Movie Name : Nagabandham
Release Date : July 3, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Virat Karrna, Nabha Natesh, Iswarya Menon, Daksha Nagarkar, and others
Director : Abhishek Nama
Producers : Kishore Annapureddy, Nishitha Nagireddy
Music Director : Junaid Kumar – Abhe
Cinematographer : Soundararajan
Editor : RC Pranav
Related Links : Trailer
Nagabandham is one of the costliest films from Tollywood in recent times. Despite no big stars, the movie was made on a whopping budget of Rs. 110 crores which made everyone talk about it. Amidst good buzz, the film has now hit the big screens and let’s see how it is.
Story:
Abdali (Rishabh Sawhney) is on the lookout for the highly valuable Brahmakamalam and a sacred book, both of which are required to unlock Nagabandham, the mystical doors that conceal a hidden treasure. Only when these two are brought together and used effectively do the doors open. The Brahmakamalam is now in the Srirangapuram Ranganathaswamy Temple. Abdali moves his pawns to acquire them both, and that brings him face-to-face with the powerful Rudra (Virat Karrna), who stands determined to stop him. Who ultimately emerges victorious forms the crux of the story.
Plus Points:
Nagabandham is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious films to have come out in recent times. The richness in production values and grand set pieces is visible throughout. The makers have gone all out and have spent a bomb to offer a solid visual treat to the audience.
Virat Karrna is decent. He plays two roles in the film. One as a powerful force named Rudra, while the other is a Naga Sadhu. Efforts towards his physical transformation are visible, and the actor did well in the action sequences.
Fighter fame Rishabh Sawhney is menacing as the antagonist. The brutality present in the character is neatly brought to life by the actor. He gets significant screen time and leaves a good impact. Nabha Natesh looked charming on screen.
Minus Points:
An ambitious attempt to make a larger-than-life film isn’t wrong, but when it fails to get the basics right, that’s where the problems begin. Sadly, the same has happened with Nagabandham. Big-ticket films centered around gods have been on the rise lately. What filmmakers need to understand is that the theme alone isn’t sufficient to keep the audience invested.
For a film to work, it needs an intriguing story, a captivating screenplay, and strong characters. Nagabandham scores low on these fronts, and the fatigue factor sets in as the movie makes it too obvious that it is trying to cash in on trending theme i.e., Sanathana Dharma. A movie with a good story and an interesting screenplay, even with not-so-great production values and low budget, can work, but not the other way around. Visuals and scale can never overpower the flaws in storytelling.
At a runtime of over 3 hours and 15 minutes, the film starts to feel exhausting after a point in time. There are several episodes where the antagonist carries out massacres, and these portions are prolonged unnecessarily with relentless bloodshed. They keep going on endlessly, and the team should have taken more care regarding the length of these episodes. The editing is poor, and the film needs massive refinement. The emotional depth is missing, making it difficult to root for the protagonist.
Apart from Namore, the placement of the other songs isn’t good. The love track between the lead pair comes out of nowhere, and it unintentionally gives away a key hint. There are a bunch of noted actors, but they don’t get much to shine. At times, Nagabandham evokes memories of a few films that explored similar themes.
Technical Aspects:
The producers need to be appreciated for their vision in backing such a huge canvas film without compromising on the budget. Soundar Rajan’s cinematography, lavish production values, and the stunning work by the production design team and art department make the film visually appealing. However, there are noticeable issues with the CGI. The music by Junaid Kumar and Anbe is fine, with Namore emerging as the standout track. The background score is passable.
The writing is the film’s biggest drawback, followed by its excessive length. Be it the treasure hunt or the Sanathana Dharma concept, there isn’t anything new that has been explored here. To avoid predictability, the filmmakers needed to throw in a few surprising elements. Abhishek Nama’s focus on scale dominates the storytelling. Grandeur without proper emotion feels more like a body without a soul.
Verdict:
On the whole, Nagabandham is an ambitious mythological adventure film, but it lacks the necessary depth and soul. The film boasts massive set pieces and grand visuals, but falters when it comes to the story and screenplay. The stretched massacre sequences, lack of freshness, excessive runtime, and the unexcitingly told Sanatana Dharma message hold it back from becoming a satisfying experience.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team