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Sri Chidambaram Garu

Sri Chidambaram Garu

Movie Name : Sri Chidambaram Garu

Release Date : Feb 06, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.5/5
Starring : Vamsi Tummala, Sandhya Vasishta, Gopinath, Sivakumar Matta, Kalpalatha Garllapati, Arun Kumar, Tulasi, Naidu Moram, Shankar Rao
Director : Vinay Ratnam
Producers : Chinta Vineesha Reddy, Chinta Gopala Krishna Reddy
Music Director : Chandu Ravi
Cinematographer : Shravan Muppiri
Editor :  Anwar Ali

Related Links : Trailer

Last year, Sri Chakras Entertainments delivered a superhit in the form of KA. The banner has now come up with another film, Sri Chidambaram Garu. Vinay Ratnam directed the film, and debutant Vamsi Tummala played the titular role. Today, Sri Chidambaram Garu hit the big screens, and let’s see how it is.

Story:

Solomon, alias Chidambaram (Vamsi Tummala), lives with his mother in a village near Rajahmundry. He works as a construction laborer to make a living. However, due to a squint in his eye, Chidambaram lives with the constant feeling that people pity him. To avoid being mocked for his flaw, he always wears dark glasses.

Leela (Sandhya Vashishta), a girl from the same village, falls for him after seeing his kind heart. But due to a small misunderstanding, Solomon believes that Leela has rejected him. What decision does he take afterward? How does he regain the confidence he lost? How does he win back his love? This forms part of the crux of the story.

Plus Points:

Despite the film marking his debut, Vamsi Tummala exhibited solid confidence in his portrayal as Solomon. He neatly portrays the emotional turmoil of a person with a physical defect. Sandhya Vashishta is pretty good as Leela, and she nailed her dialogue delivery in the Godavari dialect.

The chemistry between the lead pair works well, and the love scenes between them are engaging. The manner in which the heroine’s emotional struggle for the hero is depicted is also touching. A neat and clean love story like this hasn’t been made in recent times.

The message that the film offers is solid. The idea that “If you don’t love yourself, how can you expect others to love you?” has a good chance to connect with today’s youth. The rural setting and the beauty of the Godavari region are captured beautifully on camera. The visuals are pleasant throughout the film.

Minus Points:

The film moves at a very slow pace, and this is the biggest drawback of Sri Chidambaram Garu. The time taken to build emotional depth feels stretched in several moments. The lack of engaging elements is one more major flaw. Though the love track is clean, unlike many recent films, it remains flat for the most part without any major developments.

The second half could have been shortened for a better impact. Since the movie is entirely character-driven, audiences expecting regular commercial or mass elements may find the film less engaging.

Some elements feel overly simple, while a few come across as slightly silly, which diminishes the overall impact. Because of the straightforward narration, the film feels boring in many instances.

Technical Aspects:

Director Vinay Ratnam has chosen a good core idea, and Sri Chidambaram Garu is no doubt a sincere attempt. Editing could have been sharper, especially in the second half, where a few scenes could have been trimmed.

Though the attempt is sincere, the lack of gripping narration holds the film back. The music suits the film well. Cinematography stands out as a major asset, beautifully capturing the rural visuals and landscapes. Production values are decent.

Verdict:

On the whole, Sri Chidambaram Garu is a sincere attempt, but it doesn’t pack a punch. The director presents themes of self-confidence and self-love that are neatly supported by actors’ performances. Though the message that the film conveys is good, the simple storyline and slow pacing may restrict the film’s overall impact. Hence, it falls short of being an impactful outing despite its good intentions.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team 

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Champion

Champion

Movie Name : Champion

Release Date : Dec 25, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 3/5
Starring : Roshan Meka, Anaswara Rajan, Nandamuri Kalyan Chakravarthy and others
Director : Pradeep Advaitham
Producers : Priyanka Dutt, GK Mohan, Gemini Kiran
Music Director : Mickey J Meyer
Cinematographer : Madhie ISC
Editor :  Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao

Related Links : Trailer

Champion marks Roshan Meka’s return to the big screen after a four-year hiatus. The film also introduces Malayali actress Anaswara Rajan to Telugu cinema. Directed by Pradeep Advaitham, this period war action drama arrives with the backing of Swapna Cinema and considerable expectations. It hits big screens today and here is how the film fares.

Story:

Set in post-Independence India, Michael C. Williams (Roshan Meka) is a talented and sharp-minded footballer playing for the Secunderabad Blues. When a Manchester club manager offers him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in London, Michael takes a calculated risk and agrees to transport guns, ensuring the chance does not slip away. During the operation, he unknowingly enters Bhairanpally, a village resisting the Razakars and their allies, intending to move on once his task is complete. However, close exposure to the villagers’ struggle forces him to reassess his priorities. How an ambitious man determined to leave the country ultimately chooses to fight for his land and people forms the crux of the story.

Plus Points:

Roshan Meka delivers an impressive performance and looks convincing in a rugged, manly avatar. His screen presence, expressions, and dialogue delivery work strongly in his favour. He shows noticeable maturity as a performer and carries the film confidently on his shoulders.

Anaswara Rajan makes a promising Telugu debut. Despite limited screen time, she leaves a strong impact with her natural performance. The understated romance between the leads is handled neatly and feels emotionally honest.

The idea of blending football with a war drama is refreshing. The makers skillfully integrate the sport into the narrative without making it feel forced. The mix of historical backdrop and fictional elements works well for the most part.

The war sequences, especially the interval block and the pre-climax, are well executed and benefit greatly from strong production values and effective cinematography. The emotional moments land reasonably well, aided by well-placed songs that add depth to the narrative.

The supporting cast, including Nandamuri Kalyan Chakravarthy and Rachcha Ravi, performs effectively. Most characters serve a purpose in the story and do not feel included merely for namesake.

