Movie Name : Idli Kottu
Release Date : Oct 1, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Dhanush, Nithya Menen, Arun Vijay, Shalini Pandey, Samuthirakani, Rajkiran
Director : Dhanush
Producers : Aakash Baskaran, Dhanush
Music Director : G. V. Prakash Kumar
Cinematographer : Kiran Koushik
Editor : Prasanna GK
Related Links : Trailer
Dhanush has once again returned to the director’s chair with Idli Kottu (Idly Kadai). The film hit the screens today and let’s see how it is.
Story:
Shiva Kesavudu (Rajkiran) runs a small idli shop in Shankarapuram, which means the world to him. However, his only son Murali (Dhanush) dreams of a city life filled with comfort and luxury. After completing his hotel management studies, Murali becomes a partner in the AFC food empire led by Vishnu Vardhan (Sathyaraj) in Bangkok. Impressed by Murali’s sincerity and hard work, Vishnu Vardhan decided to get his daughter Meera (Shalini Pandey) married to Murali. But an unexpected incident forces Murali to return to his hometown. The rest of the story is about how Murali fulfilled his father’s dream.
Plus Points:
Idli Kottu has a simple storyline but some emotional moments in both halves have been handled very well. Dhanush is at his usual best in this rural entertainer and delivers a natural performance. His portrayal in the emotional sequences is sure to strike a chord with the viewers. Nitya Menen is pretty good as Dhanush’s love interest and the duo once again shared a neat chemistry.
Arjun Vijay and Samuthirakani play the antagonists and they did a neat job. While Arun Vijay impressed as the ego-driven rich guy, Samuthirakani lends ample support to the narrative playing Dhanush’s nemesis in the village.
The dialogues for the Telugu version work well with references to popular movie dialogues. Ilavarasu’s comic timing and dialogue delivery are enjoyable, while Rajkiran is impressive as Dhanush’s father and brings emotional depth to the narrative. Shalini Pandey and Sathyaraj play their parts well and shine in the climax. Parthiban was good too.
Minus Points:
As Dhanush repeatedly kept saying, Idli Kottu has a very simple storyline that is reliant on its emotional moments. Someone who expects a solid and layered plot might get disappointed as the narrative moves along the expected lines for the most part.
The pacing is slow for the most part and to enjoy the film one must ignore this aspect. While the first half offers decent moments, the graph dips after the halfway mark. The initial moments of the latter hour lean into a hero-villain template conflict. This is where the film goes offtrack and loses its grip for a significant period.
The rich–poor conflict is age-old, and the message the film conveys about not forgetting one’s roots and parents’ love may remind audiences of earlier films, which can affect the viewing experience sometimes.
Technical Aspects:
G.V. Prakash Kumar’s songs are decent, but his background score brings a pleasant feeling enriching the impact of emotional moments. Cinematographer Kiran Koushik nicely depicts the country-side visuals. The editing aligns with the director’s vision.
The production values are good, and the action sequences are well-crafted by Peter Hein. Dhanush’s direction works in parts. While he handles the emotional aspects well, the second half could have been much better instead of drifting into the commercial zone.
Verdict:
On the whole, Idli Kottu is a slow-paced family entertainer that has its moments. The emotional scenes in the first half work, but the second half falls into a typical hero–villain conflict, which brings down the impact. Dhanush and the others perform well, but as mentioned earlier, the familiar storyline and the underwhelming second half make Idli Kottu just an okay watch.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team
