Movie: Subham
Rating: 2.75/5
Banner: Tralala Moving Pictures
Cast: Harshith Reddy, Gavireddy Srinivas, Charan Peri, Shriya Kontham, Shravani Lakshmi, Shalini Kondepudi, Vamshidhar Goud and others
Written by: Vasanth Maringanti
Music: Shor Police
Background Score: Vivek Sagar
DOP: Mridul Sujit Sen
Editor: Dharmendra Kakarala
Presented by: Samantha
Directed by: Praveen Kandregula
Release Date: May 09, 2025
Samantha has ventured into production with the launch of her own banner, Tralala Moving Pictures. Her debut project as a co-producer is the horror-comedy Subham, which she has actively promoted to create buzz. But does her first outing behind the scenes live up to the hype?
Let’s find out.
Story:
Set in Bhimlee, 2004. Three friends dream of becoming dominant husbands — alpha males who control their wives.
One of them, Srinu (Harshith Reddy), has just gotten married and runs a local cable TV channel. On their wedding night, his wife Srivalli (Shriya Kontham) coldly ignores him, completely absorbed in a TV serial. When Srinu tries to turn it off, she suddenly turns violent.
To his dismay, Srinu soon discovers that his friends' wives, like Srivalli, are also obsessed with the same serial and exhibit strange, aggressive behavior during its broadcast.
Now, the three friends must uncover the chilling truth: Why are the women possessed while watching the show — and what will it take to break their eerie addiction?
Artistes’ Performances:
The film features mostly upcoming actors, all of whom deliver natural and convincing performances.
Harshith Reddy effectively leads the cast as a simple small-town man and newlywed, portraying his character with sincerity. Shriya Kontham complements him well as his wife.
Charan Peri brings charm to his role as a young Muslim man, while Shalini is well-cast as his wife. Gavireddy Srinivas fits the role of a self-proclaimed alpha male, and Shravani Lakshmi convincingly plays his traditional, soft-spoken wife.
The rest of the cast also does justice to their roles.
Samantha makes a cameo appearance as Maatha. Her ten-minute role adds notable star value.
Technical Excellence:
Though produced on a modest budget, the film successfully recreates the atmosphere of a small town in the early 2000s.
The cinematography is simple yet effective, while the production design stands out for its authenticity. The music is adequate.
However, the dialogue writing is sharp and effective, generating a good amount of comedy.
Highlights:
The basic story and narration
The message laced with fun coat
Samantha’s cameo appearance
Drawback:
Logical issues
The final moments lack sharpness
Analysis
"Subham" is a refreshing entry in Telugu cinema, particularly among concept-driven, small-budget films. Director Praveen Kandregula, known for Cinema Bandi, once again uses a simple narrative style to build a story around a strong central idea.
The supernatural elements are cleverly used to reinforce a core message: women deserve respect, and their interests matter.
The story draws from a common scene in many Indian households — women engrossed in TV serials — and turns this familiar habit into the basis for a quirky ghost story, using humor to deliver its message effectively.
At the heart of the film is a fictional TV show, Janma Janmala Bandham, aired on Zee TV, which becomes central to the plot.
Both the writing and direction feel organic, with a story that flows smoothly. The first half delivers consistent laughs, driven by situational comedy and sharp satire on male chauvinism.
The “alpha male” mindset is smartly critiqued, and the film’s short runtime and unforced humor work in its favor. The inclusion of Cinema Bandi cast members is a nice touch, and they integrate well into this new story.
However, the film stumbles slightly in its final moments, which feel a bit rushed and unpolished. A subplot involving a rivalry between a cable TV operator and a dish TV installer comes off as predictable and adds little to the overall impact.
Given its limited budget, the film does at times feel short on technical polish.
Overall, Subham offers a clever and thoughtful satire on TV addiction and male dominance. Its genre-blending narrative and gentle humor make it an engaging watch for audiences who appreciate original storytelling. As a debut production, Samantha has chosen a meaningful and unique film. It may or may not be a commercial hit, but it certainly deserves praise for its fresh concept and positive messaging.
Bottom-line: Decent Drama