Minus Points:

The major drawback lies in the handling of history. Since real names are used, viewers familiar with the actual events may find certain creative liberties difficult to accept. While the makers do not alter history outright, inserting a fictional protagonist into real incidents may not resonate with those who are aware of the suffering endured during that period.

The CG work is another weak point. Despite the scale and budget, the visual effects, particularly during war sequences, appear underwhelming and slightly disrupt the viewing experience.

Emotions play a crucial role in films of this genre. Although the film contains emotional moments, the portrayal of pain and struggle could have been more impactful.

Several supporting characters, including those played by Naresh, Laxman Meesala, Vennela Kishore, and Ravindra Vijay, feel underutilized, with limited scope to explore their full potential.

Technical Aspects:

Pradeep Advaitham takes on a challenging subject in his feature debut and handles it competently. His writing is structured, and the concept of merging sports with a freedom struggle is commendable, though a stronger emotional grip could have elevated the film further.

Mickey J. Meyer’s background score supports the narrative effectively, while the songs are well composed and placed. R. Madhi’s cinematography stands out, capturing the period setting with striking visuals. Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao’s editing keeps the film mostly engaging without unnecessary lag. The production design and art department deserve appreciation for recreating the era convincingly.

Verdict:

On the whole, Champion is a sincere period war drama that blends sports with history in an engaging manner. Roshan Meka impresses with a confident performance, and Anaswara Rajan makes a solid Telugu debut. While the film takes certain historical liberties and falters in emotional depth at places, its strong performances, technical finesse, and rich production values make it a watchable theatrical experience.

123telugu.com Rating: 3/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team 

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Kingdom

KIngdom Movie

Movie Name : Kingdom

Release Date : July 31, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 3/5
Starring : Vijay Deverakonda, Satyadev, Bhagyashri Borse and Others
Director : Gowtam Tinnanuri
Producers : Naga Vamsi, Sai Soujanya
Music Director : Anirudh Ravichander
Cinematographer : Girish Gangadharan, Jomon T. John
Editor :  Naveen Nooli

Related Links : Trailer

Kingdom is the latest Telugu film featuring Vijay Deverakonda and Satya Dev in the lead roles. Directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, the film released today amidst moderate buzz. Read on to find out if it lives up to the expectations.

Story:

Set in the early 1990s, Soori (Vijay Deverakonda) is a constable in search of his missing brother, Shiva (Satya Dev). He comes to know that Shiva is in Sri Lanka, involved in smuggling activities, and leading a team. Soori is then appointed as an undercover agent to track his brother and uncover the cartel’s operations. As he infiltrates the gang, Soori reaches his brother and becomes one among them. The rest of the story revolves around whether Shiva realises who his brother truly is, what Soori’s purpose there is, and whether the two will join hands or stand against each other.

Plus Points:

Vijay Deverakonda delivers a grounded and sincere performance. He brings subtlety to a serious role without resorting to theatrics, and this restraint helps the film stay tonally consistent. He portrays the dilemma of a man torn between duty and personal emotion with believable calm.

Satya Dev fits his role and shares a few impactful scenes with Vijay Deverakonda. However, the writing doesn’t allow him to explore the emotional range that the story seems to promise. Their screen time together hints at deeper emotion, but it’s not developed fully enough to leave a lasting impression.

Venkitesh appears as Murugan and performs convincingly, with well-controlled expressions and a strong presence. Yet, his character remains underutilised. The film’s standout moments are limited but present — the bridge fight before the interval, the climax, and some well-composed action sequences do inject some energy and appear to set up a sequel.

Minus Points:

Despite being in development for nearly two years, Kingdom falls short in narrative strength. The story feels overly familiar, with little surprise or emotional weight to keep the viewer engaged. Gowtam Tinnanuri, known for his previous character-driven films, seems to have taken a more stylised approach here, but the emotional core suffers because of it.

The film’s emotional arc, especially between the brothers, is meant to be the driving force, but it is underplayed and lacks proper elevation. This disconnect affects the overall impact of key scenes. There are no high points that truly resonate, and the emotional scenes pass by without much consequence.

Bhagyashri Borse appears in a non-glamorous role but has little to contribute to the narrative. Her character feels secondary and unfinished, perhaps meant for a more significant arc in a potential sequel. The same can be said of Satya Dev’s character, who shows promise but is ultimately written too shallow for his ability.

Supporting roles and side characters feel more like placeholders than fully realised individuals. Many scenes echo familiar moments from other films, creating a sense of déjà vu and making the experience predictable.

Technical Aspects:

Gowtam Tinnanuri likely had a strong concept in mind, but the transition from script to screen hasn’t retained its intended emotional or narrative depth. The film often feels like a collage of genre tropes rather than a fresh take on brotherhood and morality.

Visually, the film does make an impression. Cinematography by Girish Gangadharan and Jomon T. John brings richness to the locations and creates strong visual texture, especially in key action scenes. Some sequences are aesthetically pleasing and elevate the viewing experience to an extent.

Anirudh Ravichander’s background score works moderately well, though it leans heavily on familiar motifs. His composition supports the mood, but doesn’t introduce anything especially memorable or new. Naveen Nooli’s editing could have been tighter, especially in the second half where the pacing noticeably lags. On the production side, the film is well-mounted, with good locations, set pieces, and action choreography that reflect decent spending and ambition.

Verdict:

On the whole, Kingdom is a watchable action drama. Vijay Deverakonda’s composed performance adds weight, and the film benefits from decent visuals. Though the narrative takes its time and the emotional depth isn’t fully explored, the film manages to stay afloat. It may not break new ground, but with modest expectations, Kingdom offers a passable and watchable experience.

123telugu.com Rating: 3/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

 

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