Author: Chiranjeevi Reddy

Vakeel Saab is a Telugu legal drama inspired by the real-life issues of consent and women’s rights. It is an official remake of the 2016 Hindi film Pink but adapted with a mass-appeal flavor to suit Pawan Kalyan’s superstar image.

The story revolves around three young women – Pallavi (Nivetha Thomas), Zareena (Anjali), and Divya (Ananya Nagalla) – who live together in Hyderabad. Their lives take a dramatic turn after a night at a party leads to a violent altercation with Vamsi (Vamsi Krishna) and his friends. Facing charges and social stigma, the girls turn to Satyadev (Pawan Kalyan), a once-successful lawyer battling his own demons, for justice.

The film explores how Satyadev takes on the case against the powerful lawyer Nanda (Prakash Raj), fighting not only in the courtroom but also against societal prejudices and entrenched misogyny. The narrative is emotionally charged and delivers a strong social message, though it includes commercial elements like a romantic subplot, flashback sequences, and action to cater to mass audiences.

Movie	Vakeel Saab
Release Date	April 9, 2021
Director	Venu Sriram
Producer	Dil Raju, Boney Kapoor, Sirish
Banner	Sri Venkateswara Creations
Cast	Pawan Kalyan, Shruti Haasan, Anjali, Nivetha Thomas, Ananya Nagalla, Prakash Raj, Mukesh Rishi, Vamsi Krishna, Ananda Chakrapani
Music	S. Thaman
Cinematography	P. S. Vinod
Editor	Prawin Pudi

Highlights
Pawan Kalyan’s comeback performance and star presence.
Strong emotional impact from the three lead actresses, highlighting women empowerment.
Prakash Raj’s portrayal of the antagonist lawyer adds depth to courtroom confrontations.
Thaman’s background score elevates tense and emotional sequences.
Social messages about consent and women’s rights are effectively delivered.

Drawbacks
First-half flashback and romantic subplot slow down the narrative.
Shruti Haasan’s role is underutilized and looks forced.
Some overt commercial elements, political references, and staged fights feel unnecessary.
Slight dilution of the intense courtroom message compared to Pink.

Verdict
Vakeel Saab is a commendable comeback for Pawan Kalyan, offering a mix of mass appeal and social relevance. It is an engaging courtroom drama with stellar performances from the leads, a strong background score, and moments that tug at the heartstrings. Despite a slow first half and some unnecessary commercial insertions, it remains a solid watch for fans and general audiences alike.

Deyyam is a Telugu horror drama that revolves around Vijji (Swathi Deekshith), a college student who begins exhibiting strange behavior after being possessed by a vengeful ghost. Her father, Shankar (Rajasekhar), a mechanic, is bewildered by her sudden delirium and seeks help from a series of medical experts, occult practitioners, and law enforcement.

The central mystery of the film is why the ghost chose Vijji’s body and what it wants. As the narrative unfolds, the father-daughter bond, the supernatural threat, and the efforts to save Vijji form the crux of the story. Despite the intriguing premise, the execution struggles to maintain tension or deliver genuine scares, leaving the audience frustrated.

Movie	Deyyam
Release Date	April 16, 2021
Director	Ram Gopal Varma
Producer	Ram Gopal Varma
Banner	Mango Mass Media
Cast	Rajasekhar, Swathi Deekshith, Ahuti Prasad, Tanikella Bharani, Anitha Choudary, Jeeva, Benerjee, Ananth, Sana
Music	DSR
Cinematography	Satish Muthyala
Editor	Sathya & Anwar

Highlights
Swathi Deekshith’s performance as Vijji.
Rajasekhar’s sincerity in portraying a worried father.
Occasional scenes where the ghost’s presence is impactful.

Drawbacks
Outdated storyline and horror tropes.
Weak technical execution in cinematography, sound, and VFX.
Poor dubbing and inconsistent performances from the supporting cast.
Dragging the first half and lack of tension throughout.
Low production value and unimaginative scares.

Verdict
Deyyam is a dated and technically subpar horror drama that fails to engage or scare the audience. Despite Swathi Deekshith’s commendable performance and Rajasekhar’s sincerity, the film suffers from poor execution, weak production values, and uninspired storytelling.

