
Cast: Naresh Agastya, Megha Akash, Shiju Menon, Tarak Ponnappa, Raghu Kunche, Amit Tiwari, Mukhtar Khan, and others



Director: Pradeep Maddali



Music Director: Ajay Arasada



Cinematography: Shoaib Siddiqui



Editor: Sai Babu Talari



Producer: Rajani Talluri



OTT Platform: Zee5



Naresh Agastya, who has become familiar to the Telugu audience through films like 'Matthu Vadalara', 'Senapathi', and 'Panchatantram', now stars in the latest series 'Vikkatakavi' streaming on the OTT platform. Directed by Pradeep Maddali, Megha Akash plays the female lead in this series. Shiju Abdul Rasheed, Raghu Kunche, Amit Tiwari, Mukhtar Khan, and Tarak Ponnappa play key roles in this series that has recently debuted on Zee5. Let's find out how this series is and whether it captivated the OTT audience in this review.







The Story



The series is set in the 1970s. Ramakrishna (Naresh Agastya) is a renowned detective known for solving complex cases with his intelligence, often assisting the police with pending cases. Meanwhile, people who visit the Hill of Deities in Amargiri village tend to forget their past, believed to be due to a curse by the goddess. A professor, aware of Ramakrishna's detective skills, challenges him to uncover the mystery of the Hill of Deities. What did Ramakrishna find out when he went to the Hill of Deities? Why did Lakshmi (Megha Akash), the granddaughter of the ruler of the Amargiri estate, go with him? How did their acquaintance occur? What is the curse, and did Ramakrishna resolve it?



Performance Review



Naresh Agastya has impressed as detective Ramakrishna, delivering a settled performance. He has perfected his looks and dialogues, bringing substantial weight to his character with his body language. Megha Akash has played a significant role with finesse, effectively expressing emotions. Raghu Kunche, Shiju Abdul Rasheed, Mukhtar Khan, Ashok Kumar, and Amit Tiwari fit well into their regular roles, with Tarak Ponnappa playing a crucial role. Other cast members have performed to the best of their abilities within their roles.







Direction Review



Director Pradeep Maddali has successfully led the series to maintain intrigue throughout. His screenplay especially thrills the audience, keeping them engaged without deviating from the storyline. Every character in the story serves a purpose, and their design enhances the thrilling element. While the twists are somewhat predictable, they still engage the audience. However, some scenes could have been depicted more robustly, and at times, the narrative seems to slow down. A few elevation shots could have been better executed to take the series to the next level.



Technically Speaking...



The technical departments of the series (Vikkatakavi Web Series Review) have performed well. Given the periodic backdrop, the art department excellently recreated the setups and dressing styles of the era. The cinematography effectively transports the audience back in time, and the background music is appealing. The production values are high.







Plus Points



Story and narrativeNaresh Agastya's actingTwists



Minus Points



Some predictabilityA few dragging scenes



Telugu.yousay.tv Rating: 3/5



TFIDB



People visiting the Hill of Deities in Amargiri village tend to forget their past due to a supposed curse. Detective Ramakrishna steps in to solve this mystery. What did he discover on the Hill of Deities? How did his acquaintance with Lakshmi (Megha Akash) from the Amargiri estate develop? What exactly is the curse on the Hill of Deities? This forms the core of the story.


Vikkatakavi Web Series Review: The Mystery of the Deities' Hill from the 1970s


Leading OTT platforms continue to entertain audiences each week by releasing new movies. This week, particularly, can be considered the best for Telugu viewers as several hit movies from theaters have made their way to OTT, with more to come. Select a movie that suits your taste and plan your weekend OTT viewing. What are these films, where are they streaming, and what are their plots? Let’s find out in this narrative. (OTT Suggestions)



Ka



The latest blockbuster featuring young hero Kiran Abbavaram, 'Ka', has achieved significant box office success, becoming the highest-grossing film of his career. This film has just arrived on OTT this week. Streaming on ETV Win from November 28, it stars Nayana Saarika and Tanvi Ram as the female leads. Released on October 31 during Diwali, the film collected over 50 crore at the box office. The plot revolves around Abhinay Vasudev (Kiran Abbavaram), a young orphan who grew up grieving the loss of his family. Escaping from an orphanage, he steals money from his mentor, Gurunatham. He loves reading books and letters, which ignite a passion that leads him on a new path. Eventually, he lands in Krishnagiri village and joins as a postman, where he falls in love with Satyabhama (Nayana Saarika), who reciprocates his feelings. Meanwhile, girls in the village start disappearing. Who is behind this mystery, and how does Abhinay Vasudev confront this issue?







Lucky Baskhar



The recent film 'Lucky Baskhar', starring Dulquer Salmaan and Meenakshi Chaudhary, has also made its way to OTT this week. Directed by Venky Atluri, the film has been streaming on Netflix since November 28 and is available in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. Released as a Diwali gift, it has garnered over 100 crore at the box office, marking Dulquer's first film in the 100 crore club. The plot follows Baskhar Kumar (Dulquer Salmaan), an ordinary bank employee from Mumbai, who balances his job with family responsibilities, including his wife Sumathi (Meenakshi Chaudhary), son, father, sister, and brother. As he supports his family with his salary and faces the threat of debt, he awaits a promotion that remains just a dream. All his efforts seem in vain, and finally, Baskhar takes a big risk to save his family. What consequences does he face from this risk?







