Title: Mayasabha-Rise of the Titans
Rating: 2.75/5
Cast: Aadhi Pinisetty, Chaitanya Rao, Sai Kumar, Divya Dutta, Nassar, Srikant Iyengar, Ravindra Vijay, Shatru and others
Writer: Deva Katta
Music: Shaktikant Karthick
Cinematography: Suresh Ragutu, Gnana Shekar
Directors: Deva Katta, Kiran Jayakumar
Episodes: 9
Release Date: August 7, 2025
'Mayasabha-The Rise of Titans' is a web series by Deva Katta, loosely inspired by real life political figures Chandrababu Naidu and YS Rajasekhara Reddy.
This kind of storytelling isn't entirely new. Back in 2011, Ram Gopal Varma made Bejawada Rowdeelu (later retitled as Bejawada), featuring characters that closely resembled Vangaveeti Ranga and Devineni Nehru. In fact, he later went on to make 'Vangaveeti', a direct biopic based on those real life personalities.
Now, let us delve into what 'Mayasabha' actually offers.
Mayasabha is a political web series inspired by real life figures like Chandrababu Naidu and YSR and it is an open secret. While the makers deny any direct biographical intent, it is quite obvious to viewers that the main characters are heavily influenced by these leaders.
The directors Dev Katta and Kiran Jayakumar have taken significant cinematic liberty, including adding fictional elements like a love track and a stammer to the character inspired by Chandrababu.
The story spans nine episodes and opens with a powerful scene at Ashram Hotel (symbolic of the Viceroy Hotel). Characters RCR (loosely based on NTR), KKN (played by Aadhi Pinisetty, hinting CBN), and MSR (played by Chaitanya Rao, sounding like YSR) are introduced early.
The series builds on their friendship, challenges and political journey by showing how two individuals from different backgrounds unite under a common ideology.
Though filled with fictionalized events, some scenes stretch believability, such as MSR arranging a marriage between KKN and RCR's daughter, and helping him enter RCR’s political party. These feel not in right taste at times.
Dev Katta blends fiction with fact, but keeps RCR character in limited screen space. He focuses more on KKN and MSR.
The series highlights caste politics in Andhra Pradesh openly, especially the dominance and rivalry between Kamma and Reddy communities. Dev Katta deserves appreciation for honestly addressing this sensitive subject, including the political climate in Vijayawada.
Clever references and character parallels, such as a character resembling KCR or nods to leaders like Vangaveeti Ranga and Paritala Ravi, enhance the experience for politically aware viewers.
Performances are solid across the board. Aadhi Pinisetty brings his natural style to KKN, while Chaitanya Rao effectively channels YSR’s look and body language through MSR. Sai Kumar, Nassar, Divya Dutta and other supporting actors also do justice to their roles.
Technically, the series is strong, with good cinematography and production design. However, the background score lacks the engaging power. Dev Katta’s writing and screenplay are the show’s core strengths.
Overall, Mayasabha is engaging for viewers familiar with Andhra Pradesh’s political history and delivers impactful drama through its fictionalized lens.
But still there are some unanswered questions after completing watching the series.
- Why was the character resembling YSR shown as a hardcore fan of NTR?
- Why does the character resembling YSR’s relative refer to his own family as a “Sankara Jaathi Kompa” (a derogatory term)?
- Who could the recording dancer character be in real life, the one who elopes with the character resembling CBN? Is this based on a real story or is it fictional? If it's fictional, why did Dev Katta include such a scene, especially when the entire series seems designed to elevate the character resembling Chandrababu Naidu?
Putting these questions aside, Mayasabha is an engaging fictional story with strong dialogues and screenplay. It resonates more with viewers who have some understanding of politics. The audience has to watch while undergoing a friction of thoughts, trying to figure out what is fiction and what is real
Bottom Line: Fictional Friction