Thank You Brother is a Telugu thriller centered around two contrasting individuals – Priya (Anasuya Bharadwaj), a recently widowed and heavily pregnant woman, and Abhi (Viraj Ashwin), a rich, spoiled young man with little sense of responsibility. Their lives intersect when they get trapped in a stalled elevator in a Hyderabad apartment building.

The crisis escalates as Priya goes into labor, leaving Abhi to navigate the chaos, make life-saving decisions, and confront his own shortcomings. The narrative explores how a high-pressure, life-threatening situation transforms a carefree man into a responsible individual while highlighting the resilience of a pregnant woman facing unexpected hurdles.

Movie	Thank You Brother
Release Date	May 7, 2021
Director	Ramesh Raparthi
Producers	Magunta Sarath Chandra Reddy, Tharaknath Bommi Reddy
Production Banner	Just Ordinary Entertainment
Cast	Anasuya Bharadwaj, Viraj Ashwin, Archana Ananth, Anish Kuruvilla, Harsha Chemudu, Aadarsh Balakrishna, Annapurna, Kadambari Kiran
Music	Guna Balasubramanian
Cinematography	Suresh Ragutu
Editing	Uday Kumar & Venkat G
Art & Production Design	Purushotham Prem
OTT Release	Aha Video

Highlights
Anasuya Bharadwaj’s compelling performance as Priya.
Unique elevator-based thriller concept for Telugu cinema.
Effective cinematography in confined spaces.
Emotional intensity in the second half.
Crisp technical execution in production design and visuals.

Drawbacks
Slow-paced first half with excessive focus on Abhi’s backstory.
Weak comedy and some poorly timed sequences.
Screenplay fails to sustain tension for the entire runtime.
Predictable plot elements and rushed character development.
Background score and flashback sequences could have been sharper.

Verdict
Thank You Brother is a decent OTT thriller with a fresh premise that is let down by uneven storytelling and pacing issues. While the concept of two strangers trapped in a lift and facing a life-or-death situation is engaging, the film spends too much time on irrelevant flashbacks, diluting suspense.

Cinema Bandi is a heartwarming Telugu comedy-drama that celebrates the magic of cinema through the lens of innocence and ambition. The film revolves around Veerababu (Vikas Vasishta), a cheerful auto driver living in the remote village of Gollapally. One day, he stumbles upon a high-end DSLR camera left behind by a passenger. Initially, Veerababu considers selling it, but soon, inspiration strikes. He decides to make a film with the camera, despite having no experience in filmmaking.

He recruits his friends – Ganapathi (Sandeep Varanasi), a local wedding photographer as the cameraman, and Maridesh Babu (Rag Mayur), a barber with no acting experience, as the hero. For the heroine, they cast Manga, a vegetable vendor from the village. What follows is an endearing tale of their struggle to create a movie, the hilarious challenges they face, and the support they receive from the villagers. The story also teases a mystery behind the camera, keeping the narrative engaging.

Movie	Cinema Bandi
Release Date	May 14, 2021
Director	Praveen Kandregula
Producers	Raj Nidimoru, Krishna D.K.
Production Banner	D2R Indie
Cast	Vikas Vasishta, Sandeep Varanasi, Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy, Sirivennela Yanamandhala, Munivenkatappa, Uma Yg, Rag Mayur, Ram Charan, Trishara
Music	Satyavolu Sirish
Cinematography	Apoorva Shaligram, Sagar Y.V.V.
Editing	Kakarala Dharmendra, Girijala Raviteja
Streaming On	Netflix

Highlights
Refreshing and original storyline about filmmaking in a rural setup.
Endearing performances by Vikas Vasishta and Sandeep Varanasi.
Natural and authentic portrayal of village life and culture.
Humor and emotion are perfectly balanced.
Well-executed cinematography and production design on a limited budget.

Drawbacks
Some shooting sequences are unnecessarily long, slightly slowing the pace.
Post-camera damage sequences could have been trimmed for tighter narration.
Minor pacing issues in the second half.

Verdict
Cinema Bandi is a charming, feel-good Telugu film that celebrates dreams, innocence, and the power of storytelling. It highlights how passion and community can turn ordinary villagers into filmmakers, reminding audiences why cinema continues to inspire.

