Cast: Nandu, Tejaswi Madivada, Priya Anand, Ashutosh Rana, Pavani Reddy, Keshav Deepak, Sudha, Bhanu Chander, and others.
Director: Anish Kuruvilla
Cinematography: Naveen Yadav
Music: Shaktikanth Karthik
Editing: Umair Hasan, Fayaz Ray
Producers: Gopichand Achanta, Ram Achanta
OTT: Disney+ Hotstar
Starring Ashutosh Rana, Priya Anand, Nandu, Sonia Agarwal, and Tejaswini Madivada in leading roles, the latest Telugu web series “The Mystery of Moksha Island” has been directed by Anish Kuruvilla. This suspense crime thriller has debuted on the prominent OTT platform Hotstar. How is this series? Has it pleased the OTT audience? Let’s find out in this review.
Plot
Nobel laureate Indian scientist Vishwak Sen (Ashutosh Rana) dies unexpectedly in a flight accident, leaving behind an estate worth nearly ₹24,000 crores. Before his death, he writes a will distributing his wealth equally among all his relatives, with one condition: they must spend a week on Moksha Island. Agreeing to this, Vishwak Sen’s family members land on the island, but unexpected events unfold, leading to their deaths one by one. What is the mystery of Moksha Island? Why did Vishwak impose the condition to stay on the island for a week? Are the people who went there really Vishwak’s family members or not? What is Vishwak’s connection to Moksha Island? That is the story.
Performance
The web series “The Mystery of Moksha Island” features several actors. Among them, Priya Anand, Nandu, and Ashutosh Rana stand out. Nandu justifies his role as a young man determined to solve the island mystery, while Ashutosh Rana is compelling as a cunning scientist. Tejaswi Madivada and Akshara Gowda attract more with their glamour than their acting. Roshan Kanakala, son of the famous anchor Suma Kanakala, impresses in a gay role. Bhanuchander, Sonia Agarwal, Ajay Katurvar, and Satyakrishna, along with others, do justice to their roles with their performances.
Direction
Director Anish Kuruvilla has crafted a well-written mystery story set on an island. He designed characters with varied backgrounds for the series, showing an unknown side to each character. Who is killing those who set foot on the island? Episodes where everyone suspects each other build suspense. The director engages the audience with numerous questions about the island over six episodes. The way he unravels the mysteries in the final two episodes is satisfying, although having too many characters on screen can be confusing. Romantic and bold scenes might be uncomfortable for family audiences. The climax might not be as satisfying as expected. However, those who enjoy thriller genres will likely appreciate this series.
Technically
On the technical front, Naveen Yadav’s cinematographer is impressive. He beautifully captures the beach episodes. The art department also performs well; the lab setup looks realistic. The background music provided by Shaktikanth Karthik is decent. The editing is okay, and the production values are good.
Plus Points
– Acting of the main cast
– Engaging narration
– Twists
Minus Points
– Bold content
– Too many characters
