Movie News

Nikhil Siddhartha’s Swayambhu locks unique Netflix OTT deal

by narendhar April 18, 2026

Nikhil Siddhartha is gearing up to entertain audiences with his most ambitious film so far, Swayambhu. The movie is directed by Bharat Krishnamachari and produced by Bhuvan and Sreekar of Pixel Studios, with Tagore Madhu presenting.

According to reports, the movie is said to have struck an interesting OTT deal with Netflix. As per it, the streamer has reportedly offered to pay half the amount that the movie earns from from theatres (nett collection) as digital rights.

Tollywood’s shifting OTT model:

Earlier OTT platforms used to pay an upfront based on the film’s hype, hero’s stardom, and production house’s goodwill. However, the platforms have suffered massive losses off late with high acquisition prices failing to justify the viewership.

Hence, many OTTs are now tying the digital rights to the theatrical performance. If a film does well in theatres, it goes without saying that public lapped it up. OTTs believe that only those movies that are well-received will draw viewership and thereby profits. Hence, the reports regarding Swayambhu’s OTT deal with Netflix absolutely makes sense.

For biggies, OTTs are offering an upfront while also adding a performance clause. To make things clear, they will pay in excess of the agreed amount if the movie performs well at the ticket counters. The reports regarding Swayambhu’s deal feel unique. It remains to be seen if this performance-based model becomes a new trend in Tollywood.

Samyuktha and Nabha Natesh are playing the female leads. Ravi Basrur is the music composer. The exact release date will be announced soon.

April 18, 2026

Suriya’s Karuppu: Trolled Simbu song removed from final cut

by narendhar April 18, 2026

Suriya will next be seen in the rural action entertainer Karuppu. Directed by RJ Balaji, the film carries good expectations and is set to hit screens on May 14 during the summer season.

Earlier, the makers released a song titled ‘Naanga Naalu Peru’, sung by Simbu aka Silambarasan. The song had earlier gone viral for the wrong reasons. It was widely trolled online, with many netizens expressing disappointment. Now, in a recent interview, director RJ Balaji revealed that the song will not be part of the film.

He clarified, “Fans might think I removed it because of the trolls, but our initial plan itself was not to include it in the final version.” Given the negative response, the team’s decision to drop the track appears to be a sensible one.

Trisha plays the female lead, while the film is produced by S. R. Prakash Babu and S. R. Prabhu under Dream Warrior Pictures. Sai Abhyankkar composes the music. The film will also release in Telugu as Veera Bhadrudu.

April 18, 2026

Bhooth Bangla Day 1 estimates: Akshay Kumar’s biggest non-franchise opener post-pandemic

by narendhar April 18, 2026

Bhooth Bangla which marks the reunion of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan after a long time became the highest opener for Akshay Kumar post-pandemic outside franchise films. The film had paid previews on Thursday night which garnered around Rs. 3.5 crores nett.

On day 1, Bhooth Bangla accumulated over Rs. 12 crores nett as per estimates, placing the overall opening in the range of Rs. 15-16 crores nett. The movie opened higher than Jolly LLB 3 and lower than Housefull 5. But both are franchise films, and Bhooth Bangla having the initial number in between those two movies is a positive sign. The actuals might vary slightly.

Bhooth Bangla now aims to post good numbers over the weekend. Wamiqa Gabbi plays the female lead. The film also features Tabu, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Jisshu Sengupta, Mithila Palkar, Rajesh Sharma, and Manoj Joshi in vital roles. Bhooth Bangla is jointly bankrolled by Akshay Kumar, Ektaa Kapoor, and Shobha Kapoor.

April 18, 2026

Review: Thimmarajupalli TV – A Nostalgic Ride That Works in Parts

by narendhar April 18, 2026

Movie Name : Thimmarajupalli TV

Release Date : April 17, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Sai Tej, Vedha Jalandharr, Pradeep Kotte, Swathi Karimireddy, Amma Ramesh, Satyanarayana, Lathish
Director : V. Muniraju
Producer : Kiran Abbavaraam
Music Director : Vamsikanth Rekhana
Cinematographer : Akshay Ram Podishetti
Editor : V. Muniraju

Related Links : Trailer

Thimmarajupalli TV is a Telugu period drama produced by Kiran Abbavaram. Featuring debutants Sai Tej and Veda Jalandhar in the lead roles, the film arrives with a nostalgic premise set in a rural backdrop. Here’s how it fares.

