Megha Akash – Rigobertha Reviews

In spite of some rough edges, director Pradeep immerses the viewers into the world of Amaragiri. The mixture of Telangana folk beliefs with the subplot of bio war enhances the narrative. Promising young talent Naresh Agastya delivers another solid act

Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri (Telugu), 28-11-2024, Drama, 6 episodes, 16+, OTT

Main Cast: Naresh Agastya, Megha Akash, Shiju Menon, Tarak Ponnappa, Raghu Kunche, Mukthar Khan, and Amit Tiwari
Director: Pradeep Maddali
Producer: Rajani Talluri
Music Director: Ajay Arasada
Cinematography: Shoeb Siddiquie
Rating: 3.5/5

In the last few years, Telangana culture has had a major influx into mainstream Telugu cinema through stories or characters.

A major reason for that is the consistent portrayal and telling of Telangana by the likes of Priyadarshi Pulikonda, Vishwak Sen, Tharun Bhascker and Siddhu Jonnalagadda.

Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri the new web series streaming on ZEE 5, directed by Pradeep Maddalli and written by Saitej Desheaj is a good addition to this trend. Through the six episodes, Pradeep and Saitej have effectively mixed the Telangana folklore with the detective genre.

The series also pays homage to the legendary Tenali Rama Krishnan, known for his wit and intellect in equal measure.

Synopsis

The story of Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri is set in the 1970s, in a village called Amaragiri. In this village, people lose their memories as soon they visit the haunted Devathala Gutta.

The story then follows Naresh Agastya’s Ramakrishna aka Vikkatakavi. He is not just a brilliant student but is also known for his exceptional investigation skills. Ramakrishna embarks on a dangerous journey for an emotional reason.

A constant tussle between superstitions and rationalism enhances the plot. The show also has some attention-grabbing twists that keep the viewers guessing about the reasons behind these mysterious happenings. There is a strong connection between Ramakrishna’s past and the happenings in Amaragiri, which adds to the emotional quotient, in addition to the thrills.

Strong technical support

Naresh Agastya in Vikkatakavi — Naresh Agastya in ‘Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri’. (X)

A strong aspect of Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri is its world-building. Shoeb Siddiqui’s work, particularly, stands out among the technical aspects. The rustic village atmospherics along with the night sequences set in the forest draw the audiences into the world of Amaragiri.

The production design and costumes are mighty effective in transporting the viewers into a by gone era. Ajay Arsada’s background score is very effective in enhancing the tension-filled sequences.

Apart from the technical aspects Pradeep Malladi also deserves appreciation for how he has integrated the local beliefs of Telangana people with the subplot of a bio war. Special mention must also be made of the actors playing the village people.

Performances

The romance between Naresh Agastya and Megha Akash is understated without hijacking the central theme. Megha Akash hasn’t got a lot to do but she does have a lovely presence.

Naresh Agastya continues to showcase his versatility with an arresting portrayal of a detective. After this year’s Paruvu Naresh shows a different facet of him. The boyish charm coupled with intensity make him the perfect choice for the central character.

In the supporting cast, Raghu Kanche impresses the most with his terrific act. The way he conveys the negative traits with just expressions is a delight to watch. Tarak Ponnappa and Mukhtar Khan too are proficient in their roles.

Among the speed bumps, the final act needed a much better punch, given the intricate build-up. The final episodes feel lengthy as the viewers tend to form an idea of how things will ultimately go. The series also taps into nationalistic sentiments, but this aspect feels forced.

Final take

Keeping aside the rough edges Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri is a solid addition to the evolving Telugu OTT space. Definitely worth watching for those like stories with elements of mysticism and thrills.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/telugu/vikkatakavi-the-chronicles-of-amaragiri-web-series-review-an-engrossing-first-of-its-kind-telangana-detective-show/

Lacks solid story & screenplay!

Ravanasrura (Telugu)

Cast: Ravi Teja, Sushanth, Anu Emmanuel, Faria Abdullah, Megha Akash, and Daksha Nagarkar
Direction: Sudheer Varma
Producers: Abhishek Nama and Ravi Teja
Music: Harshvardhan Rameshwar and Bheema Ceciroleo
Runtime: 2 hours 21 minutes

Sudheer Varma made an impressive directorial debut with the film Swamy Ra Ra starring Nikhil Siddharth in the lead. It was a well-made crime comedy that received both critical appreciation and commercial success.

Later, the director teamed up with Nikhil once again for Keshava in 2017. Though it was a revenge drama it had an interesting element to it.

The element is the condition of the hero who suffers from a rare congenital disorder called Dextrocardia. People with this disorder are prevented from doing activities which results in a faster heartbeat.

In between these two films, Sudheer Varma directed two absolute duds – one with Naga Chaitanya and the other with Sharwanand.

Still, Ravanasura created a certain buzz, thanks to the title and the different presentations of Ravi Teja in the promos.

The director does deserve appreciation for how he connects certain qualities of the famous mythological character Ravanasura to his protagonist Ravindra. However, the film lacks the required punch to make it a memorable experience.

Synopsis

Ravindra (Ravi Teja) is a junior lawyer working under Kanaka Mahalakshmi (Faria Abdullah). Kanaka Mahalakshmi is a reputed criminal lawyer.

One day, Harika (Megha Akash) approaches her to take up a murder case where her father (Sampath Raj) is accused.

Ravindra falls for Harika at the very first sight. At least that is the impression that the audiences get in the initial reels. He requests Kanaka Mahalakshmi to deal with the case.

Meanwhile, several murders happen with a particular pattern. The rest of the story deals with whether Harika’s father is connected to those crimes or not and also how heroes are not always innocent.

An engaging first half

Ravanasura begins interestingly. There is a proper mix of comedy and thrills. The scenes between Ravi Teja and Hyper Adi do bring many a smile to the audience’s faces.

The entry of Sushanth as a mysterious guy makes the film more interesting.

Although the suspense regarding the killer is revealed midway into the first half itself, we will still be interested in knowing about the motivations behind these murders.

The interval bang raises expectations for a gripping second half.

The flaws

However, things fall flat in the second half once we come to know the reasons behind the murders. The proceedings soon become tedious.

The Ramayana connection has its high points but at the end of the day, it doesn’t add much.

The flashback of Ravindra is dealt with in a rather haphazard manner. As a result, it lacks the required emotional connection. Vigilante justice is also hugely problematic.

It also doesn’t help the film except for Sushanth and to an extent Megha Akash the rest of the actors are severely handicapped by underwritten parts.

Rao Ramesh in particular suffers on the account of a weak characterisation.

Ravi Teja is a real surprise

Despite the film’s many flaws, Ravi Teja does manage to hold the movie together with his solid performance.

In the comic bits, he is his usual goofy self but the actor surprises you when he has to portray the unhinged nature of Ravindra. His menacing avatar will send a shiver down the audience’s spine.

Sushanth does a good job as a prosthetics artist. His confrontation scenes with Ravi Teja have come out well.

Megha Akash has a dual-shaded role and she does a good job of portraying the contrasting shades.

Among the technicians, Vijay Karthik Kannan’s cinematography deserves appreciation. It is in sync with the dark nature of the film.

Harshavardhan Rameshwar’s background score does provide some thrills.

Final take

Though Ravi Teja gives his all, Ravanasura needs a more solid story and screenplay.

Tag: Megha Akash

Vikkatakavi – The Chronicles of Amaragiri web series review: An engrossing, first of its kind Telangana detective show