Movie Name : Sundarakanda
Release Date : August 27, 2025
Cast : Nara Rohith, Sri Devi Vijay Kumar, Vriti Vaghani, Naresh Vijaya Krishna, Vasuki Anand, Comedian Satya, Ajay, VTV Ganesh, Abhinav Gomatham, Viswant, Rupa Lakshmi, Sunaina, Raghu Babu, Amrutham Vasu, Adhurs Raghu etc.
Director : Venkatesh Nimmalapudi
Music Director : Leon James
Andhrawatch.com Rating : 2.75/5
Story:
Siddharth (Nara Rohith) has now come of age where marriage is a subject of discussion back at home. But even with all the pressure from his family, Siddharth never got married. The reason behind that is in the past — his unforgettable first love, Vaishnavi (Sri Devi Vijay Kumar). That heartbreak did leave a deep impression on him, and since then, Siddharth has been waiting for a girl who embodies the same virtues as Vaishnavi. Each proposal he receives is rejected unless it is what he wants.
Just when he is not likely to ever get the right woman in his life, destiny gets Aira (Vriti Vaghani) into his life. She is a college student in Visakhapatnam, and in her, Siddharth sees the things he was in search of all along. With a resolve in his heart to make her love him, he becomes a lecturer at her college. Gradually, love grows in their hearts, and Siddharth begins dreaming about marriage again.
However, all this takes an interesting turn with the sudden comeback of Vaishnavi. Her comeback is met with several questions — What’s her link with Aira? How does her arrival impact Siddharth’s life? And will Siddharth end up getting married, or will fate play other tricks? The film answers it all.
Review:
Nara Rohith certainly makes an impression as Siddharth – with a multi-faceted approach, sharp delivery of dialogue, and genuine emotion. After attempting to dispel past criticism towards his body, and even letting his fans know how hard he has been working to lose weight, he still has a little way to go to be an effective presence on screen.
Vriti Vaghani, who plays Aira, is a refreshing surprise. Her sweet on-screen presence, innocence, and emotional depth bring out the best in her, showing her promise for a bright career in films. However, Sridevi Vijaykumar returns to the silver screen with grace and authority. There is subtlety in her character, and she adds some fine heft to the story, and her performance is memorable.
The comedy track works well, thanks to Satya’s impeccable timing, which once again strikes gold. Supporting actors like Vasuki Anand, Sunaina, and Abhinav Gomatham also perform their parts effectively. However, seasoned actors like Naresh and Abhinav could have been explored better — more comedy-driven sequences involving them might have lifted the entertainment factor further.
One of the biggest highlights of the film is the interval twist. Arriving as an unexpected surprise, it hooks the audience instantly and builds excitement for the second half. Even after the reveal, the director manages to keep the suspense alive until the very end, which adds solid value to the narrative.
On the downside, while the film starts off engaging, the story tends to feel predictable. Post-interval, instead of maintaining the emotional intensity, the film leans more toward comedy, which slightly reduces the impact. A few scenes also appear dragged out, and certain sequences carry a class appeal that may not connect with all sections of the audience.
From a technical perspective, the movie scores well. The production values are rich, the art design is neat and fitting, and Pradeesh M Varma’s cinematography enhances the film visually. Leon James’ music is another standout, with both the songs and background score adding strong emotional layers.
Debutant director Venkatesh Nimmalapudi deserves praise for his clarity of storytelling. His ability to design strong characters, integrate engaging twists, and balance commercial elements with emotions makes this debut noteworthy. If he continues with this craft, he has all the potential to become a promising filmmaker.
Overall, Sundarakanda is a decent family entertainer that works well because of Nara Rohith delivers a solid performance, supported by Vriti Vaghani’s charm and Sridevi Vijaykumar’s graceful return. Satya’s comedy and the interval twist keep the film engaging. Though the story feels predictable at times and the second half slows down, Sundarakanda works as a decent family entertainer.