reviews

Review: Maremma – Disappointing Rural Drama

by 123telugu September 11, 2026

Movie Name : Maremma

Release Date : September 10, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.25/5
Starring : Maadhav Bhupathiraju, Deepa Balu, Vikas Vasishta, Vinod Kumar, V.S. Rupa Lakshmi, Dayanand Reddy
Director : Manchala Nagaraj
Producer : Mayur Reddy Bandaru
Music Directors : Prashanth R. Vihari, Bipradeep Dutta
Cinematographer : Prasanth Ankireddy
Editor : Sai Babu Talari

Related Links : Trailer

Maremma marks the debut of Ravi Teja’s nephew Maadhav Bhupathiraju. The rural action drama directed by Manchala Nagaraj is now out in theatres. Let’s see how it is.

Story:

Set against the backdrop of Mahishapuram in Telangana, the film explores the local customs, traditions, and the way the villagers worship the deity Maremma. They sacrifice a sacred buffalo as an offering to the deity. Maari is one such sacred buffalo, raised by Karni (Maadhav Bhupathiraju) to be offered to Maremma. All hell breaks loose when Maari goes missing, sending shock waves among the villagers.

Plus points:

Songs depicting Telangana culture and traditions have come out well, and they are neatly picturized. The first half has a couple of moments that are nicely presented.

In his acting debut, actor Maadhav Bhupathiraju did a decent job. The writing doesn’t let him shine though. Female lead Deepa Balu looked convincing as a village belle, and her performance was satisfactory.

Minus Points:

To start things off in this section, Maremma struggles badly to convey what it intends to. It’s unclear what the director really wanted to tell the audience with the film. If his intention was to give a message about animal sacrifices, then the movie didn’t deliver in that regard.

The entire second half is about the hunt for the missing sacred buffalo, but the screenplay is bland and filled with dull moments. Nothing excites much, with the search operation lacking any thrills or emotions. Also, the connection from one scene to another is pretty weak.

Even the first half features some boring and repetitive scenes. The protagonist develops a bond with the animal, and he refuses to sacrifice it earlier in the film. Had this angle been explored with more depth, the movie could have been way better.

The entire antagonist track is poorly written. The witchcraft episodes really don’t make any impact. For the most part, the proceedings remain flat and boring, which is the biggest drawback.

Technical Aspects:

Prashanth Vihari and Bipradeep Dutta did a good job with their songs and background score. Prasanth Anikireddy’s visuals are fine, while the editing leaves a lot to be desired. Production values are okay.

Direction and writing by Manchala Nagaraj are lacklustre. There are hardly any moments that can make one invested in the film. Maremma lacks clarity both in its vision and execution.

Verdict:

On the whole, Maremma is a boring rural drama that lacks a clear sense of vision. The film remains dull and unexciting for most of its runtime, and there are hardly any memorable moments to talk about. Maadhav does a decent job in his debut, but the writing and execution make it a disappointing watch.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.25/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

September 11, 2026

Review: Nayanthara’s Hi – Stale Drama, No Fresh Magic

by 123telugu August 29, 2026

Movie Name : Hi

Release Date : August 28, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.25/5
Starring : Nayanthara, Kavin, Bhagyaraj, Radhika Sarathkumar and Others
Director : Vishnu Edavan
Producers : Vignesh Shivan, Nayanthara, SS Lalit Kumar
Music Director : Jen Martin
Cinematographer : Rajesh Shukla
Editor : Philomin Raj

Related Links : Trailer

Hi is the latest Tamil film of Nayanthara, who has doubled up as the actress and producer. Kavin shares the screen with her in the film, which was released today in both Tamil and Telugu. Here is the review to know how it fares.

Story:

Subrahmanyam (Kavin), a gentle and timid young man from Rajahmundry, has faced rejection from girls at every stage of his life. When his parents arrange his marriage, he decides to run away from home. Meanwhile, Devasena (Nayanthara), a brave and determined woman from Bhimavaram, escapes from an arranged marriage she never wanted. Their paths cross in Hyderabad, and what unfolds between them forms the crux of the story.

Plus Points:

Nayanthara, following her outing in Toxic, appears in a familiar role and does her best to deliver what the film demands. Kavin, who is quite different from her in terms of his character, also puts in a decent performance.

The lead pair looks okay together, and a few of their scenes work to an extent. Apart from the lead actors, the late legend Bhagyaraj makes an impression in his limited screen time. A few comedy scenes work here and there, while the music remains one of the better aspects of the film.

Minus Points:

The rom-com offers nothing particularly new, as the story closely resembles several movies that audiences have seen before. Even with a predictable plot, the story could have been handled more effectively with better writing and execution.

The film loses steam in the second half. Although there are a few gags, the narrative feels stretched in several places. What could have been a better romantic drama falls short because of the weak writing.