Vikkatakavi&nbsp;



Young actor Naresh Agastya, known for his roles in 'Mathu Vadalara', 'Senapathi', and 'Panchatantram', is now featured in the latest series 'Vikkatakavi' streaming on the OTT platform. Directed by Pradeep Maddali, this series stars Megha Akash as the heroine, with significant roles played by Shiju Abdul Rasheed, Raghu Kunche, Amit Tiwari, Mukhtar Khan, and Tarak Ponnappa. Recently arrived on Zee5, the plot explores the mystery of a curse at the Devatala Gutta (hill) in Amaragiri village, where people forget their past. Believing it to be the curse of the goddess Ammoru, detective Ramakrishna steps in to solve the mystery. What does he discover at Devatala Gutta? How does he meet Lakshmi (Megha Akash), belonging to the Amaragiri estate? What is the curse of Devatala Gutta?







Appudo Ippudo Eppudo&nbsp;



Starring young hero Nikhil, the film 'Appudo Ippudo Eppudo', directed by Sudheer Varma, features Nikhil alongside Rukmini Vasanth and Divyansha Kaushik. The film, which recently entered theaters, has captivated the youth and is now quietly streaming on Amazon Prime this week. The plot revolves around Rishi (Nikhil) from Hyderabad, who falls in love at first sight with Tara (Rukmini Vasanth). Due to certain reasons, their love fails, and he moves to London to train as a racer and earn pocket money. There, he grows close to Tulasi (Divyansha Kaushik). Just when they plan to marry, Tulasi goes missing, and simultaneously, Tara appears in London. What happens next? What troubles does Rishi face with a local don?







Thappinchuku Thiruguvadu Dhanyudu Sumathi&nbsp;



Featuring comedian Priyadarshi in a leading role, the crime thriller 'Thappinchuku Thiruguvadu Dhanyudu Sumathi' also stars Sride, Manikantha among others. This film is set to directly release on OTT, available on Aha from November 29. Set against the backdrop of a bank heist, the film's team reveals that the plot involves the journey of stolen money changing hands. How many tried to reclaim it, and who finally got the money?







Naradan



Malayalam actor Tovino Thomas stars in the psychological thriller 'Naradan', directed by Aashiq Abu. Streaming on Aha in Telugu from November 29, it features Anna Ben as the heroine. The plot questions how a newly started journalist deals with the pressure to boost channel ratings. What changes occur in his life after meeting a political leader?







Bloody Beggar&nbsp;



Kavin, popular in Kollywood for films like 'Dada' and 'Star', stars in 'Bloody Beggar', directed by Shivabalan Muthukumar. Released during Diwali in Tamil, it achieved success and good reviews, leading to a Telugu release on November 7. This film will be streaming on Amazon Prime in Telugu from November 29. The plot involves a lazy person who deceives people by pretending to be legless and begs for money. Leading a carefree life, a dramatic event leads him into a mansion-like Indra Bhavan, turning his life in an unexpected direction. What challenges does the beggar face there, and how does he overcome them?







Sandeham&nbsp;



Featuring actress Hebah Patel, 'Sandeham' arrived on OTT five months after its theatrical release in June, receiving mixed responses. In this movie, Suman Vutkur plays dual roles. Streaming on ETV Win from November 28, the plot unfolds during the COVID era as Harsh and Shruti fall in love and marry. Shruti's ex-lover Arya, resembling Harsh, enters their life and causes trouble. Amidst this, Harsh dies from COVID. Did Harsh really die? Why do the police arrest Shruti? What happens to Arya?







Bagheera&nbsp;



Last week, 'Bagheera', featuring Sri Murali and Rukmini Vasanth and directed by Doctor Suri, started streaming. Available on Netflix from November 21, the plot follows Vedanth Prabhakar (Sri Murali), who dreams of being a superhero since childhood but becomes a powerful police officer influenced by his mother's words. During his tenure, crime in Mangaluru was well-controlled. As a sincere officer, what emotional turning point occurs in Vedanth's life? Why does he, known for his integrity, turn into a corrupt officer? What leads him to become Bagheera, and how does he confront Garuda Ram involved in organ trafficking?







Martin&nbsp;



Starring Dhruva Sarja and Vaibhavi Shandilya, the Kannada action thriller 'Martin' recently made its OTT debut last week. Streaming on Aha in Telugu from November 19 and also available on Amazon Prime in other South Indian languages, the plot centers on Arjun from India, who gets arrested in Pakistan. After escaping, Arjun learns that his ordeal was orchestrated by Martin. Who is Martin, and why did he target Arjun? Why did Arjun go to Pakistan?







Kishkindha Kaandam&nbsp;



Featuring Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali, this Malayalam film 'Kishkindha Kaandam' also entered OTT last week. Streaming on Hotstar from November 19, it is available in Telugu. The plot follows Aparna (Aparna Balamurali) and Ajay (Asif Ali) who marry after falling in love. Ajay's father, Appu Pillai, a retired army major, loses his gun one day. As Aparna investigates the missing gun, she uncovers shocking facts. What is Appu Pillai's past? How did his wife and second son disappear? Is Ajay connected to their disappearance?







Alien: Romulus&nbsp;



For fans of Hollywood films, last week brought an exciting science fiction film, 'Alien: Romulus', which has been sweeping the global box office. Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar from November 21, it is available in English, Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil. The plot involves space colonists scavenging usable items from an abandoned space station. During this, they encounter a strange alien life form that attacks them. Did they manage to escape, or not?







Upcoming OTT Releases...



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