In a surprising turn, Narivetta, the much-anticipated political action thriller starring Tovino Thomas, has not released in Telugu today, despite official announcements promising a simultaneous multilingual launch. While the film hit theatres as scheduled in Malayalam and Hindi, the Telugu version, titled Narivetta: Thodelu Veta, is nowhere to be seen in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana.
Not a single theatre has opened bookings, no trailer was released for Telugu audiences, and the distributor, Mythri Movie Distribution LLP, has remained silent. This unexpected delay has disappointed many in the Telugu states, where Tovino has been gaining popularity with his recent outings.
Directed by Anuraj Manohar and inspired by the 2003 Muthanga incident, Narivetta explores the themes of state violence and tribal resistance. Alongside Tovino, the film features Suraj Venjaramoodu and Cheran, with a powerful score by Jakes Bejoy. It is produced by Tippu Shah and Shiyas Hassan under the Indian Cinema Company banner.
With a few theatres in Hyderabad screening the Malayalam version, Telugu-speaking fans are left in the dark, still waiting for an official word on whether the film will release in their language, and if so, when.