Even veterans like Radhika Sarathkumar, Prabhu, and VTV Ganesh have no substantial roles and are largely underutilised. The runtime feels lengthy for a familiar story like this, making it another drawback.

Technical Aspects:

Vishnu Edavan fails to make Hi an engaging watch. He could have done a better job with his directorial debut. He could have handled the story more effectively with a more engaging screenplay. If the scenes involving the lead pair had been written and presented better, the film could have at least been a passable watch.

The cinematography by Rajesh Shukla and Leon Britto is just about adequate, while Jen Martin’s music is a satisfactory aspect. Editing by Philomin Raj needed sharper editing, as several scenes could have been cut to maintain a better pace. The production values are decent, and the Telugu dubbing is fine.

Verdict:

On the whole, Hi offers a very predictable and outdated romantic drama with decent performances from Nayanthara and Kavin. A few comedy scenes work, but the notable supporting actors are largely underutilised. The film fails to make the most of its genre and does not create the intended emotional impact. Overall, Hi is not a film to add to your watchlist, and you can look for better alternatives.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.25/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

August 29, 2026

Review: Samantha’s Maa Inti Bangaaram – Watchable family drama

by 123telugu June 20, 2026

Movie Name : Maa Inti Bangaaram

Release Date : June 19, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 3/5
Starring : Samantha, Gulshan Devaiah, Diganth Manchale, Gautami, Sreemukhi and others
Director : Nandini Reddy
Producers : Raj Nidimoru, Samantha, Himank Reddy Duvvuru
Music Director : Santhosh Narayanan
Cinematographer : Om Prakash ISC
Editor : Dharmendra Kakarala

Related Links : Trailer

Samantha has now come up with the action family entertainer Maa Inti Bangaaram. The movie hit the big screens today with good hype, and let’s see how it is.

Story:

Set in the 90s, Swarna (Samantha) marries Anirudh (Diganth Manchale), a doctor from a joint family. Anirudh marries Swarna against his family’s wishes, and sometime after the marriage, he visits his home along with his better half. Swarna tries to win over her in-laws, but she doesn’t possess the qualities one expects from a daughter-in-law. At the same time, she is worried if the family gets to know about her hidden past.

What is Swarna’s backstory? Why is she trying to hide her details? What problems does the family face because of her? This forms the rest of the story.

Plus Points:

Samantha carries this not-so-greatly written family drama on her shoulders right from the first frame. Be it the fun moments or intense action sequences, the actress packs a solid punch. She taking on the goons with all her might will surely draw whistles and claps. Even when the narrative loses steam, the actress makes the movie watchable with her appealing performance. Her Chittoor diction is very good.

The leading lady’s efforts to win over her in-laws’ trust and affection in the first half generate ample laughs. This part of the movie is largely entertaining. The dynamic between Sreemukhi and Samantha, their funny battle to edge past one another, and the remix of the “Muthyala Muggu” song make the movie captivating.

The fight sequences are superbly designed and offer a solid theatrical experience. The car chase sequence and bus fight scene are brilliant to watch on screen. The climax, featuring fun moments in a chaotic fight scene, gives the film a good ending. Samantha’s dialogue differentiating herself from the villain is neat. Manjusha Mukkavilli who played Samantha’s friend is impressive.

Minus Points:

The makers have already set the right expectations by stating that Maa Inti Bangaaram follows the evergreen Baasha template. When a film follows a well-known storyline, the screenplay needs to be watertight to look past the familiarity. Though Nandini Reddy did well as far as the first half is concerned, she couldn’t handle the second half equally effectively.

The narrative slips into predictability for the most part here, and some scenes are stretched beyond what is necessary. For example, the scene where the villain enters Sam’s house is prolonged needlessly. Gulshan Devaiah is an excellent performer and he did well, but his track is the weak link of the film. The writing lacks depth, and the backstory doesn’t feature the needed emotional depth or impact.

The editing is below par in the second half, and close to 10–15 minutes could have been easily chopped off for a much better impact. There are also visible lip-sync issues.

Technical Aspects:

Santhosh Narayanan’s background score is serviceable. The “Thassadiyya” song looks neat on the big screen. Om Prakash’s cinematography is pretty good, while the editing needed more refinement.

Direction by Nandini Reddy is decent. Had the second half been executed well, the movie could have been a solid entertainer. Like a character in the film says, the movie settles for pass marks instead of aiming for distinction. Raj Nidimoru’s writing shines in the first half with simple and healthy humor.

Verdict:

On the whole, Maa Inti Bangaaram is a decent family drama that is single-handedly carried by Samantha. The first half is mostly amusing with good humor, and after the fun part, the action scenes are another highlight of the film. However, the second half turns slow and predictable, and had enough care been taken here, the overall impact could have been far better. Samantha remains the mainstay of the film and she makes it watchable with her impressive performance.

123telugu.com Rating: 3/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

June 20, 2026

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