Is Anya’s Tutorial a cautionary tale on social media perils with a horror twist?

While crime thrillers, investigative procedurals and dramas are ruling the roost in the Telugu digital space, it’s time for viewers to experience a horror dose now. Baahubali makers Arka Media, who made their digital debut with Disney+ Hotstar’s Parampara, are back in action with a techno-horror thriller Anya’s Tutorial for aha. Directed by Pallavi Gangireddy, the show is headlined by Nivedhithaa Sathish and Regina Cassandra.

SS Rajamouli had launched the trailer of the show the previous weekend and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Regina and Nivedhithaa play sisters in the show. While Regina’s character has a disturbed childhood and leads a largely lonely life, her younger sister Anya is a popular social media influencer who’s enjoying her share of digital fame. What if that fame changes Anya’s life beyond imagination?

The story revolves around a series of mysterious supernatural events, more so across the videos that Anya shares online, and also affects her followers. Gradually, we also notice that Anya is possessed and things go beyond control. What’s in store when social media envy causes rupture between two sisters? Anya’s Tutorial has a fascinating idea indeed and is a welcome departure from the many cliches, tried-and-tested tropes within the genre.

The director Pallavi Gangireddy was earlier a part of aha’s creative team as well. aha’s idea of churning this out as a Telugu-Tamil bilingual is understandable too, given the theme is universal and will not have many nativity issues coming in the way of the storytelling. Sowmya Sharma has penned the story and screenplay for the show cinematographed by Vijay K Charavarthi. Arrol Correli is the music director. Anya’s Tutorial streams from July 1.