Srivathsan Nadadhur

Trinath, a doting father to his daughter Manikanta, is a protector-figure in his family and for all the women in Pollur, his village in Andhra Pradesh. Despite his good intentions, he has a weakness for alcohol, except for the 41-day-long Ayyappa deeksha every year. As Manikanta uncovers a dark link between a series of mysterious deaths and a government school, all hell breaks loose. All that Ravi Teja needed for a long time was a director who could draw out his strengths as a performer, rather than merely relying on his past glory for quick returns. Backed by a script with its heart in the right place, the veteran’s emotional portrayal of a protective family man is ably complemented by child artiste Nakshatra, who shines as a girl with an indefatigable spirit.

Many films get caught up trying too hard to make a point. They are too eager to please, rather than to make the audience feel. The main intention of the Telugu indie filmAmeer Log is to let viewers soak in the Hyderabadi way of life. A coming-of-age tale of three aimless friends in a slum serves as the base to capture the identity of a city through its language, humour, food and brotherhood. Ameer Log thrives in its irreverent, laidback setting. Three men in their 20s living in the vicinity of Golconda — Srinu, Mallesh and Rafique — are unaffected by familial pressures to fend for themselves. They are content sipping a dozen cups of chai a day, enjoying a good game of cricket, picking up petty fights with rival gangs and meeting their chacha (Vishwender Reddy Kommidi) on the street to indulge in daily gossip.

Barely a week after Korean Kanakaraju, a no-brainer milking the viewer’s endless appetite for horror comedies, Telugu cinema’s tryst with ghosts, evil spirits and tantric practices continues with Agadha, set to a different metre. It is a primitive yet visually arresting good-versus-evil supernatural thriller that takes itself quite seriously. Agadha arrives with an underdog advantage. One does not expect much, going by director MS Raju’s modest track record. In this film, he has banked on a young team to deliver the goods. On the surface, it has the staple ingredients of a rustic horror tale, with occult rituals, hymns, long-bearded sages and even older belief systems, but it is staged with flair.

Shambho Gadappa, an elderly man in a village in Telangana, and his son Tirupathi have not been on speaking terms for a few years. The former is hurt when he asks Tirupathi for a toothbrush and does not receive it. Matters get complicated when Shambho is not even invited to his granddaughter’s wedding. Taking matters into his own hands, he files a case against his son, citing negligence and the lack of basic care for the elderly. Sudhakar Reddy yet again proves why he is a special talent, delivering a credible performance that ranks on par with his work in Muthayya and Balagam. He maintains simplicity in his performance and capitalises on his unique timing to make his presence felt. Muralidhar Goud fits the part of an irresponsible son who gets carried away in life and reforms himself over time. Prajwal Yadma, cast as Ravi, is one of the film’s precious finds, delivering a heartfelt, innocent performance as a lovestruck barber. Gomathy Reddy strikes a good on-screen rapport with Prajwal and makes a mark.

Men and machines. It’s a love story that defies logic. The soulful 2024 Tamil film Meiyazhagan explored the relationship between the protagonist and his cycle, and what the vehicle really meant to him. “In a way, this cycle coming into our lives changed it completely,” a teary-eyed Karthi tells Arvind Swamy in the film. G.D.N kickstarts proceedings with this fascinating emotion. A young Gopalaswamy Doraiswamy Naidu (GDN) follows an Englishman around for two years — not because he wanted to be friends, but because he was besotted with the motorcycle that he was riding. A few minutes into the film, a star-stuck Dorai asks the Englishman (who he ironically also calls ‘Dorai’ which means ‘master’) if he can sell him the motorcycle.

Das and the members of a rebel gang attack a moving police vehicle to seize weapons, triggering a nationwide crisis. They also kill an officer responsible for a farmer’s custodial death. The events push the police force, led by a cop, Bhojraj, to initiate a hunt for the gang and the weapons. While on the run, Das meets two women, Parvathi and Chandra, who change the course of his life. Lokesh Kanagaraj makes an assured acting debut in a role with minimal dialogue, compensated by the abundant rage in the action sequences. He stays true to the nature of Das without trying to oversell his presence. Sanjana Krishnamoorthy is elegant in a brief yet impactful appearance. The soul of the film, though, comes through Wamiqa Gabbi’s portrayal of Chandra, who refuses to be boxed into yet another traumatised prostitute. She brings resilience, vulnerability and dignity to a woman who wants to be seen beyond her flesh. The ensemble cast, comprising Krish Dayal, Sharath Ravi, Avinash Raghudevan, Jawahar Sakthi and Balaji Devi Prasad, all make their mark in well-etched roles.

Ikka refuses to be a simple good versus evil drama. Two men- a star lawyer, Arjun Mehra, and Shauryaman Gaur, a spoilt kid of an influential politician- who are at loggerheads with each other personally and professionally, are forced to come together for an attempted murder case. An underdog lawyer, Madhura Banerjee, serves as the public prosecutor. Sunny Deol and Tillotama Shome deliver credible performances among the leads. The former genuinely surprises you with his restraint in the need of the hour and enjoys going ballistic occasionally. He appears composed and unperturbed within the courtroom and transforms effortlessly into a man consumed by guilt back home. Tillotama is as assured as ever with a confident portrayal of a rookie lawyer.

After their troublesome Intermediate years, Sammy, Milky and Sid are all pumped up for their engineering life. On day one, Sid is instantly attracted to Goldie, an NRI girl and gifted dancer. She turns out to be his classmate and soon joins their gang. But while they are being ragged, the gang earns the wrath of a senior, Suhas, who starts harassing Goldie. Sai Sriram Vemparaala looks right for the part, is confident and has a camera-friendly presence. The girls in the gang, played by Sindhu Reddy and Geervani Reddy, are just about okay. Anthony Karthik fails to tickle your funny bones while Bindu Madhavi, in a cameo-like role, passes muster and is expected to have more prominence in the later episodes.