Odela 2 Review: A Grand Canvas with a Soulless Core
Sarkar Rating : 2/5 Release Date : April 17, 2025
Cast
Tamannaah Bhatia, Hebah Patel, Vasishta N. Simha
Crew
Director : Ashok Teja,Producer : D. Madhu,Music Director : B. Ajaneesh Loknath,Cinematographer : Soundararajan,Editor : Avinash
Odela Railway Station, which debuted directly on OTT in 2022, garnered a modestly positive response. Riding on that goodwill, creator Sampath Nandi now brings us Odela 2, this time on a much grander scale, headlined by Tamannaah Bhatia in the role of a Naga Sadhu. The film is being heavily promoted—but does this sequel surpass its predecessor or fall short? Let’s find out.
Plot Overview:
Picking up where the first part left off, Odela 2 opens with the aftermath of Tirupati’s (Vasishta Simha) death. Instead of cremation, the village elders grant him Samadhi Shiksha, a spiritual burial. However, this act prevents his soul from achieving moksha, turning him into a vengeful spirit that begins haunting Odela village, committing a series of brutal rapes and murders.
Desperate, the villagers seek help from Radha (Hebbah Patel), who then directs them to her estranged sister, Bhavani—also known as Shiva Shakti (Tamannaah). Once set on a divine path as a child, she may be the only one capable of confronting Tirupati’s evil spirit. But will she return? And if she does, how will she stop the terror?
Performances:
Despite being marketed as the film’s anchor, Tamannaah doesn’t make her entrance until just before the interval. While she brings some intensity to the role, her presence lacks the commanding energy needed for such a divine, powerful character. Vasishta Simha is decent, although his character lacks arc or variation. His dubbing performance is oddly reminiscent of Pasupathi from Arundhati. Hebbah Patel has limited screen time and delivers a rather weak performance. Murali Sharma plays a role similar in tone to Sayaji Shinde’s in Arundhati, but is underused. The supporting cast delivers average performances with nothing particularly memorable, aside from a few over-the-top emotional moments.
Technical Aspects:
Soundararajan’s cinematography is functional, though uninspired. Editing by Avinash drags the film down with repetitive visuals—especially the overuse of drone shots for transitions. The pacing fluctuates awkwardly, affecting engagement. Music by Ajaneesh Loknath is passable, with distinct themes for Tirupati and Bhavani, though the background score feels repetitive and underwhelming in crucial moments like the climax.
Director Ashok Teja, under the supervision of Sampath Nandi, was tasked with executing an ambitious project. Unfortunately, his lack of experience shows. The script lacks punch, and the screenplay struggles to build tension or emotional weight. Sampath Nandi’s story and dialogues feel dated and uninspired.
Analysis:
The film is built around a dual narrative—Shiva Shakti’s divine mission to chant “Om Namah Shivaya” 10 crore times, and the chaos caused by the restless spirit of Tirupati. While this setup holds potential, Odela 2 falters in delivering impactful storytelling. The plot is predictable, and the screenplay does little to inject surprise or suspense.
Instead of focusing on depth, the movie throws in a mishmash of horror, spirituality, violence, CGI-heavy visuals, religious sermons, and mythological overtones. Unfortunately, none of these elements come together cohesively. The film fails to create moments of genuine thrill or divine awe, especially around Tamannaah’s character, who was supposed to be the emotional and thematic center.
Though the film tries to leverage its sequel status, supernatural themes, and religious undertones to pull audiences in, even the curious might find themselves disengaged due to its repetitive structure, lackluster execution, and forgettable performances. And just when you think it’s over, the makers tease a potential Odela 3 by recycling the same conflict again.
Bottom Line:
A grand setup wasted by a weak script and uninspired storytelling. Odela 2 lacks the soul and spark to justify its scale.
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