Mahendragiri Varahi Movie Review:

These days, several films are coming with supernatural, superstitious or devotional backdrops. Sumanth-starrer Mahendragiri Varahi is another film in the same space, directed by Santosh Jagarlapudi. The actor-director duo had earlier worked together on Subrahmanyapuram, which also had a supernatural and devotional backdrop.

This time too, they have come up with a similar setting and, interestingly, a storyline that also feels familiar. The trailers and promotional videos looked interesting and generated some curiosity about the film. Here is the story and how it fares.

Director: Santosh Jagarlapudi

Cast: Sumanth, Vennela Kishore, Brahmanandam, Rajiv Kanakala, Kamal Kamaraju, Manju Bhargavi and others

In the village of Mahendragiri, the Varahi deity is highly revered, and the village is still dominated by a particular dynasty. Nearly 200 years ago, a man from the dynasty ruined the life of a young girl. Since then, every male member of that dynasty has mysteriously died after turning 33. The villagers and the family believe that it is a curse from Goddess Varahi, while the police have also failed to find any clue behind the mysterious deaths.

Meanwhile, Siddharth, or Siddhu (Sumanth), is a YouTuber who does not believe in superstitions or gods. He unexpectedly lands in the mysterious village of Mahendragiri and learns about the curse. He then decides to find out whether the deaths are really the result of Goddess Varahi’s curse or if there is someone behind them. What actually happened in the village and who is behind the mysterious killings form the crux of the story.

Director Santosh Jagarlapudi earlier made Subrahmanyapuram, a story revolving around a mysterious village where people were committing suicide, one after another. The protagonist enters the village and eventually solves the mystery.

Mahendragiri Varahi follows a similar template. In this film too, male members of a particular dynasty are mysteriously killed after turning 33, and Siddhu enters the village and investigates the mystery.

If you look at the basic storyline, you may also be reminded of Murari, starring Mahesh Babu and directed by Krishna Vamsi. In Murari, a male member of a particular family is destined to die every 48 years because one of his ancestors committed an act of desecration against a goddess. Though the narration and situations are different, while watching Mahendragiri Varahi, you cannot help but feel that a similar story has been told before.

Sumanth’s introduction itself comes through a rather silly incident, where he exposes a fake god near the India-Bhutan border. The first half then proceeds with a slow and boring narration, filled with several silly scenes. It is only in the second half, once the mystery starts unfolding, that the film becomes somewhat interesting.

One also wonders how the police concluded that the killings were happening because of Goddess Varahi’s curse when it is quite clear to the audience that there is a human being behind everything. Of course, the protagonist investigates the case, but he does so without much trouble or any serious effort, which makes the investigation less engaging.

Siddhu Jonnalagadda, Malavika Nair and Aishwarya Rajesh make cameo appearances in the film, but one wonders what made them accept these roles. 

The mystery is predictable, but after a few twists, the truth is finally revealed. However, the director turns the villains into almost comic characters towards the end, which takes away from the seriousness of the proceedings.

For Sumanth, this is not a particularly challenging or performance-oriented role. It is a fairly casual character, and he performs it in the same manner. There is nothing particularly special for him to showcase. Brahmanandam gets a decent role, but the way his character has been designed and presented is disappointing. Vennela Kishore’s role also suffers from similar issues. Manju Bhargavi gets a lengthy role and is adequate in it. She does her best with what she has been given.

Anup Rubens’ music is loud, and the constant chanting of Varahi in the background becomes repetitive after a point. The cinematography is just average, while the graphics are not up to the mark. The dialogues are also ordinary, and the production values are okay but nothing special.

Mahendragiri Varahi is a routine supernatural thriller built around a story that feels familiar and has already been explored in a couple of films. The final half-hour becomes interesting with a few twists and the mystery finally getting unveiled. Apart from that portion, the film has very little to offer. The slow narration, predictable storyline and weak characterisation make Mahendragiri Varahi a regular supernatural thriller.