a young woman in love with her colleague Santu (Santosh Sobhan). Padma’s father, Gopal Tirumalasetti (Ajay Ghosh), is a caring but overly protective parent.

When Gopal hears rumors about his daughter’s relationship, his imagination runs wild, creating hilarious and chaotic situations. The film follows Santu as he tries to win the trust and blessings of his would-be father-in-law, navigating through fear, misunderstandings, and comedic obstacles.

Movie	Manchi Rojulochaie
Release Date	November 4, 2021
Director	Maruthi Dasari
Cast	Santosh Sobhan, Mehreen Pirzada, Ajay Ghosh, Vennela Kishore, Sudarshan, Satyam Rajesh, Saptagiri, Praveen, Harsha Chemudu, Rajitha
Production Banner	UV Concepts and Mass Movie Makers LLP
Music Director	Anoop Rubens
Editor	S.B. Uddhav
Cinematography	Sai Sreeram

Highlights

Ajay Ghosh’s central performance and comic timing.
Engaging situational comedy in the first half.
Solid performances from Santosh Sobhan and Mehreen Pirzada.
Certain comic tracks, especially Appadala Pankajam, work effectively.
Good production values and clean cinematography.

Drawbacks

The second half is dragged with unnecessary COVID-19 sequences.
Forced comedy and overextended scenes reduce impact.
Some supporting characters fail to add value.
Simple and predictable climax.

Verdict

On the whole, Manchi Rojulochaie is a light-hearted Diwali entertainer with a mix of comedy, romance, and family emotions. Ajay Ghosh steals the show, while Santosh Sobhan and Mehreen Pirzada deliver decent performances. Although the second half drags and some comic sequences fall flat, the film works as a passable festive watch for audiences seeking light fun.

Pushpaka Vimanam is a Telugu dark comedy thriller with a unique premise. Chittilanka Sundar (Anand Deverakonda), a mild-mannered government school teacher, faces an unexpected crisis when his wife Meenakshi (Geeth Saini) elopes just ten days after their marriage.

To maintain appearances in front of colleagues and neighbors, Sundar ropes in a short-film actress, Rekha (Saanve Meghana), to pose as his wife temporarily. But things spiral out of control when a murder mystery is intertwined with the story, leading to unexpected twists and complications. The film navigates Sundar’s struggle to uncover the truth while juggling comic situations and suspenseful drama.

Movie	Pushpaka Vimanam
Release Date	November 12, 2021
Director	Damodara
Cast	Anand Deverakonda, Saanve Meghana, Geeth Saini, Sunil, Naresh, Harsha Vardhan, Harsha Chemudu
Production Banner	Tanga Productions LLP, King of the Hill Entertainment LLP
Music Director	Ram Miriyala
Cinematography	Hestin Jose Joseph
Editor	Raviteja Girijala

Highlights

Anand Deverakonda’s performance is subtle and grounded.
Saanve Meghana shines in her role with strong comic timing.
Certain comic sequences, especially at the police station and Naresh’s house, are genuinely funny.
First-half comedy and situational humor are engaging.
Production values and visuals are competent for a limited-budget film.

Drawbacks

The second half suffers from pacing issues and unconvincing crime angle.
Climax is dull and does not deliver the expected thrill.
Loose ends in the script leave unanswered questions.
Some supporting characters and comic tracks feel forced.

Verdict

On the whole, Pushpaka Vimanam is a promising concept that falters in execution. The first half entertains with comedy and light-hearted moments, but the thriller angle in the second half feels underdeveloped. While performances, especially by Anand Deverakonda and Saanve Meghana, save some parts, the film ends up as a passable watch rather than a thrilling entertainer.
Bottom Line: Engaging in parts, but the turbulence in the second half leads to a “bad landing.”

Raja Vikramarka is an action-comedy thriller set against the backdrop of an NIA mission. Kartikeya Gummakonda plays Raja Vikramarka, a highly skilled NIA agent assigned to protect Home Minister Chakravarthy (Sai Kumar) from a vengeful anti-social element, Guru Narayan (Pasupathy), who awakens from a 14-year coma with a plan for revenge.

To get closer to the minister’s household, Raja disguises himself as a dance teacher and assistant, responsible for training the minister’s daughter, Kanthi (Tanya Ravichandran). Predictably, romance blossoms between Raja and Kanthi, but complications arise when the Home Minister and his daughter face imminent danger. The story revolves around Raja’s attempts to thwart Guru Narayan’s plans and protect the family.

Movie	Raja Vikramarka
Release Date	November 12, 2021
Director	Sri Saripalli
Cast	Kartikeya Gummakonda, Tanya Ravichandran, Sudhakar Komakula, Sai Kumar, Pasupathy, Tanikella Bharani, Harsha Vardhan
Production Banner	Sree Chitra Movie Makers
Music Director	Prashanth R Vihari
Cinematography	PC Mouli
Editor	Jeswin Prabhu

Highlights

Kartikeya’s action sequences and physical performance.
Certain comedic moments with Tanikella Bharani provide laughs.
Supporting actors, including Sai Kumar and Harsha Vardhan, deliver competent performances.
Cinematography and production values are satisfactory for an NIA thriller.

