BOTTOM LINE
Anushka’s Return Falls Flat
RATING
2/5
CENSOR
U/A, 2h 36m
What Is the Film About?
Ghaati is about how Sheela (Anushka) and Desi Raju’s (Vikram Prabhu) lives fall into trouble, what drives Sheelavati to revolt against the people responsible, and how she eventually rises to become a legend. Her journey to save the Ghaatis forms the core of the story.
Performances
Anushka Shetty returns to the screen after a while, but unfortunately Ghaati is not the film that showcases her strengths. To give genuine feedback, this is a film where she hardly makes an impact, either through her screen presence or performance. Anushka is a proven actress, and there is no fault in her acting, but the blame lies in the underwhelming character design and weak writing. Surprisingly, even her natural screen presence fails to elevate the film.
On the other hand, Vikram Prabhu enjoys significant screen time in the first half, almost making him feel like the main lead. He delivers a decent performance, but being a non-Telugu actor creates a sense of disconnect-through no fault of his own.
Analysis
Ghaati is directed by Krish, director known for picking different stories. This time too, he attempts a relatively fresh backdrop. The film initially grabs interest with its premise, but what unfolds until the interval is a loud and emotionless journey.
Despite Anushka’s presence, the entire first half revolves around Vikram Prabhu. Anushka’s characterization feels underwritten, almost like a role that doesn’t require an actress of her caliber. There isn’t a single impactful scene where she makes her presence felt. Vikram Prabhu does his part, but the lack of a native or familiar Telugu connect creates a noticeable gap, though not entirely his fault.
The film also struggles to establish its villains. Chaitanya Rao, who plays the negative role, is given an overblown character that feels too big for him to handle. Despite his effort, the writing and presentation don’t allow him to make any real impact.
The background score, unnecessarily loud, only amplifies the weak narration. The songs inserted in between feel more like fillers or formalities, acting as interruptions rather than enhancing the story.
The interval sequence revolves around the victimization of Anushka’s character, but by this point Krish misses the chance to add genuine emotional weight. While the premise still holds some interest, the execution so far leaves the film barely in the watchable zone. The second half has a lot of ground to cover.
The second half slips into a routine revenge drama we have seen countless times. The issues from the first half, particularly the lack of emotional connect, remain unresolved and never improve. In fact, they progressively get worse.
Even with a star like Anushka, nothing is elevated. Her presence does not compensate for the lackluster narration or cover up the flaws. What we get is the same age-old revenge story, with the villain character shouting excessively, which only adds to the boredom and dilutes the little freshness the Ghaati backdrop brought in the first half.
The climax offers no surprises either, ending exactly as one would expect. Ghaati, despite having a fresh backdrop, fails to feel fresh or emotionally engaging. It comes across as outdated in both treatment and execution, lacking the cinematic quality expected in 2025, whether in terms of visuals or narrative impact.
Overall, Ghaati attempts something new on the surface but ultimately ends up as a routine, loud revenge drama that barely engages either emotionally or in terms of action.
Performances by Others Actors
Ghaati features a few well-known faces, starting with Chaitanya Rao in the major villain role. Unfortunately, he feels like a clear miscast. His character is written and presented in an exaggerated manner, far too big for his physicality or the impact he manages to deliver through performance. The menace simply never comes through.
The film also includes a handful of villain characters played by familiar artists, but none of them make an impression. The problem lies less in their performances and more in the way the roles are written and positioned within the overall narrative.
Music and Other Departments?
Sagar Nagavelli composes the music for Ghaati, and while the songs didn’t work as stand-alone audio tracks, they also disappoint visually in the film. The background score is unnecessarily, and at times unbearably, loud -one department that feels more like a distraction than a contribution.
Visually, the film is also underwhelming. For a backdrop as fresh as Ghaati, the lack of strong visual appeal is a clear weakness. The editing, too, could have been much sharper. Overall, the adequate production values don’t lift the film to where it should have been.
Highlights?
Fresh core plot
A few occasionally well-written dialogues
Drawbacks?
No genuine emotional connect despite a fresh backdrop
Extremely routine treatment
Overloud BGM and exaggerated villains
Outdated, predictable and routine output
Did I Enjoy It?
No
Will You Recommend It?
No
Ghaati Movie Review by M9
Final Report:
Krish once again attempts a fresh story, but what ends up being delivered is a routine revenge action drama lacking genuine emotion and and little exploration of Ghaati’s life. Loud BGM, weak villain, and overall treatment make it feel outdated. Anushka hardly leaves a mark. Go with less expectations.
First Half Report:
Ghaati first half leans more on Vikram Prabhu than Anushka. The narration struggles to create any emotional impact, even though the Ghaati backdrop is refreshing. The second half carries the real test.
Ghaati show opened with scenes from Ghaati’s life, followed by Anushka’s entry. Stay tuned for the report.
— Ghaati U.S. premiere begins at 6.30 PM EST (4 AM IST). Start tuned.
Ghaati brings back the Anushka Shetty and director Krish combo that once delivered Vedam (2010). Will they create the same buzz again? Stay tuned for the Ghaati movie review and U.S. premiere report.
Cast: Anushka Shetty, Vikram Prabhu and others
Written & Directed by: Krish Jagarlamudi
Produced by: Rajeev Reddy, Sai Babu Jagarlamudi
Presents: UV Creations
Banner: First Frame Entertainment
Director of Photography: Manojh Reddy Katasani
Editor: Venkata Swamy Nakka, Chanakya Reddy Toorupu
Music Director: Sagar Nagavelli
Art Director: Thota Tharrani
Story: Chintakindi Srinivas Rao
Dialogues: Sai Madhav Burra
U.S. Distributor: Shloka Entertainments
Ghaati Movie Review by M9
