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Venu Thottempudi, who recently made his comeback on the silver screen, is now back with his OTT debut series Athidhi. Written and directed by Bharath Y.G., the show stars Avanthika Mishra, Venkatesh Kakumanu, and Aditi Gautam in other vital roles. The series is currently streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar in multiple Indian languages. Let’s see how it is.

 

Story:

Ravi Varma (Venu Thottempudi), a writer, lives in a mansion along with his paralyzed wife, Sandhya (Aditi Gautam). On a rainy night, a mysterious woman named Maaya (Avanthika Mishra) comes to Ravi’s house and asks the latter if she can stay in the mansion that night. Ravi agrees to the same and lets her in. On the other hand, a YouTuber named Savari (Venkatesh Kakamanu), who generally makes videos on ghost hunting, gets petrified after seeing a ghost.

He, too, seeks shelter at Ravi’s mansion. Savari sees Maaya there, and he believes she is not a human but, indeed, a ghost. He suggests to Ravi that they should leave the mansion soon in order to save their lives. Who is this Maaya? What is the mystery around her? What did Ravi and Savari do then? This is what the series is about.

 

Plus Points:

The story takes off right from the opening scene without any delay, and the key characters are neatly introduced. The horror factor in the backdrop makes things interesting initially. Venu Thottempudi delivered a subtle performance in this horror thriller. The way he emoted in key sequences is so good, and Athidhi proves he still has it.

Avanthika Mishra got a neat role, and she performed quite well. She looked so good, and also, there is a message that was given to society through her character. Venkatesh Kakamanu was adorable in the role of a YouTuber. His simple yet effective portrayal leaves a mark.

Neninthe beauty Aditi Gautam is decent in her given role. Ravi Varma and Bhadram did what was expected of them. The background score was in accordance with the horror theme. There are a couple of short stories within the series, and they are effective.

 

Minus Points:

The story of the series is very good on paper, but the same was not translated effectively onto the screen. There was a huge scope for delivering thrills through jumpscare moments and other horror effects, but the execution lacked the punch. The spooky effects didn’t work as intended, as makers resorted to cliched scenes.

The biggest drawback, however, is the way the twists are revealed. The series relies heavily on these twists, and had they been executed in a fair manner, the impact would have been a lot better. One can see the twists coming from a mile away due to the way a few scenes are presented, and this is where the show falters.

Also, the way the series ends is disappointing. Plot-wise, a lot happens in the last episode, but things are rushed for no reason here. Some scenes ended abruptly, and more detailing was required for a few aspects.

 

Technical Aspects:

Kapil Kumar’s background score is neat, and the impact of a few scenes got better due to his score. The cinematography by Manojh Katasani is good. The series runs at a fast pace, but as the show nears the end, things seem rushed up. The production values are fine.

Coming to the writer-director Bharath he came up with a good story, but he could have done a better job regarding the presentation. The subject’s potential isn’t thoroughly utilized, as the show doesn’t succeed in delivering the thrills and chills.

 

Verdict:

On the whole, Athidhi is a half-baked horror thriller that has a few moments going its way. Venu Thottempudi, Avanthika Mishra, and Venkatesh Kakamanu gave good performances. Despite having an interesting premise and story, the show doesn’t offer the expected thrills. Athidhi doesn’t rise over an extent also due to the way key twists are revealed.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

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