Story:

Set in 1996 in the village of Thimmarajupalli, Satish (Sai Tej), a petty thief, is in love with Sharada (Veda Jalandhar). Every Maha Shivaratri, he arranges a television for the villagers, turning the occasion into a shared celebration. Meanwhile, village head Ramachandrayya (Amma Ramesh) dreams of being the first to own a TV, but Rajappa (Kotte Pradeep) beats him to it. What starts as a matter of pride soon turns into a burden, as Rajappa’s house becomes a constant gathering spot for the entire village. The situation escalates when a clash erupts between Satish and Rajappa, and the very next day, Rajappa’s TV goes missing, putting the blame on Satish. With the village council giving him two weeks to prove his innocence, Satish sets out to find the truth behind the missing TV, which forms the crux of the story.

Plus Points:

The film’s strongest aspect is its nostalgic premise. The idea of a single television bringing an entire village together is both relatable and interesting, and the film captures this innocence with sincerity. The reactions of villagers experiencing television for the first time feel organic.

Sai Tej puts in a sincere effort and manages to hold his part, especially in emotional scenes. Pradeep Kotte gets a more layered role and delivers a controlled performance that adds weight to the narrative. The supporting cast blends well into the setting and helps maintain the film’s grounded tone.

There are moments, particularly involving the mother-son relationship and the communal viewing scenes, that land effectively. These portions reflect the film’s potential and offer glimpses of emotional depth. The background score supports such scenes without becoming overpowering.

Minus Points:

Despite a promising setup, the film struggles with consistency. The narration frequently loses grip due to loosely written and unnecessary stretches that dilute the core conflict. This issue becomes more prominent in the second half, where the story demands urgency but moves at an uneven pace.

While the film introduces multiple characters, most of them remain underwritten. As a result, the performances, though sincere, do not translate into memorable moments.

The love story between the leads lacks depth and fails to create a strong emotional pull. Similarly, the exploration of village dynamics such as ego clashes, jealousy, and social tensions feels surface-level, limiting the overall impact of the drama.

Technical Aspects:

Director V. Muniraju chooses a rooted and interesting concept but does not fully capitalise on it due to an inconsistent screenplay. A tighter narrative structure and better scene transitions could have significantly improved engagement.

Vansikanth Rekhana’s music complements the film in key moments, particularly in emotional stretches. Akshay Ram Podishetti’s cinematography effectively captures the rural setting and enhances the nostalgic atmosphere. The production values are neat, and the art department does a commendable job in recreating the period setting authentically.

Verdict:

On the whole, Thimmarajupalli TV has a nostalgic core and a premise that holds genuine appeal, but uneven storytelling holds it back from reaching its full potential. While a few emotional and village-centric moments work well, the lack of narrative tightness and depth makes the experience inconsistent. It ends up as a partially entertaining watch rather than a truly engaging rural drama. Keeping expectations in check will help in appreciating its better moments.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

April 18, 2026

Review: Thiruveer’s Papam Prathap – Just for a few laughs

by narendhar April 18, 2026

Movie Name : Papam Prathap

Release Date : April 17, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Thiruveer, Ajay Ghosh, Raasi, Payal Radhakrishna, Devi Prasad, Goparaju Ramana, Ravi Anthony, Raghu Babu, Prasad Behra, Basha
Director : S.P. Durga Naresh
Producer : Gaddam Rakesh Reddy, Rudradev Madhi Reddy
Music Director : K.M. Radha Krishna
Cinematographer : Vishweshwar S.V
Editor : Anwar Ali

Related Links : Trailer

Thiruveer who gained reputation among the audiences with his choice of scripts has now come up with the village drama Papam Prathap. The movie is now out in theatres. Let’s see how it is.

Story:

Prathap (Thiruveer), who belongs to a rich family, marries the love of his life Bujjamma (Payal Radhakrishna) against his father’s (Ajay Gosh) wishes. Their married life starts on a great note, but things take a turn when Bujjamma leaves her in-laws, citing that Prathap has a significant health condition during sleep. What exactly is this problem? How long has Prathap been suffering from it? Is there a solution? Did the couple reunite? This forms the crux of the story.

Plus Points:

Thiruveer once again is impressive in a role filled with innocence. His gestures in the initial portions, along with the combo scenes with Ajay Gosh, offer some entertainment in the first half. His performance in emotional moments is fair enough.

