Mareechika, produced by Rajiv Chilaka, Meghhaa Chilakka, was released in theatres today. In this section, we are going to review the latest BO release:
Plot:
Despite belonging to an influential political family with immense wealth, Sanju (Viraj Ashwin) chooses an independent path, charting his own course in life by running a cozy cafe. For the longest time, Venkata Lakshmi (Anupama Parameswaran, as a PG student) has been secretly harboring deep feelings for him, never quite finding the courage to confess her love. Their quiet status quo is disrupted when Mareechika (Regina Cassandra), a US-bred crorepathi, enters their lives. Finding a fast friend and confidante in Venkata Lakshmi, Mareechika is soon introduced to Sanju. Sparks fly, and the two unexpectedly fall in love. Just as life seems to be moving smoothly, a shocking twist upends everything. Venkata Lakshmi abruptly walks into a police station to file a chilling complaint: Mareechika has murdered Sanju. As the police launch a frantic investigation, the narrative takes a bewildering turn when it comes to light that Sanju is, in fact, still alive.
Post-Mortem:
The plot sounds new-age but the treatment is extremely dated. The songs and the background score sound like they were composed by Kalyan Malik for a low-end Naga Shaurya rom-com. Tragically, they were done by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja for what is a psychological crime thriller/murder mystery or whatever this movie is. The presence of Tagubothu Ramesh and the pre-Pushpa Ajay Ghosh is a dead giveaway; the film was completed years ago but found its way into theatres only today.
The unreliable narrator is a done-to-death narrative device in world cinema. Mareechika reintroduces it to the Telugu audience as though it's a first. Since Venkata Lakshmi claims a murder happened but the "victim" is alive, the screenplay plays with perspective. And this play is written in a dull fashion. The police department wraps up the entire investigation within the four walls of the police station or on a desolate street in 10 minutes flat. The cop scratches his bald head, puts on a puzzled expression, and expresses his confusion; his character is played for laughs.
Back in the 2000s, a few "new-age" filmmakers like Neelakanta did try to make moody mysteries in Telugu. In 2026, director Satish Kasetty makes Mareechika as a small-scale, low-stakes mystery without attempting to sustain a certain disturbing mood. The second half should have been way more intelligent. This is where the main characters switch their moods and/or their moral compass. As scenes keep unfolding, the story seems to stay where it was 30 minutes ago. This was justified, but where is the scale? It's the same low-IQ cop, the same locations, and the same lack of ambition. The BGM tires you out with its dullness.
A good psychological script doesn't just pull a twist out of thin air. It drops subtle, almost invisible clues early on that only make sense during a second watch. Mareechika has none of it.
Anupama's character comes with the heaviest dramatic lifting. She does full justice to the complex character. That said, there was no need to present her as a village bumpkin who wears overlong jasmine flowers. Regina gives her character a sense of edge. Viraj Ashwin doesn't make his character look like a conundrum. The cinematography by Arvind Kannabiran is uncreative; the framing is not claustrophobic.
Closing Remarks:
Despite an intriguing premise, Mareechika feels like a movie stuck in a time capsule. Director Satish Kasetty relies on a tired, predictable "unreliable narrator" trope, executed with a sluggish screenplay, low-IQ comedy, and a shocking lack of technical ambition.
