Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu
2026 · The Hindu
Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu offers enough fun to gloss over its dull stretches. The chief pleasure lies in watching Chiranjeevi clearly enjoying himself, aided by an extended cameo from Venkatesh Daggubati and the presence of Nayanthara. Post-interval, however, the momentum dips as both comedy and drama turn predictable.
Korean Kanakaraju
2026 · The Hindu
Korean Kanakaraju leans heavily on Sathya's comic timing, and he delivers, as always. But there is only so much heavy lifting he can do when the writing lets him down. By the time the drawn-out climax finally ends, it is hard to care about either the man possessed, or the one leaving destruction in his wake.
Chennai Love Story
2026 · The Hindu
Chennai Love Story is a treat to watch until the key plot twist, packing within it an emotional love story and filmmaking aspirations. After the intermission, however, it's almost as though we are watching a different film. The result is a partly engaging film that doesn't soar.
Oh..! Sukumari
2026 · The Hindu
Oh! Sukumari remains engaging largely because of Thiruveer and Aishwarya Rajesh. Despite a few missteps, it delivers a reasonably engaging watch that balances humour and emotion to leave an impression.
Lenin
2026 · The Hindu
The film falters at its core: the love story never quite makes the audience root wholeheartedly for its characters. The story had immense potential to build on love and pathos, which it does not fully achieve. Ultimately, however, the blood-soaked saga grows tiresome in its reliance on the epics to do the heavy lifting.
Rao Bahadur
2026 · The Hindu
The carefully constructed drama gives way to a series of delightful twists that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. Rao Bahadur ventures into fantasy, lacing its psychological drama with touches of magical realism, crafted as a fable that engages rather than preaches about the weight of caste, class, colour, lineage and identity. The result is an ambitious, playful film that rewards attentive viewers.
Sing Geetham
2026 · The Hindu
Sing Geetham is a refreshing departure at a time when Telugu cinema seems trapped in the pursuit of pan-Indian ambitions. Yet Sing Geetham is the kind of film I would gladly surrender to rather than nitpick. By the end of Sing Geetham, I found myself wondering how the team pulled it off.
Michael
2026 · The Hindu
Michael is a labour of love that, at times, feels too laboured and tries hard to impress. Despite an earnest effort by its actors and the technical team, the film falls short of finding its own strong voice in the melee of gangster dramas we have seen in the last decade.
Anaganaga Oka Raju
2026 · The Hindu
Despite the uneven narrative, Naveen's comic timing and Meenakshi's graceful screen presence make the film immensely watchable. The film is redeemed when it shifts gears from an outrageous comedy to a social satire that taps into reel addiction and apathy for ground-level issues.
HIT: The Third Case
2025 · The Hindu
While HIT 3 attempts to deliver a grand, theatrical action spectacle, it is not entirely satisfying. However, it does succeed in setting the stage for the fourth instalment. The next film will hopefully marry the franchise's expanding scale with the taut, brooding thrillers that gave the first two entries their distinct edge.
Pushpa 2 - The Rule
2024 · The Hindu
But why do we discuss isolated sequences and performances rather than the narrative as a whole? The answer lies in the film, which simply offers more of the same thing as part one. Had all this been anchored by a solid story, it would have made for a compelling film.
RRR
2022 · The Hindu
There is a story that can potentially move you, make you weep for the characters — but it lies buried beneath the overarching effort to mount one visual spectacle after another. RRR made me wonder if in a bid to keep scaling up, Rajamouli the storyteller is taking a backseat.
Pushpa: The Rise
2021 · The Hindu
Pushpa - The Rise is riveting in some segments and bland in others. Allu Arjun shoulders the film, but his coming together with Sukumar should have been for a more absorbing narrative. The biggest disappointment is Fahadh Faasil.
Epic
2026 · The Hindu · Sep 2026
On the whole, Epic ends up much like its lead characters: eager to explore a new world, but not entirely sure how to navigate it. It gets some things right, while others remain a muddle.
Romanchakam
2026 · The Hindu · Sep 2026
Had the writing been sharper, Romanchakam could have worked as a coming-of-age friendship tale and a new-age love story. As it stands, it delivers sporadic laughs, but neither the humour nor the romance lingers.
