Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

The Telugu film Laila, directed by Ram Narayan and starring Vishwak Sen, outlined its premise clearly in its promotional material. The story revolves around a man forced to disguise himself as a woman to escape a group of men out for his blood — only to be ogled at by the very same pursuers. The trailer openly hinted at the double entendres and adult humour in store. However, the film’s issues extend far beyond its tasteless comedy. The narrative aggressively doubles down on crass, regressive tropes, making nearly every sequence leading up to and following the disguise an ordeal to sit through. Take, for example, a subplot where a family rejects multiple prospective brides because they are not “beautiful” enough to match the glamour of heroines from Chiranjeevi’s blockbuster films. Their eventual choice — a fair-skinned, stunning bride — shatters their illusions when her makeup wears off, revealing dark skin. The son is devastated, while the father, in apparent shock, is nearly paralysed. It is hard to believe that such tone-deaf sequences, masquerading as comedy, are still being written in 2025.

Some films focus less on plot and more on character-driven narratives. Thandel, the Telugu film directed by Chandoo Mondeti, is a prime example. Based on true incidents from a few years ago, in which fishermen from Andhra Pradesh unknowingly crossed international waters into Pakistan, the film weaves a love story that transcends all odds. The storyline, penned by Karthik Theeda, is straightforward, but Chandoo’s screenplay immerses viewers in the world of the fisherfolk, with an emotionally stirring romance — between Raju (Naga Chaitanya) and Satya (Sai Pallavi) — at its core. The poignant love story comes alive through the lead actors’ performances, complemented by Devi Sri Prasad’s evocative music, which serves as the film’s emotional anchor. But is that enough to overlook the weaker, more turbulent portions? Almost.

A character named Bulli Raju, played by child actor Revanth, mouths expletives that send grown-ups into a tizzy. We hear some of these words while the rest is masked by the background score. A section of the audience may wonder why the filmmaker makes a boy say things beyond his age. The very next minute, writer-director Anil Ravipudi’s Telugu film Sankranthiki Vasthunam reasons that the young mind has been corrupted by an overdose of content on digital platforms! Bulli Raju’s antics in an early scene bring the house down and set the tone for the film. Teaming up with Venkatesh Daggubati for the third time, after the farcical comedies F2 and F3, Anil is aware that all his target audiences want are a few good laughs. Logical reasoning and political correctness can take a backseat. Within that framework, the film delivers several laughs.

At a pre-release promotional event, director Shankar mentioned how his new film, Game Changer, considers the audience’s diminishing attention spans, shaped by Instagram Reels, and delivers engaging sequences in quick succession. This is perhaps why two-hour 45-minute film feels like a patchwork of segments opting for hurried transitions rather than seamless segways. Is Shankar’s first Telugu film (his older Tamil films were massive hits in Telugu) 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?

Ever questioned why zero, which has no value on its own, is bigger than nine when it is preceded by 1 and becomes 10? This question recurs through the Telugu family drama 35: Chinna Katha Kaadu (not a small story), directed by debutant Nanda Kishore Emani. Are Mathematics fundamentals not to be questioned? Should a student accept the norm, learn the syllabus and pass the examinations? The film starring Nivetha Thomas, Viswadev, Priyadarshi, child actors Abhay and Arun and more than 50 children is a heartwarming and a well thought out story that encourages its viewers to look within and take that first step towards overcoming setbacks. 35 portrays children as realistically as possible and feels like a return to an age of innocence.

Some narratives tend to grow upon repeated viewing, revealing subtle details. Before the release of Pushpa 2: The Rule, revisiting the 2021 Telugu action drama Pushpa – The Rise, the origin story of Pushparaj (Allu Arjun), a coolie who rises through the ranks of a smuggling syndicate in the Chittoor district of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, highlights how writer-director Sukumar establishes the protagonist as a potential leader. Pushpa is often framed at a higher position than the others, as he navigates tricky situations. These visual metaphors apart, there was a nuanced portrayal of how Pushpa dealt with members of the syndicate as well as the cops. His Achilles heel? Being born out of wedlock, he is frequently taunted about his surname or ‘inti peru’ (family name).

How does a business venture that does not require much investment work, a character wonders in director Karuna Kumar’s Telugu film Matka. We sell hope and buy people’s trust, explains the protagonist (Varun Tej as Vasu) whose character is inspired by gambler Ratan Khatri, also known as the ‘matka’ king. His statement and the scenes on a train that precede it, showing the potential for gambling and how it can turn ordinary citizens into addicts, perk up an otherwise predictable narrative.

How far would you go to help your loved ones? This question is oft explored in books and cinema. If done well, it can be an emotionally moving drama. Komal R Bharadwaj, who has written and directed the Telugu indie film Rahasyam Idham Jagath, gives this idea a different spin, interspersing elements of science fiction and mythology. There is romance, a bitter past, a possibility of revenge, unexplained murky happenings in an eerie setting and the possibility of time travel through a wormhole. It is an ambitious, interesting idea on paper but does not translate to an engrossing adventurous ride, despite the earnest execution of the film.