BOTTOM LINE
This Flight Doesn’t Take Off At All
PLATFORM
JIOHOTSTAR
RUNTIME
2 Hrs | 4 Episodes
What Is the Show About?
Troubled by past regrets and a lost love, an insurance agent named Pushpak discovers a mysterious elevator that allows him to travel ten years back in time. Hoping to set things right, he alters a crucial event, only to trigger unforeseen consequences that put his present life at risk.
Performances
Only Sai Ronak and Madhoo Damaraju manage to be reasonably convincing with their performances. Apart from Vadlamani Srinivas and Bindu Pagidimarri, the supporting cast is particularly horrendous. Much like the writing, the tone of several minor characters feels completely out of sync with the times.
Analysis
A little more than half a decade has passed since the Telugu industry embraced OTT, yet it is embarrassing how little understanding storytellers and platforms alike have shown of the writing, craft and pitch the medium demands, barring a few rare exceptions. Most shows produced in this part of the world are still written with the sensibilities of a regional soap, only handed the budget of a feature film.
Pushpaka Vimanam is an unfortunate reminder that storytelling has only regressed on this side of the screen. The problem is rarely what a show sets out to tell, but how clumsily it goes about doing so. On paper, it is a socio-fantasy about a dysfunctional family, peppered with romance, police drama and a touch of mythology.
Pushpak, a small-time insurance agent, and Savithri, a police officer, were once in love before an unfortunate turn of events drove them apart. A third man now hovers around the duo, trying to make his presence felt in her life. Meanwhile, Pushpak shares a strained equation with his father, treats his stepmother with deep affection and will go to any lengths to protect his brother, even if he rarely shows it.
A parallel track follows a mysterious man plagued by visions, who inevitably crosses paths with Pushpak. Then there is a romantic subplot involving Pushpak’s younger brother and a high-profile colleague whom he goes out of his way to woo. Much like Chiranjeevi’s Challenge, he vows to get filthy rich overnight to win over her father and claim his daughter, as though she were a trophy.
The storytelling in Pushpaka Vimanam is as old as the hills. There isn’t much wrong with the core premise, and the plot points are workable to a fair extent. Yet none of the dialogue, drama or staging makes much sense. Like a typical ’80s or ’90s melodrama, the mother is painted as a saintly figure, the idealistic father treats his son like a piece of furniture, and the elder brother stands tall as the stoic rock of the family.
Even when the colony where Pushpak and Savithri live faces a fresh existential threat, the community dynamics feel absurd. It is hard to tell what part of the world these characters even inhabit. The workplace drama at Pushpak’s office and Savithri’s police station is equally dreadful, bogged down by stock characters, exaggerated situations and convenient writing choices that give you little reason to stay invested.
The only ray of hope arrives towards the end of the fourth episode, when the fantasy element finally kicks in and Pushpak gets a chance to undo the wrongs of the past. Spending nearly two hours merely setting up the hook tests your patience, leaving you with little motivation to stick around for the episodes that follow. Pushpaka Vimanam needs a complete overhaul in the times to come if it has any hope of recovery.
Music and Other Departments?
The technical contributions fare better than the acting, though nothing particularly stands out. The music is passable, with the cinematography faring marginally better. Ultimately, it is the poor writing and flat staging of sequences that drag everything down. Even with a crisp runtime of 25 to 30 minutes per episode, the show struggles to hold your attention.
Highlights?
The core fantasy idea
The mother-son segments
Drawbacks?
Weak, outdated execution
Poor performances
Dull writing and out-of-sync sensibilities
Did I Enjoy It?
Not at all
Will You Recommend It?
Easy skip
Pushpaka Vimanam 2026 Telugu Web Series Reviewed by M9 News