Irumudi
2026 · The Hindu · Aug 2026
Despite occasional missteps, Irumudi emerges as an emotionally moving drama. The ramifications of abuse can still shake up viewers because of the emotionally resonant storytelling, exposing the vulnerability of a girl child and her parents.
Peddi
2026 · The Hindu · Jun 2026
If only Peddi had matched its ambition with sharper writing, it might have been truly memorable. Instead, it remains a messy, uneven drama held together by a committed lead performance and a stirring musical score.
Kaantha
2025 · The Hindu · Nov 2025
Kaantha is sincere and compelling in parts, which helps balance the portions that feel less fully realised. Dulquer Salmaan moves between a more theatrical, lyrical performance on the film set and the controlled charm of a star who knows how to tilt a narrative in his favour with tact, while the film builds its world and characters without hurry, allowing the central trio to take shape.
The Girlfriend
2025 · The Hindu · Nov 2025
The Girlfriend is a film for the ages. Its layered exploration of men, women, and the childhood experiences that shape their adult relationships is timeless. Writer and director Rahul Ravindran crafts a slow-burn drama that cuts close to the bone — close enough to make us pause and reflect on our emotional maturity and approach to love.
Mirai
2025 · The Hindu · Sep 2025
Mirai, though ambitious in reframing an Indian superhero saga, struggles to anchor its spectacle in compelling storytelling. Yet beneath the spectacle lies a story that finds its footing in parts, and that makes all the difference.
Kannappa
2025 · The Hindu · Jun 2025
In striving for grandeur, it forgets to tell the story that matters. Kannappa had a moving legend to build upon — a tale of unwavering faith and sacrifice. But what it needed was not more star power or visual gloss, but storytelling rooted in emotional clarity and cultural texture.
Kuberaa
2025 · The Hindu · Jun 2025
Kuberaa falls short of being a gamechanger. But it is a brave film from a director who has often stepped away from the norm, and raised pertinent questions. That is ample reason to cheer.
Thandel
2025 · The Hindu · Feb 2025
At times, Thandel nearly derails, but the love story steers it back on course. Yet, despite its flaws, it remains an engaging watch, carried by its deeply empathetic love story.
Game Changer
2025 · The Hindu · Jan 2025
Is Shankar's first Telugu film fun? Yes, quite a bit. Do the face-offs between Ram Charan and SJ Suryah live up to the hype? Sure, there are clapworthy lines and segments. The bigger question is, beyond the instant gratification, will these segments, or the film, stand the test of time? Game Changer pales in comparison to Shankar's earlier classics, and perhaps it is time for Shankar, once a game changer in mainstream cinema, to reinvent himself.
Matka
2024 · The Hindu · Nov 2024
As the film progresses, neither Vasu's meteoric rise in wealth and power nor his subsequent losses make for an engrossing viewing experience. For anyone who has watched gangster dramas that are presented as biopics, be it The Godfather, Nayakan, Sarkar or other films structured similarly, Matka offers nothing new. It ends up as a pale shadow of such compelling gangster stories.
Lucky Baskhar
2024 · The Hindu · Oct 2024
This relationship drama woven around a financial scam is Atluri's best work till date and is anchored by a powerhouse Dulquer Salmaan, who shifts seamlessly from a common man struggling to make ends meet to a shrewd banker driven by the need to make quick money. Venky Atluri shifts to top gear in the later portions and gets into the murky ways of money laundering with smart storytelling that rarely pauses and keeps us guessing on Baskhar's next move.
Devara: Part 1
2024 · The Hindu · Oct 2024
The film, which has also been dubbed and released in multiple languages, has a few awe-inducing segments that are enhanced by Anirudh Ravichander's vibrant music score, only to eventually make us wonder if a sequel is warranted.
Saripodhaa Sanivaaram
2024 · The Hindu · Aug 2024
Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is what we get when fine writing infuses life into an old vigilante drama. It is enjoyable for the most part with some riveting segments.
Kalki 2898-AD
2024 · The Hindu · Jun 2024
In terms of ambition, yes. In terms of writing and storytelling, there are niggles. Despite these shortcomings, Kalki is a brave new attempt that deserves big cheers.
