Movie: Thandel
Rating: 4.32/5
Banner: Geetha Arts
Cast: Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, sundip ved, Babloo Prithiveeraj, Prakesh Belawadi and others
Story: Kartheek Theeda
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
DOP: Shamdat
Editor: Navin Nooli
Production Designer: Sri Nagendra Tangala
Fights: Supreme Sundar, Vikram Mor, V Venkat,
Producer: Bunny Vas
Screenplay and Directed by: Chandoo Mondeti
Release Date: Feb 07, 2025
The day has finally arrived when the much-awaited Telugu superstar Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi film, Thandel, is out on theatre screens across the globe. With expectations running high, does this emotional odyssey live up to the next great experience? Read on to find out with our review!
Story:
Raju Naga Chaitanya), a Srikakulam fisherman with no fear of death, and Satya (Sai Pallavi) share a connection as strong as it is unbreakable. Their love is sincere and solid, but their lives are turned upside down when Raju is bestowed the title of Thandel (Leader of his people). Worried about his safety, Satya asks him to stop fishing for good. Despite her warnings, Raju takes to the sea and unwittingly floats into Pakistani territory. This foolish error gets him and his crew thrown in jail in Pakistan, upending their lives. Will Raju and co find a way back home? Is love enough to overcome distance, struggle, and uncertainty? The answers lie in Thandel, an epic story of love and sacrifice and resilience.
Plus Points:
- Through a simple love story told in powerful emotions, Thandel shows how impactful good story telling can be. An engaging watch, the film intersperses themes of love, longing, sadness and patriotism.
- Naga Chaitanya has a performance after a long time that is truly impressive. His transformation into the character is nothing short of impressive as his effortless mastery of the Srikakulam accent adds several feathers to the film genuinely making it the most attractive thing about it.
- As usual, Sai Pallavi shines once again. Her expressive performance is convincing, which makes her love and feelings for Raju feel completely real. Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi have an extraordinary chemistry that is one of the film’s biggest assets, adding a novel touch to their romance.
- Devi Sri Prasad’s music is a revelation. For the people who questioned his recent work, Thandel’s here to remind us how great he is. His compositions infuse the film with life, as he socialates key moments with soul-stirring tracks. The songs are not simply well-composed but also flawlessly placed, deepening the narrative’s emotional resonance.
Minus Points:
- Though Thandel crafts an earnest love story, some sequences do repeat, leading to some narrative disconnects. A dash more variation in the screenplay might have make the journey more absorbing still.
- As impactful as the Pakistan jail sections were, it could have had more bite. Although well intentioned (and its heart is certainly in the right place), a few moments lack the punch necessary to create some serious patriotic feels. More action-packed conversations could have stood out and etched cut lines in the audiences’ mind.
- The runtime itself is OK, but there are a few scenes that sort of drag a bit, affecting the pace of the movie a bit. It was so tightly edited, it would’ve kept my attention.
Technical Aspects:
- Director Chandoo Mondeti needs to be given the credit for penning out an emotionally engaging love tale. He deftly gets pain, yearning and patriotism on record, making the emotional beats land just right. But some scenes could have used a bit more polish in terms of scripting and execution.
- Devi Sri Prasad’s back ground score is as important as the story in lifting the film keeping every emotional scene a little stronger. Another significant highlight of the film is the cinematography by Shamdat Sainudeen, which is a visual treat and adds to the narrative.
- The dialogues are written impressively well, with some of them staying hauntingly in one’s mind. Naveen Nooli’s editing is competent, though a few snips here and there might help the film keep a tighter grip on its narrative. Production values are solid, enhancing the film’s appeal overall.
Thandel Box Office Day 1 Collection: Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi’s Film Opens Strong
The film opened very strongly at the box office on February 7, 2025, with Thandel grossing, starring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi.
Advance Bookings: The film has approximately secured ₹37 crore in advance bookings in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi markets, indicating strong pre-release demand.
Day 1 Collections: Thandel had a opening day in India with estimated net collections of ₹6.82 crore.
- Telugu Markets: 47.73% Overall occupancy, Hyderabad (65.67%) and Warangal (78.67%) in the lead
- Hindi Markets: The overall occupancy is 8.81% with Mumbai (8%) and NCR (11%) in the aisle seats.
- Average occupancy 7.92% for the Tamil Markets. (13 per cent in Chennai and 2.67 per cent in Bengaluru.
Break-even Target: For a clean-hit status, “Thandel” must gross a minimum of ₹70 crore (net; domestic and international combined) considering that its distribution rights have been valued at ₹40 crore.
On the whole, Thandel has had an excellent opening at the box office, while the prospects of the film will depend on its numbers in the next few days
