Allari Naresh has been looking for a strong comeback, and in that pursuit, he has come up with the thriller, 12A Railway Colony. The film has a story and screenplay contribution from Dr. Anil Viswanath, known for the Polimera franchise, while his associate Nani Kasaragadda takes charge as director. Kamakshi Bhaskarla, a regular in Anil's projects, returns as the female lead. The team promoted the film as an ‘inspired by true incidents’ thriller, promising unpredictable twists. Unfortunately, the final result is far from gripping.

Cast: Allari Naresh, Kamakshi Bhaskarla, Sai Kumar, Jeevan Kumar, Anish Kuruvilla, Abhirami

Director: Nani Kasaragadda

In 12A Railway Colony, Karthik (Allari Naresh) works as a henchman for local politician Tillu (Jeevan). Karthik falls for his neighbour Aaradhana (Kamakshi Bhaskarla), an aspiring sportsperson. As Tillu prepares for a crucial by-election, he consults a tantrik and hands a mysterious parcel to Karthik, instructing him to hide it without opening it. When police conduct raids, Karthik hides the parcel in Aaradhana’s house, only to discover the shocking sight of two dead bodies. Karthik senses another presence in the house, but the identity remains unclear. After taking charge of the investigation and zeroing in on Karthik as the prime suspect, Special Officer Rana Pratap (Sai Kumar) eventually ends up working with him to uncover the real culprit and the motive behind the murders.

Given Viswanath’s reputation after Polimera and Polimera 2, expectations for his story here were understandably high. But 12A Railway Colony barely manages to hold attention. The first half is painfully slow, with dull scenes between Naresh and Kamakshi that neither add depth nor build tension. Very little happens until the pre-interval murders, which finally inject some movement. While the film claims to be inspired by true incidents, the core idea of a henchman suddenly turning into an amateur sleuth simply doesn’t come across as believable. The narrative also makes arbitrary choices, such as a cop calling the protagonist the prime suspect and yet casually teaming up with him.

The final half-hour segment does have a few twists, but they get buried under too many subplots. The director attempts to create misdirection using black-magic elements and a supernatural angle, but these end up feeling artificial and unconvincing. The thriller genre demands tension and urgency, but neither exists here. The film drags, especially in the first half, where there is excessive focus on the lead pair’s chemistry, which yields no payoff either. The motive for the murders may be acceptable on paper, but poor writing and patchy execution dilute its impact. By the time the narrative picks up pace, the damage is done.

The technical department doesn’t help either. Bheems Ceciroleo’s music is flat, with a disappointing background score and songs that feel forced. Dialogues are ordinary, visuals are passable, and the overall presentation is below par.

Allari Naresh tries to adapt the Telangana dialect, but it doesn’t suit him, and the role itself offers little scope. Kamakshi Bhaskarla suffers from weak characterisation, making her presence largely forgettable. Anish Kuruvilla and Jeevan do their job well, while Abhirami stands out in her brief appearance. Sai Kumar’s role, surprisingly, is wasted. Viva Harsha is adequate in his brief role.

12A Railway Colony aims to be a suspense thriller but ends up as a routine, predictable, and tiring watch. Except for a few moments towards the end, the film lacks intensity, intrigue, and coherence. For Naresh, who hoped for a revival, this turns out to be yet another disappointment. And for Dr. Anil Viswanath, this is nowhere close to the gripping storytelling of Polimera.