Movie name: Sri Chidambaram Garu
Rating: 2.5/5
Pour: Vamsi Tummala, Sandhya Vasishtha, Gopinath, Shivakumar Matta, Kalpalatha Garlapati, Arun Kumar, Tulasi, Naidu Moram, Shankar Rao and others
director: Vinay Ratnam
Produced by: Chinta Vinitha Reddy, Chinta Gopalakrishna Reddy
Release date: February 6, 2026
Sri Chidambaram Garu is a small film made with strong Telugu feel and good content and created a huge buzz with its promotions. The Vinay Ratnam-directed film hit theaters today. We'll take a look at how the film fares in the following review.
Story:
Salmon (Vamsi Tummala) is born with a squint, and this physical flaw makes him the target of ridicule from an early age. The constant insults from the people around him slowly create a deep feeling of inferiority. The villagers mockingly call him Chidambaram (reference to Kallu Chidambaram).
To escape humiliation and avoid unwanted attention, Salmon begins wearing dark glasses to hide his condition. Meanwhile, Leela (Sandhya Vasishta), a girl from the same village, develops feelings for him. However, a misunderstanding creates distance between them. How much pain does Chidambaram endure as a result? Will he finally overcome his weakness and regain his self-respect? The rest of the film unfolds these answers.
performances:
Vamsi Tummala delivers a mature and confident performance and never seems like a newcomer. He completely owns the character and adds depth to Chidambaram's emotional journey. Sandhya Vasishta looks graceful in the female lead and delivers a convincing performance. Pushpa's famous Kalpalatha shines as the hero's mother and once again proves her acting skills, while the lead actress Tulasi provides solid support and does justice to her role.
analysis:
Director Vinay Ratnam's Sri Chidambaram Garu is an honest attempt to address a sensitive social issue. The film's intentions are sincere and it is technically sound. The first half has a pleasant, airy tone and combines light entertainment with a well-executed love track.
The natural dialogues stand out and give the narrative an authentic touch. The first half works effectively and without any major flaws. But the second half seems exaggerated because the story revolves around a relatively small misunderstanding.
A tighter and more compelling script could have highlighted this part. The fake pastor episode is relevant to the story but doesn't leave a strong impact. The film regains momentum towards the climax, driven by impressive dialogue and emotional weight.
Positive:
- Authentic take
- performances
- First half
Negatives:
- Second half
- Mishandling of the main conflict
Sri Chidambaram Garu Review and Verdict:
Sri Chidambaram Garu is a simple, emotion-packed drama backed by natural performances and genuine heart-touching moments. While the film starts strong, the routine narrative and weak conflicts slow it down in the second half, resulting in an average result, although the effort is sincere.
