Review and Rating of Aghathiyaa: A Telugu Film Starring Jiiva
The Telugu version of the Tamil movie “Aghathiyaa,” starring well-known actors Jiiva, Raashii Khanna, and Arjun Sarja, hit theaters today. This film blends elements of horror, comedy, and a touch of historical intrigue. Let’s explore how well it performed and how the actors engaged the audience.
The story centers around Jiiva, who plays Aghathiyaa, an art director in the 18th century. He teams up with his friends, including Veena, played by Raashii Khanna, to turn an old bungalow into a haunted house for profit. However, they soon discover that the house is actually inhabited by supernatural forces. As the plot unfolds, several mysteries arise, such as what happened in the bungalow and the connection between Siddharth, portrayed by Arjun Sarja, who specializes in Siddha medicine, and Edwin, played by Edward Sonnenblick. The film also hints at a revolutionary medicine Siddharth discovered and ties everything to a rare planetary alignment happening once every 85 years.
One of the film’s strengths is how it showcases India’s traditional medicine and history. The mix of emotional scenes, horror, and comedy works well for the most part. A few comedic moments with Yogi Babu stand out, adding some light-heartedness to the film. Additionally, the flashback sequences featuring Arjun Sarja are well done, and he delivers a strong performance. Jiiva also shines in his role, handling both emotional and action-packed scenes effectively. Raashii Khanna enhances her character with elegance, bringing her part to life.
Supporting actors like Redin Kingsley and Edward Sonnenblick perform well, and actress Rohini impresses with her dramatic transformation for her role. The film also includes patriotic themes that may resonate with viewers.
However, there are drawbacks. The main storyline feels familiar, as other films have explored similar themes. While the elements of Siddha medicine are intriguing, they don’t quite hold the audience’s interest throughout. The film suffers from pacing issues, causing periods of flat progression. The songs included in the movie seem unnecessary, and the romantic scenes in the later half slow the plot down, which detracts from the excitement. If these scenes had been shortened, the storytelling might have been more intense. Additionally, the film struggles to convince viewers about its central theme, which diminishes its overall impact.
The horror aspects do not evoke the intended fear, and as the movie goes on, they start to feel repetitive. The climax, featuring an action sequence created solely through animation, comes across as forced and reminiscent of various Hollywood films, which limits its originality.
On the technical side, the film benefits from decent production values, with thoughtfully designed period sets and good visual effects that enrich the fantasy elements. Yuvan Shankar Raja’s music is average, although the background score does enhance certain scenes. The cinematography effectively captures the historical and supernatural aspects, but the editing could have improved to ensure a smoother flow. The Telugu dubbing is also done well.
Director Pa Vijay chose an intriguing subject centered around Siddha medicine, but the execution, especially in the horror and fantasy elements, falls short. While the emotional and patriotic scenes are effectively portrayed, the horror segments do not have much impact.
In summary, “Aghathiyaa” is a period horror thriller featuring strong performances and engaging emotional moments, enriched with historical references. However, it struggles with a conventional storyline, inconsistent pacing, and less effective horror elements. While it may attract those interested in the themes it presents, it ultimately feels like a film that has its ups and downs. Viewers should keep their expectations moderate if they decide to watch it.
