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Hatya Movie Review: A passable murder mystery with a controversial backdrop

Hatya Movie Review: The film is loosely based on the murder of a very popular politician in Andhra Pradesh. Srividya Basava directs the film which has Ravi Varma and Dhanya Balakrishna in lead roles. 

2.5/5rating
Hatya Movie Review: A passable murder mystery with a controversial backdrop
Hatya Telugu movie review

Last Updated: 05.31 PM, Jan 24, 2025

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Hatya Story

Hatya is loosely based on a high-profile murder that shocked everyone in the state of Andhra. Dharmendra Reddy (Ravi Varma), a powerful politician from the Illandula constituency, is found dead under mysterious circumstances. His henchmen cover up the incident, attempting to pass it off as a heart attack. However, the Chief Minister has other plans and assigns a top cop, Sudha (Dhanya Balakrishna), to uncover the truth and apprehend the murderer. As Sudha delves deeper into the case, more clues emerge, pointing to various suspects within the political circle. The rest of the story follows Sudha's journey as she pieces together the mystery.

Hatya Review

Hatya is written and directed by Srividya Basava and revolves around the high-profile murder of a legendary politician in Andhra Pradesh. The director uses this real-life case as inspiration, attempting to narrate the film in a way that keeps the audience guessing about the identity of the murderer. Notably, the real-life culprit behind the case remains at large.

Ravi Varma plays the role of the politician, and his murder sets the stage for an engaging narrative. The film does a detailed job of depicting how the politician's relatives, henchmen, and political aides react to his sudden demise. One of the film’s standout aspects is its suspense, which is maintained until the very end. The director avoids revealing the culprits explicitly, leaving subtle clues for the audience to draw their conclusions. This open-ended approach is noteworthy, especially as the film is based on a controversial real-life case.

However, the film falters in some areas. The casting is a bit underwhelming. It takes time for the audience to accept Dhanya Balakrishna as a top cop, given her previous roles in fun-filled and romantic films. Her performance seems awkward initially, but she grows into the role as the film progresses. The supporting cast could have been stronger, with a few more prominent faces to elevate the film.

Additionally, investigative thrillers are expected to be crisp, but Hatya feels slightly drawn out, particularly in the second half. The revelation of the possible culprit is unnecessarily dragged, making the audience restless toward the end. Despite this, Srividya Basava shows promise as a filmmaker, particularly in the way she handles the investigation scenes. The different angles explored in the murder case are commendable.

Hatya Telugu movie review
Hatya Telugu movie review

The flashback involving Ravi Varma and Pooja Ramachandran feels out of place initially but is ultimately well-integrated into the narrative. Coming to performances, Dhanya Balakrishna finds her footing after the first 20 minutes and delivers a decent performance. Raghu, who plays a fellow cop, is quite effective in his role. Pooja Ramachandran shines in her impactful role.

However, the film belongs to Ravi Varma, who delivers an impressive performance as a controversial politician. Known for playing negative and supporting roles, he gets an opportunity to showcase his range in Hatya and does so brilliantly.

The technical aspects of the film are commendable. The background score is impactful and enhances the suspense. The production design effectively portrays the political setup in the Rayalaseema backdrop. The camera work is excellent, but the editing in the second half could have been sharper. The dialogues, screenplay, and twists are decent, but tighter execution would have taken the film to another level.

Hatya Telugu movie review
Hatya Telugu movie review

Hatya Verdict

On the whole, Hatya is a murder mystery with decent thrills. Despite the lack of a strong supporting cast and a slightly prolonged narrative, the suspenseful storyline and engaging moments make it worth a watch this weekend.

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