Movie Name : Eesha
Release Date : Dec 25, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 2.5/5
Starring : Adith Arun, Hebah Patel, Akhil Raj, Siri Hanmanth, Prithveeraj and others
Director : Srinivas Manne
Producers : KL Damodar Prasad
Music Director : RR Dhruvan
Cinematographers : Santosh Sanamoni
Editor : Vinai Ramasamy V
Related Links : Trailer
Eesha is a Telugu horror thriller that was promoted as a film that would haunt audiences even after they left the theater. The film released in cinemas today, and here is our take on it.
Story:
Four friends – Nayana (Hebah Patel), Aparna (Siri Hanumanth), Kalyan (Adhit Arun), and Vinay (Alhil Raj Uddemari) – set out to expose fake babas who exploit innocent people. Their investigation leads them to Aadhi Dev (Babloo Prithiveeraj), a former neurologist from the USA who now operates as a godman on the Andhra–Odisha border.
When confronted, Aadhi Dev challenges them to spend three nights in an abandoned haunted house and prove that spirits do not exist. If they succeed, he agrees to give up his fraudulent practices. The group accepts the challenge, but during their stay, they begin encountering unsettling and unexplained incidents that shake their rational beliefs. What follows forms the crux of the film.
Plus Points:
Director Srinivas Manne attempts to convey a different idea and chooses the horror route to reveal it towards the end. To an extent, this approach works. The sound design, featuring creaking noises, sudden thuds, and eerie effects, manages to create a horror atmosphere in a few moments.
The performances are adequate across the board, with none of the actors particularly standing out. The mystery surrounding what or who Eesha is gets clarity in the climax, and that portion works reasonably well.
Minus Points:
The film’s promotions created high expectations, leading audiences to anticipate a consistently chilling experience. Unfortunately, Eesha does not live up to that promise.
The story follows an old-school template, and the narration is slow, especially in the first half. There are no strong high points to look forward to, as the plot itself lacks depth and momentum. The first half relies heavily on jump scares, creepy expressions, and loud sound effects, but these elements fail to create genuine fear because the scenes lack weight.
The second half suffers from the same issues. The repeated use of sudden appearances and sound cues fails to make an impact, and when the climax finally reveals the core idea, it does not justify the prolonged buildup. While the point the makers intend to convey is decent, presenting it through a misleading genre and stretching it across nearly two hours feels unnecessary.
Performances remain average throughout and often come across as artificial rather than immersive. The CG work is also just about passable and does not add any real value to the horror experience.
Technical Aspects:
As a director, Srinivas Manne fails to deliver a gripping cinematic experience with Eesha. The writing is weak and leaves several questions unanswered. With stronger writing and more honest promotions, the film could have at least reached a watchable level.
The technical departments try to elevate the film, but the effort does not translate effectively on screen. The cinematography, background score, and sound design could have been used more efficiently, especially since these elements are crucial for a horror film to work.
Verdict:
On the whole, Eesha is not the film it was promoted to be and ends up as a mediocre horror outing. Hebah Patel, Adith Arun, and the rest of the cast deliver serviceable performances, but none leave a lasting impression. Weak writing, average technical values, and dull execution prevent the film from becoming even moderately engaging. While genre lovers might find a few scenes tolerable, most viewers are likely to feel disappointed by what is ultimately served under the guise of a horror film.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team