Eagle
2024 · The Hindu · Feb 2024
Had the narrative that led to this portion been riveting, instead of a partially interesting tale that lacked a more engaging screenplay, the film would have been sharper. With sharper writing, it could have been a more engaging action drama.
Guntur Kaaram
2024 · The Hindu · Jan 2024
Guntur Kaaram wants to be an emotional family entertainer and a mass/masala film rolled into one. This film feels like a pale blend of both, garnished with Guntur's fiery red chillies, hoping the leading man's fanbase will lap it up.
Saaho
2019 · The Hindu · Aug 2019
Saaho was an opportunity to follow up on Baahubali, which had both scale and imagination, and blur the boundaries between regional and national cinema once again. Sadly, it ends up as a missed opportunity.
Baahubali 2
2017 · The Hindu · Apr 2017
For the most part, The Conclusion doesn't let us take our eyes off the screen. It's designed to be a cinematic celebration, one that deserves to be watched on the largest screen possible.
Manamantha
2016 · The Hindu · Aug 2016
Manamantha is narrated with a lot of conviction and the stories merit a discussion. The only grouse is with how Gautami's journey ended. But it wouldn't be possible to discuss it here without giving away the end.
24
2016 · The Hindu · May 2016
24 is laudable for its attempt to take Indian mainstream cinema a step ahead. The lead actor and technical team apart, there's good support from other pivotal characters including Ajay. Nithya Menen is a delight in a brief role and renders the lullaby 'Lalijo' beautifully.
Oopiri
2016 · The Hindu · Apr 2016
It's no mean feat to make a mainstream Telugu film where the hero sits on a wheelchair. But the next time an unconventional film is made, let's hope the item number can be done away with.
Krishnashtami
2016 · The Hindu · Feb 2016
Krishnashtami tries to position itself as a family entertainer, action flick and romantic drama and falls short on all counts.
Nenu Sailaja
2016 · The Hindu · Jan 2016
The hero has to iron out frictions in the heroine's family to win her over.
Size Zero (Inji Iduppazhagi)
2015 · The Hindu · Nov 2015
The film has its heart at the right place in terms of what it wants to convey, but if only it had been done in a smarter, more entertaining way.
Cheekati Rajyam
2015 · The Hindu · Nov 2015
... isn't really exceptional, going by Kamal Haasan's oeuvre, but makes for an engaging watch. An assured debut by director Rajesh M. Selva.
Kanche
2015 · The Hindu · Oct 2015
Kanche doesn't stand out merely by being different, but also because it's earnest.
Bruce Lee - The Fighter
2015 · The Hindu · Oct 2015
In the latter half, when you have almost given up on the film, there are far too many songs. The moment you spot the heroine, you shudder expecting another song.
Rudhramadevi
2015 · The Hindu · Oct 2015
There are several shortcomings, but Gunasekhar piques the interest to go back and read up more about this warrior queen.
Courier Boy Kalyan
2015 · The Hindu · Sep 2015
Nithiin looks the part of a helpless guy caught in a tangle and shows his mettle as an actor. The background score and cinematography are good too. But the film itself could have been so much better had it stayed true to the plot and genre. Bottomline: A story that doesn't live up to its premise.
Bale Bale Magadivoy
2015 · The Hindu · Sep 2015
Bhale Bhale Magadivoi puts logic aside but there's plenty of situational humour where you'll find yourself laughing aloud and having a good time. And these laughs are with than at the protagonist.
Lingaa
2014 · The Hindu · Dec 2014
Lingaa is worth the watch for Rajinikanth but falls midway between being a gripping social drama and a full throttle entertainer.
Loukyam
2014 · The Hindu · Sep 2014
Watch Loukyam for a few laughs. Just don't expect it to keep you engrossed.
Power
2014 · The Hindu · Sep 2014
Power tries hard to amuse and has a hangover of Kick and Vikramarkudu. Ravi Teja does his part well but the film itself offers nothing new.
Nee Jathaga Nenundali
2014 · The Hindu · Aug 2014
The original seems 10 times better, and that's not saying much about this film.