Sobhita Dhulipala delivers a surprise

In an interesting turn of events, Prime Video’s latest Telugu original Cheekatilo has quietly turned into the biggest streaming hit that the platform has seen in the South. The film clocked viewership across nearly 89 percent of India’s pin codes within its opening week, emerging as the most watched South Original movie on the streamer.

What makes this achievement interesting is the contrast between the numbers and the reviews. While Cheekatilo opened to mixed reactions, with several viewers calling the screenplay predictable and the pacing uneven, the film still managed to pull massive eyeballs. And at the centre of this conversation stands Sobhita Dhulipala.

In her role as true crime podcaster Sandhya Nelluri, despite the film not living up to its promise for many, Shobita does command the frame. Social media discussions as well as critics noted that while the narrative falters in places and the thrills never fully peak, her performance is even and apt.

Despite divided opinions on the film, the numbers tell a different story. Cheekatilo outperformed several South Indian OTT releases in terms of reach and viewership.

The movie may or may not go down as a genre defining thriller, but its success proves that star presence will always matter no matter the format. It’s another feather in the OTT hat for Sobhita Dhulipala. The platform is prepped to deep dive into south content with a massive lineup that has begun on a high note with this one.