The landscape of Telugu horror thrillers often feels saturated with tired tropes and lazy rehashes. In this context, director Koushik Pegallapati’s sophomore film, Kishkindhapuri, emerges as a decidedly sincere attempt to deliver a straightforward horror mystery, even while consciously embracing many familiar genre beats. The film, starring Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas and Anupama Parameswaran, focuses on a couple, Raghav and Mythili, who run “ghost-walking tours” in the titular town. Their journey takes a chilling turn when a visit to the supposedly haunted Suvarnamaya Radio Station awakens a dormant, vengeful spirit, leading to a series of mysterious deaths among the visitors. While the initial setup is gripping and the technical execution is largely commendable, the narrative ultimately struggles to ascend beyond a mere ‘passable’ experience due to key shortcomings in its emotional core and pacing.
Strong Technicals and an Engaging First Half
The film’s strongest suit lies in its technical execution and the expertly crafted atmosphere of the first half. The production design by Manisha Dutt and art direction by Siva Kamesh successfully create a spooky, authentic mood, particularly within the confines of the abandoned radio station. Director Pegallapati deserves credit for largely eschewing unnecessary commercial elements—namely, excessive comedy or ill-placed romantic songs—after establishing the core premise. This discipline allows the narrative to maintain focus on the horror. Chaitan Bharadwaj’s pulsating background score and Radhakrishna’s impressive sound design amplify the chills, working in tandem with Chinmay Salaskar’s cinematography to deliver effective, well-timed jump scares. The ghost walking tour premise, though briefly explored, offers a fresh initial hook, and the director’s choice to reserve the ghost’s full backstory for an “unreliable narrator” in the second half adds a compelling, albeit fleeting, element of narrative novelty.
Performance Holds the Fort, but Pacing Stumbles
The central performances provide a steady anchor for the film. Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas shows a visible improvement in his portrayal of Raghav, the ghost-walk curator who must step up as the saviour. He leads the film with conviction and sincerity, appearing more vulnerable and believable than in some of his previous action-centric roles. Anupama Parameswaran is equally impressive as Mythili, delivering a strong performance in key dramatic and possessed sequences, particularly shining in the hospital scene. However, the film’s pacing and emotional depth become significant drawbacks in the latter half. While aiming for a crisp runtime, the script sacrifices crucial detail, making revelations and key plot points feel rushed and convenient. The climax, which attempts to delve into an intrapersonal conflict for the protagonist, wraps up too quickly for the audience to genuinely connect with or feel the emotional stakes. The lack of a strong, consistently captivating conflict in the second half makes the mystery element predictable, ultimately preventing the film from reaching its full potential as a truly memorable horror thriller.
Sandy Master: The Visceral Antagonist Across South Indian Cinema
The film’s strength is significantly bolstered by Sandy Master’s intense portrayal of the antagonist, Visravaputra. Known primarily as a choreographer, Sandy’s recent ventures into acting are proving to be a revelatory change of pace, marking him as a versatile performer unafraid of challenging roles. In Kishkindhapuri, his chilling screen presence as the vengeful spirit, initially masked as a female entity, brings a raw, visceral energy to the proceedings, particularly in the later sequences when his true identity is mocked and unleashed. This performance cements a compelling pattern in his career trajectory across South Indian cinema. Following his impressive, well-received acting turn in the Malayalam film Lokah, and his memorable appearance in the Tamil blockbuster Leo, his chilling work in this Telugu thriller Kishkindhapuri highlights a strategic and successful choice in embracing diverse, impactful supporting and antagonist roles. Sandy Master’s ability to transition seamlessly from dance maestro to a formidable, character-driven actor is a definite asset to the film’s horror quotient and a promising development for the industry.
Verdict
Kishkindhapuri is a mediocre horror thriller that benefits from strong technical departments and earnest performances by its lead pair. It successfully builds a spooky atmosphere and resists the temptation of generic commercial flab, focusing on its core story. However, its struggles with an uneven pace, a predictable second half, and a failure to deliver a satisfying emotional or climactic high keep it firmly in the average territory. It’s a film that genre enthusiasts may appreciate for its genuine effort and lack of adulteration with gimmicks, but for the average viewer, it offers only fleeting moments of thrill. If you are willing to overlook the rushed storytelling and emotional flatness, it’s a passable watch.
CINEMA SPICE RATING: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)