Movie: Odela 2
Rating: 2.5/5
Banner: Madhu Creations and Sampath Nandi Teamworks
Cast: Tamannaah Bhatia, Hebah Patel, Vasishta N Simha, Yuva, Naga Mahesh, Vamshi, Gagan Vihari, Surender Reddy, Bhupal, Pooja Reddyand others
Music: B. Ajaneesh Loknath
DOP: Soundar Rajan. S
Editor: Avinash
Art: Rajeev Nair
Story, screenplay, direction supervision: Sampath Nandi
Producer: D Madhu
Directed by: Ashok Teja
Release Date: April 17, 2025
“Odela Railway Station” gained recognition upon its release. Its sequel, titled “Odela 2,” attracted widespread attention thanks to an aggressive promotional campaign and the involvement of director Sampath Nandi as story writer, as well as lead actress Tamannaah Bhatia. Released simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi, “Odela 2” arrived with high expectations.
Let’s see if it managed to live up to the hype.
Story:
In the village of Odela, a series of tragic deaths occurred when a cruel man named Tirupathi brutally murdered several women. Eventually, Radha Hebah Patel) took justice into her own hands, killed Tirupathi (Vasishta), and was imprisoned for the act.
Years later, peace is shattered once again as Tirupathi’s vengeful spirit returns to the village, targeting newlywed brides.
After three mysterious deaths, the terrified villagers turn to Radha for help. She tells them that only her estranged sister Bhairavi (played by Tamannaah), now a fierce Naga Sadhu, has the power to confront the supernatural threat.
Bhairavi enters the village. Can she stop the malevolent spirit, and what led her down the path to become a Naga Sadhu?
Artistes’ Performances:
Tamannaah takes on a role that is vastly different from anything she has done before. As a Naga Sadhu, she fully embraces a saintly avatar, tapping into a new dimension of her acting abilities. However, her character only appears in the second half of the film and her role turns out to be so cliched after a point. She becomes passive in the final scenes.
Vasishta N. Simha is not so impactful as the malevolent spirit, but he proved his ability by delivering a compelling performance, especially in the climactic scenes.
Hebah Patel makes a brief appearance, continuing her role from the first part. Murali Sharma plays a Muslim baba in his usual style, while Srikanth Iyengar and Shafi appear in minor roles.
Technical Excellence:
Soundarrajan’s work behind the camera adds a visual richness to the supernatural thriller. The visual effects are just okay. The dialogue writing is routine and lacks impact in key parts of the film.
Ajaneesh Loknath, known for Kantara, delivers a decent background score. His music enhances key scenes but there is nothing extraordinary.
The film suffers from pacing issues and could have benefitted from much sharper editing. The production values and production design are good. The director’s handling of the film lacks punch.
Highlights:
Certain portions in the beginning
Evil spirit’s viswaroopam
Drawback:
Predictable screenplay
Final scenes lacking impact
Time-tested story and plain direction
Analysis
"Odela 2" picks up right where “Odela Railway Station” left off. It’s only at the interval that Tamannaah’s character is introduced — reminiscent of Nandamuri Balakrishna’s dramatic entry in “Akhanda.” Her arrival raises expectations for a powerful second half.
The pre-interval portions feature a couple of key episodes — including the spirit’s murderous spree — which set the stage without much emotional impact.
Once Tamannaah’s character enters the narrative, the film hints at a high-stakes spiritual battle. However, the premise of a woman confronting a vengeful spirit echoes “Arundhati.” But unlike Anushka’s fierce and commanding presence in that film, Tamannaah portrays a more subdued, spiritual figure, lacking the ‘heroic punch’ the narrative seems to promise.
In “Akhanda,” Balakrishna's divine warrior persona drives the action. Here, in contrast, Tamannaah becomes surprisingly passive during the climax — just when her character is expected to rise to the occasion. This underwhelming turn significantly dilutes the film’s impact.
Sampath Nandi’s story is wafer-thin. While the first film leaned into the thriller genre, “Odela 2” attempts to infuse devotional elements, incorporating themes of Shiva Tattva and divine energy. The mix of spirituality with supernatural horror never quite gels, and the result is a narrative that lacks depth and originality.
The film also suffers from pacing issues — it feels unnecessarily stretched for such a slender plot. Most notably, Tamannaah’s character, though set up as a divine force, never delivers the kind of climactic heroism the audience anticipates. The final confrontation feels dated and uninspired.
Even more jarring is the portrayal of Murali Sharma as a Muslim baba who inexplicably quotes Hindu scriptures and behaves more like a Brahmin priest than a fakir.
Still, “Odela 2” isn’t without its moments. The whirlwind episode involving the spirit, and the buildup to Tamannaah’s introduction, manage to create some intrigue and tension.
Overall, “Odela 2” is a supernatural thriller with flashes of promise, but it falters due to its predictable plot, underutilized characters, and lackluster execution. The film ends with the hint of part 3, but it doesn’t warrant another sequel with this kind of narration.
Bottom-line: Works in parts