Srivathsan Nadadhur

The 2022 film Odela Railway Station, directed by Ashok Teja and featuring Vasishta Simha and Hebah Patel, was a rural thriller focusing on sexual crimes in a quiet Telangana village. The narrative followed a woman’s chilling revenge after discovering that her husband was the perpetrator. With its use of graphic visuals and a voyeuristic lens on violence, the film, despite its disturbing tone, garnered significant viewership on OTT (Aha Telugu). Ashok Teja and writer Sampath Nandi reunite for its sequel, Odela 2, led by Tamanaah Bhatia, reimagining the story as a supernatural thriller. After meeting with a horrific end at the hands of his wife, Tirupathi (Vasishta N Simha) returns as a vengeful spirit, undeterred and more dangerous. His spirit manipulates a new set of men, reigniting a similar pattern of crimes in the village. As chaos escalates, the stage is set for the arrival of Bhairavi (Tamannaah), a mythical force destined to restore order. A conventional good-versus-evil showdown ensues.

The Legend of Hanuman, which enters its sixth season this week, has consistently pushed the bar in retelling the Ramayana through animation on OTT across age groups, supplemented by its new-age visualisation, playful storytelling and impactful writing, exploring major events, the traits of each of its pivotal characters (apart from Hanuman too) with equal sincerity. The new season is about the fall of Ravan as much as the rise of Hanuman. Greed and ego get the better of Ravan. Emerging victorious over Ram is no longer his only priority, he wants the world for himself. While losing the support of Vibheeshan (and Mandodari partially), he misses being with his other brothers, sons (who’re no more) and hopes to meet them on the other side of the world.

Seven years after the harrowing events of Chhorii, Sakshi leads a peaceful life with her daughter, Ishani. The latter suffers from a rare condition where exposure to sunlight can prove fatal. Their peace is shattered one night when a ghostly figure appears and lures Ishani away. When Sakshi returns home to find her daughter missing, she desperately seeks help from Inspector Samar. In terms of performances, Chhorii 2 is an out and out Soha Ali Khan show. She brings an undeniable authority and composure to the portrayal of Daasi Maa, a key architect behind an archaic ritual that usurps the lives of girls. While Nushrat Bharucha is effective as a mother who leaves no stone unturned to protect her daughter, the film doesn’t demand anything significantly different from her as a performer (in comparison to the first part).

Prasad, father to teenagers Jyothi and Srikanth, runs a small-time photo studio in a quaint town in Telangana, struggling to make ends meet. Yet, he does it all without complaints, helped significantly by his homemaker wife Devi. While Srikanth wants to work in films, Prasad is adamant about sending him to the US. In contrast, Jyothi wants to study further, but her parents try to get her married. The casting, while familiar, still evokes some freshness with the pairing of Rajeev Kanakala and Jhansi. As expected of him, Rajeev Kanakala fits the part of the seemingly tough dad with a heart of gold and delivers a warm, affecting performance with a good sense of humour and use of body language. Jhansi is as expressive as ever, acing the Telangana slang like a queen without missing the core emotion of the character.

Arjun, a father to a school-going son Aadi and a cricket star on the wane, grabs a spot in a crucial match against Pakistan amidst much resistance from selectors and the public. His childhood sweetheart Kumudha, who yearns to raise a child, leads a quiet life with Saravanan, an MIT product who struggles to get his career going. When his son goes missing, Arjun needs to choose between cricket and family. Siddarth, essaying a sportsman who handles edgy conflicts on and off the field, delivers a nuanced, mature performance truly indicative of his potential as a performer. Yet, time and again, you feel sad that his choices continue to fail his talents. The unusual casting choice to pair him up opposite Meera Jasmine is interesting, though the latter deserved a better-etched part.

Sanjay Rajkot, a king from a royal family, is sought after by a stubborn cop, Prakash, a right hand man of a crooked politician, Pradhan. After unexpectedly losing a loved one, he heads to Mumbai to meet three organ recipients, where he crosses paths with Pradhan and his pampered son Arjun again. When Arjun dies in a freak accident, Pradhan locks horns with Sanjay. Sanjay Rajkot, a king from a royal family, is sought after by a stubborn cop, Prakash, a right hand man of a crooked politician, Pradhan. After unexpectedly losing a loved one, he heads to Mumbai to meet three organ recipients, where he crosses paths with Pradhan and his pampered son Arjun again. When Arjun dies in a freak accident, Pradhan locks horns with Sanjay. Sanjay Rajkot, a king from a royal family, is sought after by a stubborn cop, Prakash, a right hand man of a crooked politician, Pradhan. After unexpectedly losing a loved one, he heads to Mumbai to meet three organ recipients, where he crosses paths with Pradhan and his pampered son Arjun again. When Arjun dies in a freak accident, Pradhan locks horns with Sanjay.

Rathinam, a desperate smuggler, conceals a diamond in his slipper during a police raid, inadvertently swapping it with Thyagarajan’s. Thyagarajan, a mild-mannered auditor, and his son, Ilango, discover the swap after the funeral but promptly lose the slipper in a series of comical mishaps. The slipper passes through various eccentric characters, each adding their own chaotic element to the search. Singam Puli, the only familiar face in the show packed with newcomers, does what’s expected of him with his trademark dialogue delivery. There’s nothing new that he does with it, though; he easily sleepwalks through it. Vivek Rajgopal needs more time to develop a flair for comedy; he’s sillier than funny here. While Ira Aggarwal looks good, the role provides her hardly anything substantial.

Kisha joins Fair High to find her missing sister, Anara, discovering her connection to the secretive Heartbreak Club (THC). She navigates dangerous games and broken hearts, including her own growing feelings for Tavish. Over time, Kisha deals with THC’s chess-like hierarchy, facing threats and betrayals. She eventually unearths the identities of the King and the Queen, who hold the access to THC’s database. Where will Kisha’s quest to find Anara culminate? Anushka Sen is an apt fit to be the face of the show in terms of her age, appearance and portrayal, delivering a neat performance as a girl who goes all out to find her sister and loses her way. Prit Kamani continues to prove that he’s a talent worth watching out for, playing a college heartthrob and an insecure lover with restraint. In her brief screen time, Priyamvada Kant is equally convincing.