Movie Name : Mahavatar Narsimha
Release Date : July 25, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 3/5
Director : Ashwin Kumar
Producers : Shilpaa Dhawan, Kushal Desai, Chaitanya Desai
Music Director : Sam C S
Editor’s : Ajay Verma, Ashwin Kumar
Related Links : Trailer
Hombale Films, in collaboration with Kleem Productions, makes an audacious start to a planned mythological cinematic universe with Mahavatar Narsimha — India’s first large-scale 3D animated devotional action film. Rooted in spiritual lore and rendered with high-end visuals, this film attempts to redefine how Indian mythology is told on screen. It blends reverence with raw spectacle, aiming to set the stage for a franchise that could explore the divine avatars of Vishnu and beyond. But does this ambitious origin story live up to its mythic source? The answers lie within.
Story:
Diti, one of sage Kashyapa’s wives, surrenders to desire at an inauspicious hour, ignoring his warning that such a union could lead to demonic offspring. Her children, Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu, grow into ruthless demons, trained by Shukracharya to challenge Lord Vishnu. When Hiranyaksha falls to Vishnu’s Varaha avatar, Hiranyakashipu’s fury deepens, driving him to seek near-immortality through a boon from Brahma. Ironically, his own son Prahlada becomes a devoted follower of Vishnu, igniting a fierce clash of faith and ego between father and son. The tale builds toward the arrival of Narasimha, a being beyond definition, born to navigate the loopholes of divine law and restore cosmic order. But how does one defeat a foe immune to death by man, beast, day, or night? What justice awaits when the rules themselves bend? The answers will be revealed in the main story.
Plus Points:
At the heart of Mahavatar Narsimha is a bold vision. The decision to render this legendary tale in animation is both ambitious and refreshing. Indian cinema rarely treads this path, and the makers deserve full credit for taking that creative leap.
The film opens with momentum. The first forty minutes brim with energy, quickly drawing the viewer into its richly imagined world. The Varaha avatar episode is a visual spectacle, choreographed with scale and intensity. It marks a major high point, especially for those familiar with the mythology.
Equally commendable are the scenes involving Prahlada’s devotion and Vishnu’s divine interventions. These portions are emotionally grounded and aesthetically pleasing. The makers have clearly invested thought into visualizing the heavenly realms, from Brahmaloka to Earth, with a balance of grandeur and vibrancy. The animation, while not photorealistic, succeeds in creating a believable mythic universe.
The arrival of Narasimha shifts the film into a different gear. The way this avatar is rendered, lifelike yet feral, stands apart from the rest of the film’s animation. His sequences, particularly the climactic battle with Hiranyakashipu, are staged with raw power and dramatic weight. These scenes are likely to resonate especially well with viewers in smaller towns and devotional circles. The elevation moments work, and the reverence in the visual presentation of Vishnu is evident throughout.
Minus Points:
Despite its strengths, the film does lose steam after the initial forty minutes. The pacing slackens in the middle segments, with certain emotional scenes dragging or lacking the impact they aim for. While the devotional songs are in line with the tone, their placement at times feels abrupt and disrupts the narrative rhythm.
The emotional payoff in the final face-off between Hiranyakashipu and Prahlada could have been stronger. A more intense dramatic build-up would have helped anchor the climax. The story’s resolution, though spiritually satisfying, feels too quick and doesn’t fully land the emotional arc it sets up.
Some logical inconsistencies also surface. The Holika subplot is one example — her supposed boon of fire immunity is contradicted without proper explanation. While these issues don’t derail the film, they do stand out in a tightly plotted mythological narrative.
There are also a few rough edges in the animation. While the overall design is consistent, certain frames lack polish and fluidity, particularly in crowd scenes or transitional moments.
Technical Aspects:
Technically, the film punches above its weight. The production values are robust, and the budget is wisely spent. The fantasy world is textured and layered, avoiding the flatness often seen in lower-budget animation. Hombale Films’ support for such an ambitious and genre-defying project deserves recognition.
The Telugu dubbing is flawless. The voices are well-cast and synced with care, lending a native, organic feel that never distracts from the viewing experience. It’s a rare example of a dubbed film that feels like an original.
Sam C S’s score is a major asset. His background music enhances both the scale and the emotional beats of the story. The musical cues blend seamlessly with the mythological tone and support the film’s dramatic tension. Director Ashwin Kumar, who also handled the editing, deserves special credit for bringing this world to life. His overall vision and control over the material are clear, even though the pacing could have been more finely tuned.
Verdict:
On the whole, Mahavatar Narsimha is a rare and commendable entry in Indian cinema — a devotional animated feature that combines myth, emotion, and spectacle. The Varaha and Narasimha sequences are particularly memorable, packed with visual flair and spiritual gravitas. While the film does suffer from pacing issues and a few narrative gaps, it more than compensates with sincerity, ambition, and aesthetic richness. For audiences drawn to mythological storytelling or those curious about India’s growing animation landscape, this is an experience worth witnessing, preferably in 3D where its visual strengths can be fully appreciated.
123telugu.com Rating: 3/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team