Ajay Gosh is effective as the protagonist’s father. The senior elicits laughs with his frustration towards his son’s character. There are a few decent fun moments featuring him that make the first half passable to an extent.

Minus Points:

Initially, the director tries to create curiosity about the hero’s disorder, but when the revelation finally happens, it makes us wonder why the female lead hid it from the hero’s family for so long. The reason behind her silence isn’t convincing, and it makes the film feel unnecessarily dragged. The entertainment angle in the first half is also somewhat undone by heroine’s approach to the issue.

In the second half, the director shifts focus to emotions and drama, but unfortunately, nothing works here, and this portion is dull for the most part. The written material lacks logic and conviction, and hence the desired impact doesn’t land.

Payal Radhakrishna is good as a performer, but her role could have been written better. The way Ajay Gosh’s character behaves in the latter half doesn’t feel reasonable. The hero’s issue should have been depicted in a more detailed manner, along with its solution, since it is closely connected to the lead pair’s bonding.

Technical Aspects:

K.M. Radha Krishna’s music and Suresh Bobbili’s background score are okay. Vishweshwar’s cinematography is decent, and the production values are fine. The editing isn’t quite satisfactory, especially as the second half feels slow-paced and dragged.

Director S.P. Durga Nagesh came up with a relatively lesser known health disorder, but the screenplay needed more weight to make the film an engaging experience. The second half is where the actual drama begins but the scenes just don’t work.

Verdict:

On the whole, Papam Prathap is an okayish village drama where a few fun moments work. The makers should have come up with better execution to make the emotional angle around the hero’s health disorder more effective. Thiruveer is good in his role, while Ajay Gosh generates some laughs. The first half is passable, but the second half loses grip once the drama kicks in. With better writing, Papam Prathap could have gone to the next level.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

April 18, 2026

Review: Naga Shaurya’s Bad Boy Karthik – Outdated and thoroughly boring

by narendhar April 18, 2026

Movie Name : Bad Boy Karthik

Release Date : April 17, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2/5
Starring : Nagashaurya, Vidhi Yadav, Samuthirakani, Naresh, Saikumar, Vennela Kishore and others
Director : Ramesh
Producers : Srinivasa Rao Chintalapudi, Vijaya Kumar Chintalapudi,
Dr. Ashok Kumar Chintalapudi
Music Director : Harris Jayaraj
Cinematographer : Rasool Ellore
Editor : Kotagiri Venkateswara rao

Related Links : Trailer

Bad Boy Karthik is the least promoted film of Naga Shaurya. After many delays, the film has finally hit the big screens, and let’s see how the movie is.

Story:

Karthik (Naga Shaurya) is very fond of his sister Kasturi (Sridevi Vijayakumar), a reputed lawyer in Vizag. As Karthik roams around aimlessly and picks up fights with random goons, Kasturi decides to send him abroad. However, Karthik comes up with a plan to get his visa rejected so that he can stay with his sister.

Meanwhile, Kasturi locks horns with Govindappa (Mime Gopi), a dreaded goon from Kadiri who has affected the lives of many farmers. Enraged by this, Govindappa decides to kill Kasturi, and the rest of the film is about how Karthik saves his sister.

Plus Points:

Naga Shaurya delivers a sincere performance as a brother who goes all out to protect his sister. Even though the writing doesn’t offer much support, the actor does his best to elevate the proceedings. He also looks charming and stylish on screen. Sridevi Vijaykumar performs very well in her role. The interval fight sequence set against the backdrop of the Kadiri Jathara is well-shot and effectively choreographed, featuring massive crowds.

Minus Points:

The concept of ruthless villains trying to establish authority by affecting the lives of poor and innocent people, and the hero stepping in to save them, has been showcased in umpteen Tollywood films so far. Some recent films have also succeeded with this formulaic storyline. Audiences are fine with these done-to-death plot points, but what matters most is how they are presented. Bad Boy Karthik is very weak in this aspect.

From the word go, the film feels heavily outdated in almost every frame. The makers have visibly spent well, but perhaps they should have paid more attention to the writing, too. The farmers’ track lacks any emotional connect and doesn’t evoke much feeling. The screenplay lacks a proper flow and wanders around without much progression.

