D/o Prasad Rao: Kanabadutaledhu review: This Telugu crime thriller on OTT is worth a watch

D/o Prasad Rao: Kanabadutaledhu review: This Telugu crime thriller on OTT is worth a watch

• Kanabadutaledhu mixes family drama with a missing-person mystery.
• Strong performances by Rajeev Kanakala and Vasanthika stand out
• The script and rushed climax weaken the show's overall impact

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Starring : Rajeev Kanakala, Vasanthika ,Uday Bhanu ,Gayatri Bhargavi ,Hima Bindu

Director : Krishna Poluru

Producer : K.V.Sri Ram

Rating: 2.5/5

Rajeev Kanakala, Udaya Bhanu, and Vasanthika play major roles in the recently released Telugu murder thriller series D/o Prasad Rao: Kanabadutaledhu on ZEE5. The web show seeks to merge a tense missing-person case with a touching family drama. Let's take a deeper look at how it works.

Plot:

The story is set in Chittoor district and follows Prasad Rao (Rajeev Kanakala), a modest grocery shop owner whose life revolves on his daughter Swathi (Vasanthika), the first person in their family to graduate. When Swathi gets a job in Hyderabad, Prasad Rao doesn't want to send her leave at first. But after relatives and friends persuade him into it, he goes with her to the city and helps her find a place to stay in a hostel.

A month after starting her new job, Swathi disappears without a trace. The case immediately obtains a lot of media attention, and as more and more suspects are found, the investigation becomes harder and harder.

What Works:

The show merits praise for talking about an essential societal issue: being a parent, especially the fears and challenges that come up when raising and supporting a daughter. The execution may not be great, but the goal of encouraging people to talk about these problems is a good one.

The actors do a wonderful job in their roles. Rajeev Kanakala's worried father character is incredibly emotive and creates a great effect, even if he doesn't get much screen time. Vasanthika does a terrific job of portraying the character's emotional nuances by playing Swathi as a blend of innocence and independence that makes sense. Udaya Bhanu stands out because he has a powerful presence on screen, which makes things more intense.

There are also some interesting elements of the show that keep the plot moving, especially in the first few episodes.

What doesn't:

The series starts off well, but it has difficulties keeping up its speed. The bad guy is introduced in a way that makes you want to know more, but the character journey doesn't get enough attention, so the payoff isn't particularly excellent. A more detailed and complicated picture may have made the whole thing much better.

The last episode aims to tie up loose ends by revealing things swiftly. But the hasty execution takes away from the emotional and dramatic force of the climax. The investigation elements also feel a little too generic and don't always make sense, which makes the story less exciting. The plot isn't as believable because some of the characters' choices don't make sense.

Technicalities

The team that works on the technical side does a good job. The cinematography does an excellent job at depicting both rural and urban areas, and the music in the background makes the mood even more tense. Editing is still sharp, which keeps the episodes going at a good speed. The production values are good and match the tone of the show.

The core premise is good, however the writing isn't that intriguing. The series could have been a lot more intriguing if the writing had been better and the intricacies of the investigation had been fleshed out further.

Verdict:

Kanabadutaledhu is a criminal thriller that seeks to merge social critique with suspense. The acting of Rajeev Kanakala, Vasanthika, and Udaya Bhanu makes the program more believable, but the script isn't very good and the big reveals happen too quickly, which affects the overall effect. Some aspects of it succeed, but it's not nearly a fully fulfilling thriller.