Bhairavam Review: A Routine Action Drama with Sporadic Highs
SarkarRating: Rating : 2.25/5 Release Date : May 30, 2025
Cast:
Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas, Nara Rohith, Manchu Manoj, Aditi Shankar, Aanandi, Divya Pillai, JayaSudha, Vennela Kishore and others
Crew:
Director : Vijay Kanakamedala
Producers : KK Radhamohan
Music Director : Sricharan Pakala
Cinematographer : Hari K Vedantam
Editor : Chota K Prasad
Overview:
After a hiatus of nearly five to six years from leading roles, Manchu Manoj, Nara Rohith, and Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas team up for Bhairavam, the Telugu remake of the Tamil hit Garudan. Director Vijay Kanakamedala promises a version tailored for the Telugu audience. Does Bhairavam live up to the expectations?
Story:
A corrupt minister eyes the 75-acre land of the sacred Varahi Amman temple in Devipuram. But standing in his way are Varada (Nara Rohith), Gajapathi (Manchu Manoj), and Seenu (Bellamkonda Sreenivas) — guardians of the temple and its heritage. The film follows the minister’s schemes to seize the land and how this ignites a conflict that drives a wedge between Varada and Gajapathi. Seenu, caught in the crossfire, adds another dimension to the battle. The story unfolds with themes of loyalty, betrayal, and power struggles.
Performances:
Among the three leads, Nara Rohith delivers the most impactful performance, impressing with his composed demeanor and clear dialogue delivery. Manchu Manoj handles his dual-shaded character well, though his voice modulation falters in emotionally intense scenes. Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas steps out of his comfort zone and surprises with strong screen presence, especially in action sequences.
The camaraderie between Rohith and Manoj is refreshing, and Sreenivas complements them well. Divya Pillai, Anandhi, and Ajay offer decent support, while Aditi Shankar feels miscast. Her lack of native flavor and mismatched dubbing hurt the believability of her role more than her acting itself.
Technical Aspects:
Composer Sricharan Pakala, known for his work in thrillers, takes on a mass entertainer for the first time. While the songs don’t leave a mark, his background score enhances key action scenes with a fresh sound. The cinematography, art direction, and production design elevate the film visually.
However, the screenplay is uneven and lacks the emotional weight needed to fully engage. The editing suffers due to abrupt jump cuts, impacting narrative continuity. The action choreography, on the other hand, is a highlight and adds some much-needed energy.
Analysis:
Director Vijay Kanakamedala adapts Vetrimaaran’s original story reasonably well, but the emotional depth that defined the Tamil version is missing here. While the film manages to juggle its three main leads effectively, it stumbles in creating genuine emotional highs. The screenplay is functional but lacks finesse, and key scenes fail to land with the intended intensity.
Predictability — a common pitfall of remakes — isn’t the only issue. The bigger letdown is the absence of strong character motivations and emotional logic. Despite solid action and a few effective moments, Bhairavam doesn’t rise beyond an average experience.
Verdict:
Bhairavam benefits from a powerful cast and competent performances but suffers from a routine narrative and emotional flatness. With predictable beats and a lack of fresh perspective, it ends up being a loud but forgettable outing.
Bottom Line: Watch it for a few good moments — and little else.
Read Also: HIT 3 Movie Review