The love track between the lead pair is both boring and confusing. The film doesn’t even attempt to show when the female lead started having feelings for the hero. The episodes involving Saikumar and his wife try to evoke laughs, but they hardly land.

While the romantic track takes the center stage in the first half and causes boredom, the second half goes on and on with endless action that severely tests the patience levels. The villain characters are routine in nature and don’t have any freshness.

Technical Aspects:

Even Harris Jayaraj disappoints with his songs and background score, further weakening the overall experience. The cinematography by Rasool Ellore is good in some action episodes. The editing is weak, as the film drags on.

Coming to director Ramesh, he has taken up an old-fashioned concept and presented it in an equally old-school manner, making the overall film highly boring.

Verdict:

On the whole, Bad Boy Karthik is an outdated and disappointing action drama, with both halves failing to make any impact. Naga Shaurya and Sridevi Vijayakumar try their best to save this sinking ship, but the actors can’t make much difference when both the storyline and screenplay are weak and lack a contemporary touch. The emotions fail to connect, and the heavy action in the second half turns into a patience-tester. You can skip this film and look for better options.

123telugu.com Rating: 2/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

April 18, 2026

Bad Boy Karthik opens to dull occupancy

by narendhar April 18, 2026

Naga Shaurya’s long-delayed film Bad Boy Karthik finally hit theatres today, but the opening response has been far from encouraging.

The film arrived with minimal buzz, and surprisingly, many audiences were unaware of its release altogether. As a result, occupancy remained below 40% across most centres on day one.

Adding to the woes, early talk surrounding the film has been largely negative, further dampening its prospects at the box office. With weak word of mouth and low initial footfalls, the film now heavily depends on the weekend to show any signs of recovery.

However, if the current trend continues, Bad Boy Karthik risks a short theatrical run and could disappear from cinemas sooner than expected.

April 18, 2026

Mrunal Thakur’s stunning transformation becomes talk of the internet

by narendhar April 18, 2026

It’s clearly Mrunal Thakur mania all over again. After earning praise for her sensible and grounded performance in Dacoit, the actress has now switched gears completely with her upcoming film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq.

The recently released promos, along with the song Vyah Karvado Ji film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq, showcase Mrunal in a strikingly glamorous and vibrant avatar.

From energetic dance moves to a playful, fun-filled screen presence, she is grabbing attention across social media platforms. Fans are loving this refreshing transformation, and the visuals have quickly gone viral online.

With back-to-back contrasting roles, Mrunal is proving her versatility while enjoying the spotlight. At the moment, she is undeniably one of the most talked-about actresses on the internet.

April 18, 2026

Vaazha 2 creates history: Fastest film to hit Rs. 100 crores in Kerala

by narendhar April 18, 2026

Malayalam blockbuster Vaazha 2 is all set to entertain Telugu audiences next week. Meanwhile, the film has achieved a massive milestone by emerging as the fastest movie to cross the Rs. 100 crore mark at the Kerala box office.

Apart from Vaazha 2, only two films have reached this feat so far. The latest sensation achieved it in just 15 days. Thudarum and Lokah are the other films in the Rs. 100 crore club, with Lokah currently holding the all-time record gross. Now, Vaazha 2 is set to challenge Lokah numbers in the coming days.

Hashir H, Alan Bin Siraj, Ajin Joy, and Vinayak V played the lead roles in the film. It is jointly produced by Imagin Cinemas, WBTS Productions, Shine Screens, Signature Studios, and Icon Studios.

April 18, 2026

Dacoit beats new releases—and it’s a worrying sign

by narendhar April 18, 2026

Today, multiple films have hit the big screens in the Telugu states, with the notable ones being Bad Boy Karthik, Thimmarajupalli TV, and Papam Prathap. However, Adivi Sesh’s Dacoit, in its second weekend, has once again emerged as the first choice for Telugu movie lovers.

Dacoit has managed to lead the box office charts despite two of the above-mentioned films having solid promotions. The occupancies for Dacoit are much higher than the new releases in all major centers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Why this is concerning:

While this news might leave Dacoit fans and makers happy, it’s actually a concerning development when a one-week-old release outshines the new releases. It suggests that the theatres might face trouble in the upcoming days when Dacoit’s run is exhausted.

Tollywood missed the golden opportunity of not releasing biggies for Summer 2026, and the next two-month period doesn’t look very exciting, with no huge money spinner insight.

April 18, 2026

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