Telugu Review

Review: Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh – A mixed bag with fan appeal

by 123telugu March 20, 2026

Movie Name : Ustaad Bhagat Singh

Release Date : Mar 19, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Pawan Kalyan, Sreeleela, Raashii Khanna, Parthiban, Rao Ramesh, KS Ravikumar, and others
Director : Harish Shankar.S
Producers : Naveen Yerneni, Ravi Shankar Yalamanchili
Music Director : Devi Sri Prasad and Thaman
Cinematographer : Ayanaka Bose
Editor : Karthika Srinivas

Related Links : Trailer

After a 14-year hiatus, Pawan Kalyan and Harish Shankar have reunited for a new film titled Ustaad Bhagat Singh. This cop action drama hit the big screens today amid positive buzz. Check out the review to find out how it is.

Story:

Chadhala Marri Nalla Nagappa (Parthiban), who aspires to become the Chief Minister of Telangana, hatches a plan to assassinate the current CM Chandrasekhar Rao (KS Ravikumar). Meanwhile, his son heads to the Nallamalla forest for a getaway but goes mysteriously missing. During the investigation, it is confirmed that Ustaad Bhagat Singh (Pawan Kalyan) is behind his disappearance. Who is he? What led to the rift between him and Nagappa? What circumstances triggered these events, and what is his true motive? The film unravels all these answers.

Plus Points:

The buzz around the actor-director combo returning with Ustaad Bhagat Singh is significant. Expectations were high, especially with Pawan Kalyan returning to dance numbers after a long gap.

Pawan Kalyan delivers in his trademark style. He is at ease in action sequences, which will appeal to fans. His dialogue delivery lands well, though the comedy works only occasionally.

Parthiban puts in a composed performance. While his character lacks a strong impact, he manages to hold his presence. A few face-off moments between him and Pawan Kalyan are effective.

The recreation of the “Ee Manase” song from Tholi Prema is a clear fan-service moment and works in that space. The Mahankali fight sequence stands out as a solid high point, presenting Pawan Kalyan in a powerful light.

Sreeleela shines in few scenes and she looks lovely on screen. The second half has a few entertaining stretches, mainly driven by action and dialogue-heavy moments aimed at fans.

Minus Points:

The film leans heavily on familiar commercial tropes, making the narrative predictable. The story offers little novelty and follows a safe, formula-driven path. Harish Shankar prioritises elevating the star over building a strong screenplay, which limits the film’s overall impact.

The supporting cast is underutilised. Rao Ramesh, Gowtami, and Raashii Khanna have limited scope. Raashii Khanna’s role feels particularly unnecessary and lacks proper closure, making her portions ineffective.

The first half struggles due to weak writing and ineffective comedy, giving it a stretched and uneven feel. The film only shows some improvement in the latter portions.

Thaman’s music is underwhelming. The background score and songs feel repetitive, with noticeable similarities to his earlier work, reducing their impact.

The film could have benefited from stronger emotional depth. Sreeleela’s character could have been written with more nuance, while KS Ravikumar delivers a neat and functional performance within his role.

Technical Aspects:

Harish Shankar had the chance to deliver a stronger film but opts for a predictable narrative. A tighter script could have significantly improved the overall result.

Cinematography by Ayananka Bose is adequate. Thaman’s score is average and affected by repetition. Editing by Karthika Srinivas could have been sharper, especially in the first half. Production values are decent.

Verdict:

On the whole, Ustaad Bhagat Singh is a formula-driven action drama that delivers a few fan-pleasing moments. Pawan Kalyan’s presence and select action sequences work in its favour. However, a predictable storyline, weak first half, and underdeveloped characters hold it back. It may appeal to fans, but for a wider audience, it remains a routine commercial outing.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

March 20, 2026

Review: Gurram Papireddy – Has its moments

by 123telugu December 20, 2025

Movie Name : Gurram Paapireddy

Release Date : Dec 19, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Naresh Agastya, Faria Abdullah, Yogi Babu and others
Director : Murali Manohar
Producers : Venu Saddi, Amar Bura, Jayakanth
Music Director : Krishna Saurabh Surampalli
Cinematographers : Arjun Raja
Editor : Karthika Srinivas

Related Links : Trailer

Despite the release of the Hollywood biggie Avatar: Fire And Ash, a Telugu crime comedy film titled “Gurram Papireddy” hit the big screens today. The movie stars Naresh Agastya and Faria Abdullah in the lead roles. Let’s see how the movie is.

Story:

Gurram Papireddy (Naresh Agastya) and Soudamini (Faria Abdullah), along with a three-member gang, Goyyi (Jeevan), Chilipi (Vamsidhar Goud), and Military (Raj Kumar Kasireddy), plan to bring a dead body from Srisailam and exchange it with another corpse at a crematorium in Srinagar Colony. Whose body is it? Why does the lead pair want to swap it?

On the other hand, members of a royal family, Haigreev (John Vijay) and Neelagreev (Pradeep Rudra), target Gurram Papireddy and begin searching for him. Who exactly is Gurram Papireddy? What did he do to them? Why are they after his property? To know the answers, one must watch the film.

