Movie Name: Jatadhara
Rating: 1.5/5
Cast: Sudheer Babu, Sonakshi Sinha, Shilpa Shirodkar, Divya Khosla Kumar, Sai Kumar, and others
Director: Venkat Kalyan and Abhishek Jaiswal
Produced By: Umesh Kumar Bansal, Shivam Narang, Bruna Agarwal, Prerna Arora, Shabir Shaikh, and Nikhil Nanda
Release Date: 7th November 2025
Sudheer Babu has come up with his first-ever Pan-Indian Film, Jatadhara, which also marks the Telugu debut of Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha. The film deals with the enigma of Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple, examining myths and theories about its alleged supernatural powers. Let us find out how successful the team is in exploring such a fascinating concept in our review.
Story:
Shiva (Sudheer Babu) works in a corporate job but spends his free time ghost hunting with his friends. He believes it’s not evil spirits but the fear within people that causes harm. He often dreams about a young boy in danger. The movie unfolds how this dream connects to Dhana Pisaachini, a wealth-protecting demoness played by Sonakshi Sinha, and reveals Shiva’s past.
Performances:
Sudheer Babu gives a decent performance, though with better writing, he could have done much more. Sonakshi Sinha plays an unusual role that draws some interest but doesn’t get much scope. Divya Khossla, Shilpa Shirodkar, Indira Krishna, Rajeev Kanakala, Jhansi, and others give okay performances.
Analysis:
Jatadhara, directed by Venkat Kalyan and Abhishek Jaiswal, takes inspiration from Indian folklore and tries to bring something different to the supernatural thriller genre.
However, despite having an interesting concept, the movie suffers from weak storytelling. The first half feels scattered, with all the scenes giving too random a feel, including the romantic subplot. The interval is unimpressive, and although the second half starts with a promising flashback, it drags on without emotional depth. The climax falls flat, and the inferior VFX worsen it.
Positives:
- Main Plot
- Initial Moments Of The Second Half
Negatives:
- Poor Screenplay/Narration
- Silly Scenes
- Insufficient Visuals and Graphics
- Bad Music
Jaadhara Review and Verdict:
Jatadhara aims to be a strong supernatural thriller but ends up slow and dull. It has an exciting plot and a few basic-level thrilling moments, yet the weak direction, clueless screenplay, and poor visual effects hold it back.