Movie Name : Kishkindhapuri
Release Date : Sep 12, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 3/5
Starring : Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas, Anupama Parameswaran, Tanikella Bharani, Srikanth Iyenger, Hyper Aadi, Makrand Deshpande, Sudarshan
Director : Koushik Pegallapati
Producers : Sahu Garapati
Music Director : Chaitan Bharadwaj
Cinematographer : Chinmay Salaskar
Editor : Niranjan Devaramane
Related Links : Trailer
Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas has now come up with the horror thriller Kishkindhapuri. After Rakshashudu, once again, Anupama Parameswaran acted alongside Sreenivas. Directed by Koushik Pegallapati, the film has hit the big screens, and let’s see how it is.
Story:
Raghav (Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas) and Mythili (Anupama Parameswaran) work for a company that runs ghost-walking tours in the town of Kishkindhapuri. They’re not just colleagues but also a couple. During one tour, they take a group of people to an old radio station, Suvarnamaya. An antique radio suddenly starts functioning, terrifying everyone. Raghav senses a supernatural presence and helps others escape from the haunted place.
Soon after, every visitor who entered Suvarnamaya begins dying mysteriously one after the other. Who is behind these deaths? Why are the visitors being targeted? Did Raghav and Mythili unravel the truth? What challenges did they face in this regard? The film has the answers.
Plus Points:
The makers largely succeed in creating a spooky atmosphere, the most important characteristic of a horror film, and the battle is half won here. Kishkindhapuri comes across as a genuine attempt to infuse fear in the viewers while also telling a good story. Production designer Manisha Dutt and art director Siva Kamesh have rightly set the mood and look, enhancing the viewing experience.
Director Koushik Pellagapati smartly ensured the comedy and romantic portions appear only in the initial minutes, focusing on horror thereafter. Once the main plot is introduced, there are no deviations as the director stuck to the core point till the end. A romantic song or a fun scene during the middle portions would have caused irritation, but the team rightly chose to avoid unnecessary elements.
The horror scenes are executed with precision, featuring well-timed jump scares. Kishkindhapuri, at times, turns unconventional as the spine-chilling moments don’t depend on the background score. The ghost walking tour premise isn’t explored much in our industry, and this also makes things interesting. Just when the main story seems template-driven, unexpected twists land, giving a different touch to the genre.
Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas is sincere in his portrayal. There is a visible improvement in his performance with each passing film. The actor delivered tough lines effectively and led Kishkindhapuri from the front. Anupama Parameswaran is very impressive. She gets key scenes to shine, and the actress nailed it in the hospital sequence. The antagonist’s role was well-written and performed, adding value to the proceedings in the second half. Others did well, too.
Minus Points:
The team intended to have a crisp duration, but due to this, some key details and revelations feel rushed. Kishkindhapuri is one of those rare films that leaves us wishing it were longer to achieve a sense of wholesomeness. The first few minutes of the film are slow and ordinary.
Emotionally, the film could have been much better. The movie keeps us hooked for the most part, but it could have been memorable had the emotional depth and climax sequence been better executed. The protagonist will go through an intrapersonal conflict in the end. The idea is good, but as said earlier, these portions wrap up before we can feel anything.
Technical Aspects:
Chaitan Bharadwaj’s pulsating background score, paired with Radhakrishna’s impressive sound design, amplifies chills and thrills. Chinmay Salaskar’s cinematography contributes well to the shock moments. The editing is razor sharp.
Director Koushik Pellagapati is also the writer for Kishkindhapuri. He penned the flashback pretty well by tweaking it a bit from the regular horror films. The twists land well, and just when the momentum drops slightly in the second half, the hospital sequence makes up for it. The horror elements are neatly presented. But the movie comes with its share of flaws, which restrict it from reaching the next level.
Verdict:
On the whole, Kishkindhapuri is a sincere attempt that relies on organic horror elements without any adulteration through comedy or gimmicks. The jumpscares, well-placed twists, strong technical values, and flashback portions work in the film’s favor. Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas and Anupama Parameswaran shine, but the movie falls short of being perfect due to underwhelming initial portions, a few rushed moments, and less emotional depth. If you are fine with these flaws, you can watch Kishkindhapuri.
123telugu.com Rating: 3/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team