Battala Ramaswamy Biopikku is a Telugu comedy-drama that attempts to present a “biopic” of an ordinary man – Battala Ramaswamy (Altaf Hassan) – who dreams of a simple life with a single wife and a thriving saree business in his village in the Godavari region.

The story begins unusually, with Ramaswamy already dead, while his three wives mourn beside him. A village narrator then recounts his life: he first marries Jayaprada (Shanthi Rao), his initial love, and together they start a saree business. Circumstances push him to marry her sister Jayasudha (Lavanya Reddy) and later a customer, Sridevi (Satvika Jay), turning his life into a chaotic web of polygamy.

The second half of the film focuses on the troubles that arise due to his three marriages and how he manages – or fails to manage – the conflicts. What exactly leads him to his untimely death forms the climax of this farcical narrative.

Movie	Battala Ramaswamy Biopikku
Release Date	May 14, 2021
Director	Ram Narayan
Producers	Satish Kumar, Rama Krishna Veerapaneni
Production Banner	Seven Hills Productions, Mango Mass Media
Cast	Altaf Hassan, Lavanya Reddy, Satvika Jay, Shanthi Rao, Bhadram, Siri Chandana
Music	Ram Narayan
Cinematography	PSK Mani
Editing	Sagar Dadi
Streaming On	ZEE5

Highlights
Altaf Hassan’s comic timing and innocent portrayal of Ramaswamy.
Bhadram delivers occasional comedic relief.
PSK Mani’s cinematography captures the rural village setting well.
The concept of focusing on an ordinary man’s life is unique, albeit poorly executed.

Drawbacks
Outdated storyline and clichéd execution.
Weak screenplay, continuity issues, and sloppy direction.
Female characters are stereotyped and underdeveloped.
Overlong runtime (145 minutes) makes the film tedious.
Humor and adult comedy largely ineffective.

Verdict
Battala Ramaswamy Biopikku is a village-based comedy-drama that struggles to engage its audience. While Altaf Hassan’s performance and Bhadram’s comedic moments offer some entertainment, the film’s outdated narration, weak screenplay, and clichéd humor overshadow its merits. OTT viewers looking for a light-hearted comedy may find a few laughs here and there, but overall, the film feels more like a relic from the 1980s than a contemporary release.

Ek Mini Katha tackles a bold and rarely explored subject in Telugu cinema: the insecurity of a young man about the size of his private parts. Santosh (Santosh Shoban), a kind-hearted civil engineer, grows up with a deep-seated fear that he is physically inadequate. This insecurity becomes a serious psychological issue affecting his confidence, career, and personal life.

When his parents insist on marriage, Santosh is paired with Amrutha (Kavya Thapar), a girl who likes things “big” in life. The story unfolds as Santosh tries everything – from herbal remedies to surgeries, even consulting a sanyasini (Shraddha Das) – to solve his problem before he can consummate his marriage. Amidst all the chaos, the film explores his fears, societal pressures, and hilarious attempts to navigate adulthood and love.

Movie	Ek Mini Katha
Release Date	May 27, 2021
Director	Karthik Rapolu
Producers	UV Concepts (a subsidiary of UV Creations), Mango Mass Media
Cast	Santosh Shoban, Kavya Thapar, Shraddha Das, Posani Krishna Murali, Brahmaji, Sudarshan, Saptagiri, Harsha Vardhan
Music Director	Praveen Lakkaraju
Cinematography	Gokul Bharathi
Editing	Satya G
Streaming On	Amazon Prime Video

Highlights
Bold subject handled with sensitivity and humor.
Santosh Shoban delivers a standout performance.
Kavya Thapar impresses with her screen presence.
Comedy sequences and quirky characters add light-hearted moments.
Cinematography and production values are visually appealing.

Drawbacks
Second half suffers from stretched-out sequences.
Some jokes and side characters feel forced.
The protagonist’s struggle could have been explored more deeply.
Songs occasionally disrupt narrative flow.

Verdict
Ek Mini Katha is a brave attempt at discussing a taboo topic in Telugu cinema while keeping it entertaining for adult audiences. Despite a dragged second half and some forced comedy, the film’s heart lies in Santosh Shoban’s earnest performance and the relatable dilemma he portrays. For viewers looking for a humorous yet sensitive exploration of personal insecurities, this film is worth a watch on Amazon Prime Video.