Movie Name : Paradha
Release Date : August 22, 2025
Cast : Anupama Parameswaran, Darshana Rajendran, Sangitha, Rajendra Prasad, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Rag Mayur etc.
Director : Praveen Kandregula
Music Director : Gopi Sundar
Telugumopo.com Rating : 2.25/5
Story:
In Padati village, a strange tradition rules the lives of women. They must never show their faces to men outside their family . Every woman must remain behind a veil, as the villagers believe that breaking this custom will invite the goddess’s curse and bring misfortune upon them.
Subbalakshmi (Anupama Parameswaran) has lived her whole life honoring this practice. She has never lifted her veil, not even for the man she loves. In fact, she has never seen her own face properly.
But just as she prepares to get engaged, fate plays a cruel trick — her picture is accidentally published in a magazine. The revelation stirs a storm in the village. According to their age-old belief, Subbalakshmi is now bound to sacrifice her life to protect the honor of the custom.
The real story begins here — can Subbalakshmi escape this cruel fate? How far will she go to fight for her survival and freedom?
Review:
Anupama Parameswaran is undoubtedly the soul of Paradha. She breathes life into Subbalakshmi’s character, bringing grace and emotional depth to every frame. Darshana Rajendran delivers a notable performance, though her character feels underexplored. Sangitha stands out as Ratnam, while Rag Mayur suits his part as the love interest. Narayana also makes an impression as the heroine’s father. On the other hand, Gautham Vasudev Menon’s cameo fails to create much impact.
The movie introduces a distinctive village custom as its core conflict, which arouses initial interest. While the over-the-top practice—that Subbalakshmi has to kill herself if her veil is removed—rings less believable in a contemporary setting, the opening half is engaging enough with some surprises. The second half falters, however, getting bogged down in predictability. The emotional depth exists but falls short of the intensity required to strike an emotional chord with the viewers.
Praveen Kandregula attempts to tell a tale of transformation and resilience of women, but the execution falls short. The screenplay has problems with sluggishness, and some scenes appear to be preachy. The climax also happens on a predictable level, and hence the impact fails to live up to one’s expectations.
Technically, Gopi Sundar’s background score also ups the drama and lends depth to some of the scenes. Mridul’s camerawork gives the film a sleek sheen even with a small budget.
Overall Paradha is based on a very interesting concept, but uneven narration denies it its full potential. Good performances, particularly by Anupama Parameswaran, and good technical effort manage to keep the film afloat, but the absence of compelling narration makes it an opportunity lost.
