‘Kishkindhapuri’ Movie Review

Actors: Bellamkonda Srinivas, Anupama Parameswaran, Sandy, Tanikella Bharani, Sudarshan, Hyper Adi, Srikanth Iyengar, Bhadram, Prema, Makarand Deshpande and others

Music: Chetan Bharadwaj

Cinematography: Chinmay Salaskar

Producer: Sahu Garapati

Written-Directed by: Kaushik Pegallapati

Telugu hero Bellamkonda Srinivas has been facing tough times at the box office since his outing, Rakshasudu. His recent film Bhairavam also turned into a major setback. He pinned big hopes on Kishkindhapuri, his first-ever dive into the horror genre. Directed by Kaushik Pegallapati of Chavu Kaburu Challaga fame, the movie created good buzz with its promos. But the real question is— did the film live up to the hype? And did Srinivas finally taste success? Let’s check out.

Story:

In the village of Kishkindhapuri, Raghav (Bellamkonda Srinivas) and Maithili (Anupama Parameswaran) run ghost-experience tours. They take people to haunted houses and scare them with pre-planned tricks. Everything goes smoothly until they take a group to an abandoned railway station called Suvarnamaya. There, things turn real, one after another, and the people in the group start dying. The reason behind this is a ghost named Vishravaputra (Sandy). Who is Vishravaputra? Why did he become a ghost? And can Raghav and Maithili outsmart the deadly ghost? That forms the rest of the story.

Analysis:

Horror thrillers usually follow a proven template. A group, either curious about ghosts or stuck by chance, enters a haunted place. They wake up a sleeping spirit, and then the killings begin. One by one, people die, and finally, the ghost’s backstory is revealed. The survivors then try to fight back and escape. Kishkindhapuri also follows the very same formula, but it scores well in three key areas, including the ghost’s background, the way twists are written, and how much thrill it gives the audience. The ghost’s backstory stands out as the film’s biggest strength. With suspense and sharp turns, Kishkindhapuri works as a proper thriller. Although there are a few setbacks and flawed logic, it still delivers what viewers expect from a horror thriller.

Some horror films mix comedy with scares, but Kishkindhapuri sticks only to thrills and chills. The start feels a little slow, and since it follows a familiar format, it seems routine at first. But the first twist changes everything. Casting Tamil dance master Sandy as the ghost is a clever move. His appearance, body language, and screen presence raise the tension, and from his entry, the film doesn’t lose pace. The ghost’s backstory, almost a half-hour long, is gripping and scary even before the character becomes a spirit. The abandoned radio station backdrop feels fresh and adds uniqueness.

Even after the flashback ends, the story keeps moving fast. However, even afterthree group members die, the focus shifts more to the lead pair, slightly deviating. A few scenes lack logic, and after such a strong buildup, the ghost character itself feels less powerful than expected. Still, the film maintains momentum with smooth narration, regular twists, and plenty of chills. The climax carries weight and holds the audience attention till the end. Overall, Kishkindhapuri may not be a flawless horror thriller, but it succeeds in keeping viewers hooked for two hours with genuine suspense and thrills.

Performances:

Bellamkonda Srinivas did well in his first ever horror thriller. In the first half, his acting feels normal, but in the second half, he shines, especially when the ghosts possess him. His look also fits the role perfectly. Anupama Parameswaran gets a good scope and delivers strongly. Her performance as a possessed person is quite scary. The real show-stealer, though, is Sandy. His acting sends chills down the spine, and his getup adds to the fear factor. His role is the main reason this film feels different from regular horror thrillers.

Among the supporting cast, Sudarshan and Hyper Aadi are fine in their parts. Tanikella Bharani impresses even in a small role. Prema, Srikanth Iyengar, Bhadram, and Makarand Deshpande also do justice to their characters.

Technicians:

Technical work is very important in horror films, and the team of Kishkindhapuri has delivered well. Cameraman Chinmay Salaskar’s visuals look impressive, and the artwork is neatly done. Music director Chetan Bharadwaj creates a strong impact with his background score, though the songs are just average. In fact, the first song feels unnecessary. Production values are solid, and the film has all the required setups for a horror thriller.

Director Kaushik Pegallapati deserves credit for writing the ghost story with the fresh backdrop of a radio station. The way he handled the story until the flashback portion is good. However, he should have paid more attention to logic and made the opening scenes sharper and more engaging. Still, overall, his work gets a good score.

Finally: Kishkindhapuri.. Thrilling and Chilling

Rating- 2.75/5