Plus Points:

If there’s one element that worked very well in Gurram Papireddy, it definitely has to be comedy. The way the director designed the characters and the comedy tracks built around them generate decent laughs. Especially the fun moments in the initial thirty minutes are neatly presented.

The fun track involving Jeevan stood out from the rest. Though the actor has played similar comedy roles before as well, his portrayal of Goyyi is pretty impressive. Raj Kumar Kasireddy delivers entertainment as Military. The crematorium sequence and the comedy sequence involving Yogi Babu towards the end came out well.

Talented actor Naresh Agastya got a decent role, and he did justice to it. His comedy timing and the way he approached the humor scenes are pretty good. Faria Abdullah does well in her role, balancing glamor and performance. Both lead actors appearing in prosthetic makeup scenes show their dedication levels. Vamsidhar Goud also contributes well to the comedy department. Some twists in the film are decent.

Minus Points:

Though Gurram Papireddy has some entertaining moments and twists, the narrative is heavily dragged. Also, it tests our patience levels at times, and the editing should have been handled way better. The movie starts on a very good note in the first 30 minutes, but post that, it loses steam.

The story isn’t anything new, and it also reminds us of crime-centric entertainers like Bluff Master and Swag. Hence, if people expect anything fresh as far as content is concerned, they will be disappointed.

Additionally, the songs interrupt the flow. One song in the first half and another in the pre-climax could have been totally avoided. This would have made the film tighter. Because of these songs, the movie feels longer than it actually is. Also, the quick and convenient plans made by the lead characters after facing setbacks appear unrealistic and illogical.

Comedians like Yogi Babu and Brahmanandam are grossly underutilized. On the whole, the film has its share of aspects going in its favour, but the boring and dragged portions outweigh them.

Technical Aspects:

The production values are decent, and the budget spent by the makers is clearly visible on screen. The production design is satisfactory. Krishna Saurabh’s music is good, and Arjun Raja’s cinematography is effective. The editing is one aspect that lets down the film heavily. Some of Niranjan Ramireddy’s dialogues work well, especially the fun moments.

Director Murali Manohar handled the comedy tracks effectively, but the core plot remains too simplistic in nature, lacking depth. Emotional moments don’t land as intended, and the dragged narration brings down the film’s overall impact. With sharper editing, this crime comedy could have been more impactful.

Verdict:

On the whole, Gurram Papireddy features a few good comedy scenes backed by solid performances from the cast, but the plot is too simple and lacks depth. The dragged narration and dull moments prevent the movie from offering a satisfactory experience.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

December 20, 2025

Review: Sasivadane – Leaves very little impact

by 123telugu October 11, 2025

Movie Name : Sasivadane

Release Date : Oct 10, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 2.5/5
Starring : Rakshit, Komalee Prasad, Sriman, Rangasthalam Mahesh
Director : Sai Mohan Ubbana
Producers : Ahiteja Bellamkonda
Music Director : Anudeep Dev
Cinematographer : Saikumar Dara
Editor : Garry Bh

Plus Points:

Rakshit Alluri delivered a good performance in this rural action drama. His portrayal was neat in the the emotional scenes involving his father and the female lead. The second half of the film is comparatively better and features some unexpected elements.

The way the movie ends is distinct with a few surprises in store. What starts as a regular love story takes a different turn post-intermission and concludes on a heavy note. Heroine Komalee Prasad looked charming and shared a good chemistry with the hero. The actress displayed conviction in the final moments where the film takes a tonal shift.

Sriman played hero’s father in Sasivadane and he did a solid job. The film leaves us wanting more of Sriman’s character, and the father-son bond is presented well in the latter half with a mix of emotional and shocking moments.

Minus Points:

The first half of the film moves at a slow pace with minimal progress in the story. Here the movie follows the conventional route of love stories but there aren’t any standout or magical moments. While songs drive the narrative in the first hour, the screenplay could have been crafted better.

The rivalry angle between the protagonist and the antagonist required more depth since it leads to a major development in the latter half, plot wise. Had this aspect been established more effectively, it could have benefited the film.

The fight sequences which come at crucial juncture in the film fall flat and their composition could have been done better. The editing is one major aspect where the movie needed more refinement as some unnecessary moments in the first half could have been trimmed.

Technical Aspects:

Saravana Vasudevan’s soothing music is the major highlight of the film. His pleasant score is enriched by the beautiful Konaseema visuals, neatly captured by Shrie Saikumaar Daara. The editing is not satisfactory. The production values are good.

Sai Mohan Ubbana’s story has some unpredictable elements towards the end, but he should have taken more care with the screenplay to hold the film together. The first half lacks interesting moments, while the second half is slightly better with a different climax.

Verdict:

On the whole, Sasivadane is an underwhelming love story with a few decent moments towards the end. The first half moves at a sluggish pace and is mostly dull, while the latter half take a serious turn with some unexpected elements. The lead pair delivers good performances, but the director fails to present a gripping screenplay, making Sasivadane a below-par film overall.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

October 11, 2025