Popular producer MS Raju returned to direction with the mystic horror thriller Agadha. The movie starring Kamakshi Bhaskarla hit the big screens today. Let’s see how it is.
Story:
Mahima (Ulka Gupta) and her family become victims of an evil force named Agadha. One mysterious event after another keeps happening. Mahima’s relative and famous yogini Mahadevi (Kamakshi Bhaskarla) comes to their rescue. Who is Agadha? Why is it so powerful? Did Mahadevi confront Agadha? These questions form the crux of the story.
Plus Points:
The visual aesthetics are neatly handled, giving the vibe of a horror film. The colour palette is in perfect sync with the dark nature of Agadha. The locations look natural, and credit goes to the technical team.
The second half of the film has a couple of good moments. The scene where Kamakshi Bhaskarla tries to control a spirit-possessed person is effective. The key twist revealed in the latter half is decent
This genre has become a walk in the park for Kamakshi Bhaskarla, and the actress does her job quite nicely in Agadha too. Shravan Reddy, Jovika Vijakumar, and Ulka Gupta are fine in their respective parts.
Minus Points:
Agadha had the potential to be an arresting horror thriller, but the execution is where the film doesn’t pack a punch. The screenplay is flat for the most part, with barely any exciting elements.
The much-required thrills are missing big time. The problem isn’t with the jump scares, regarding which the team had already set the right expectations. The tension is missing in the proceedings, making it difficult to stay invested.
The narrative doesn’t have enough meat, as it lacks urgency. The pacing is slow in most parts. The first half, especially, doesn’t offer much apart from introducing the conflict. Even after a key character goes missing, the people close to him don’t seem to bat an eye, which comes across as surprising.
Technical Aspects:
Rakesh Venkatapuram’s background score and Nani Chamidisetty’s visuals are impactful. The editing could have been much better. Production values are fine.
Direction by MS Raju leaves a lot to be desired. The subject looks interesting on paper, but the same wasn’t translated on to the screen effectively. Apart from a few moments, the screenplay isn’t exciting.
Verdict:
On the whole, Agadha is a below-par horror thriller with a decent premise, but the storytelling isn’t up to the mark. Kamakshi Bhaskarla is neat in her role, while the rest of the cast are decent. The thrills are missing, as one would expect in such a film. There are only a few moments that hold our attention, but overall, the movie falls short of being satisfactory.