The Telugu horror-comedy Rakasa hit theaters today. And audiences are sharply divided. The 2-hour and 13-minute film blends ancient folklore with modern humor. It follows an NRI who accidentally wanders into a forbidden fort tied to a centuries-old demon requiring human sacrifices.
Viewers took to social media immediately after the early shows. They praised the film’s second half, specifically the comedy chemistry between Sangeeth Shobhan, Vennela Kishore, and Getup Srinu. But the opening hour is taking heavy criticism.
According to a detailed report published on Friday, the film suffers from a flat, unengaging first half. The comedy simply struggles to land early on. Reviewers also felt the climax was a letdown. Director Manasa Sharma chose to give the antagonist monster a sympathetic backstory instead of keeping it a straightforward villain. Fans called this trope beaten to death. The background score by Anudeep Dev also caught flak for being overly loud.
Despite the flaws, the technical achievements are getting noticed. The fort set design and nighttime cinematography stand out. They look far more expensive than the film’s limited budget suggests.
The movie marks the theatrical directorial debut for Sharma. It stars Shobhan and Nayan Sarika in the lead roles. Niharika Konidela and Umesh Kumar Bansal produced the project under Pink Elephant Pictures and Zee Studios.
Industry support arrived quickly. Telugu actor Varun Tej Konidela publicly backed the film on X. He called it “bloody hilarious.” He praised Shobhan’s acting and gave a shoutout to Konidela.
This kind of backing shows strong insider confidence in the project. It also adds a major boost to the ongoing conversation in Telugu entertainment circles this weekend.
Why the Chiranjeevi ‘Anji’ Comparisons Matter for Rakasa
The immediate audience comparisons to Megastar Chiranjeevi’s 2004 film Anji highlight a massive gap in the current theatrical market. Fans want practical-feeling folklore adventures. Anji set a specific standard for blending comedy, ancient curses, and visual spectacle in Telugu cinema over two decades ago.
By mimicking that exact formula, Rakasa proves that audiences are still hungry for local mythology. The modern box office is saturated with massive pan-Indian action epics. A smaller, focused horror-comedy that leverages a physical fort set instead of purely digital environments feels refreshing. Even with a flawed first half, the strong social media reactions to the practical sets and comedy timing show that the 2004 formula still prints money if the chemistry works.