Mithra Mandali (2025) – Buddy Comedy with Laughs and Chaos, But Falls Short

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Mithra Mandali (2025)

🎬 Overview

• Directed by , produced by Bunny Vas (under BV Works) along with Kalyan Manthina, Bhanu Pratapa and Dr. Vijender Reddy Teegala.
• Stars Priyadarshi Pulikonda, Niharika NM (making her Telugu debut), along with Rag Mayur, Vishnu Oi, Prasad Behara, VTV Ganesh, Satya and Vennela Kishore.
• Release date: 16 October 2025.
• Genre: Buddy-Comedy, Screwball, with elements of romance and social commentary (caste & politics) set in a fictional town called Janglipatnam.

📖 Story Summary

The film revolves around four aimless friends — Chaitanya (Priyadarshi), Satvik (Vishnu Oi), Abhi (Rag Mayur) and Rajeev (Prasad Behara) — who spend their days in mischief and fun in Janglipatnam. They become entangled when Sweccha (Niharika NM), daughter of a local caste-leader Narayana (VTV Ganesh), falls for one of them. Narayana, vying for an MLA slot, frames her elopement as a kidnapping to save his image. The chaos that follows: mix-ups, police protests (with Vennela Kishore as the SI), and the gang’s attempt to navigate the mess forms the crux.

✅ What Works

• The film has energy and enthusiasm: review by Times of India notes it’s “loud, energetic … works in flashes”.
• Some isolated comedy sequences spark amusement: e.g., the character played by Satya (dubbed “Important Character”) gets some positive mentions.
• Technical aspects: music by RR Dhruvan is quirky and aligns with the tone, cinematography is serviceable.

❌ What Doesn’t Work

• Writing and screenplay are weak: Many critics say the premise is thin, the structure loose, the humour forced and the second half drags.
• The attempt to mimic the vibe of Jathi Ratnalu is too obvious and fails to capture the spark of the original.
• Characters and performance under-utilized: Though Priyadarshi leads, he doesn’t shine as much as expected; Niharika’s debut also did not make a strong impact.
• Technical shortcomings: The editing is uneven, many green-screen shots criticized, tone lacks consistency.

🔍 My Verdict

“Mithra Mandali” has the right idea: a fun-centric, no-heavy-plot buddy comedy set in rural/ semi-rural Telugu milieu, with youthful characters and festival release energy. However, the execution doesn’t match the ambition. The film gives some laughs, but they’re few and far between; many scenes feel like disjointed skits, and the narrative coherence is lacking. If you go in expecting a breezy, “laugh-once” cinema outing, you might find enough to enjoy. But if you expect memorably clever comedy or well-constructed humour, you’ll likely come away disappointed.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5) — based on the balance of positives and weaknesses cited by multiple reviewers.

🎯 Final Thoughts

“Mithra Mandali” is a film that might appeal to fans of light, holiday-kind comedy in Telugu cinema, especially those who enjoy the antics of a fun-loving group of friends. But it falls short of being a true standout. It lacks the sharpness in writing and novelty in execution needed to elevate it beyond average. For Priyadarshi fans it’s a watchable entry; for others, perhaps a “wait for OTT” recommendation.