Drawbacks

Simplistic and predictable narration, especially in the first half.
Weak characterization of the hero and heroine.
Forced romantic and comic sequences dilute the suspense.
Pasupathy’s villain track is underdeveloped, reducing the threat factor.
The second half, although more action-oriented, fails to maintain audience engagement.
The background score and songs fail to leave a lasting impression.

Verdict

On the whole, Raja Vikramarka is a formulaic action-comedy thriller with moments of entertainment but fails to offer freshness or engagement. Fans of Kartikeya may enjoy the action blocks, but those seeking a well-crafted spy thriller will be disappointed.

Adbhutham is a Telugu sci-fi suspense thriller that blends romance, comedy, and fantasy. The film revolves around Surya (Teja Sajja), a young man despondent over his failed career and life choices, and Vennela (Shivani Rajasekhar), a girl distressed by personal setbacks. Both consider ending their lives, but a mysterious message—sent from Surya’s phone to Vennela—changes everything.

The twist? Surya and Vennela exist in different timelines yet share the same phone number, allowing them to communicate across years. As the two build a bond over their unusual connection, romance and curiosity drive them to unravel the mystery of this time-defying link. The story charts their emotional journey and the challenges of love across time.

Movie	Adbhutham
Release Date	November 19, 2021
Director	Mallik Ram
Cast	Teja Sajja, Shivani Rajasekhar, Satya, Tulasi, Shivaji Raja, Devi Prasad
Production Banner	S Originals
Music Director	Radhan
Cinematography	Vidyasagar Chinta
Editor	Garry BH
Producers	Chandra Shekhar Mogulla, Mandava Sai Kumar, Srujan Yarabolu
Screenplay & Dialogues	Lakshmi Bhupala

Highlights

Unique time-travel/communication concept bridging two timelines.
Teja Sajja and Shivani Rajasekhar’s earnest performances.
Sci-fi and rom-com elements are balanced in several sequences.
Satya’s comic timing offers genuine laughs.
Strong production values and visually appealing cinematography.

Drawbacks

Predictable romance and slow-paced second half.
Emotional beats sometimes feel forced or underdeveloped.
Songs and music do not leave a lasting impression.
Some twists feel contrived or unnecessarily prolonged.
Editing could have been tighter to sustain engagement.

Verdict

On the whole, Adbhutham is an inventive Telugu sci-fi romance that impresses with its concept but is held back by uneven execution. The first half is engaging and filled with clever twists, while the second half drags with predictable romance and minor narrative flaws. Fans of unconventional love stories and sci-fi experiments may find it enjoyable, though those expecting a tightly crafted thriller might feel slightly disappointed.

Drushyam 2 picks up exactly where the first installment left off. Rambabu (Venkatesh) had successfully concealed the murder of Varun, the son of his neighbor, six years ago, leaving the police clueless. Now, Varun’s parents (Nadhiya and Naresh) are desperate to uncover the truth and hire a sharp cop (Sampath Raj) to probe the case further.

As new evidence comes to light and the investigation intensifies, Rambabu must once again rely on his wit, intelligence, and strategic thinking to protect his family. The story is a tense cat-and-mouse game, exploring the lengths a man will go to safeguard his loved ones while keeping a dark secret buried.

Movie	Drushyam 2
Release Date	November 25, 2021
Director	Jeethu Joseph
Cast	Venkatesh, Meena, Kruthika Jayakumar, Esther Anil, Sampath Raj, Nadhiya, Naresh, Poorna, Vinay Varma, Satyam Rajesh
Production	Suresh Productions, Aashirvad Cinemas, RajKumar Theatres
Music Director	Anup Rubens
Cinematography	Satheesh Kurup
Editor	Marthand K Venkatesh
Producers	D. Suresh Babu, Antony Perumbavoor, Rajkumar Sethupathi
Screenplay & Dialogues	Jeethu Joseph & R. Samala

Highlights

Venkatesh’s compelling performance as Rambabu.
Well-executed suspense in the second half with smart twists.
A strong family emotional core maintains audience investment.
Sampath Raj’s cop character adds tension effectively.
Production design and cinematography contribute to a realistic thriller atmosphere.

Drawbacks

Slow-paced first half may test audience patience.
Kruthika Jayakumar’s performance lacks emotional depth.
Music and BGM are average and sometimes underwhelming.
Some staged or artificial scenes, such as neighborhood gossip, feel out of place.
Predictability in parts of the narrative reduces suspense slightly.

Verdict

Drushyam 2 is a gripping psychological thriller that combines family emotions with suspenseful storytelling. With Venkatesh leading a talented ensemble, the film keeps viewers engaged in the second half, even if the first act feels slow. A well-thought-out climax and solid performances make it a worthwhile watch on Amazon Prime Video for fans of intelligent thrillers.