Bhoothaddam Bhaskar Narayana

Bhoothaddam Bhaskar Narayana (transl. “Magnifying glass Bhaskar Narayana”) is a 2024 Telugu mystery thriller directed by Purushotham Raaj, starring Shiva Kandukuri as a small-town private detective and Rashi Singh. It mixes a serial-killer investigation with mythology, and was released in theatres on 1 March 2024 to fairly positive reviews.

What the story is about

Between 2000 and 2001, a series of murders shakes the Chincholi forest region on the Andhra Pradesh–Karnataka border. The victims are women, found beheaded, and the police call the cases the “effigy murders”. They draw national attention but stay unsolved for 18 years. Bhaskar, a village private detective who helps the local police with small cases, has his own reason to care: years ago his brother was arrested for a murder he insisted he did not commit, and took his own life after being released on bail. When a new effigy murder takes place, Bhaskar notices details that others miss, and the dead woman’s sister, Lakshmi, asks him to find out what happened. The investigation that follows is the film, and its answers are best left unspoiled.

Cast and crew

• Shiva Kandukuri as Detective “Bhoothaddam” Bhaskar Narayana
• Rashi Singh as Lakshmi
• Arun Kumar as “Watson” Prasad, Bhaskar’s assistant and best friend
• Shiva Kumar as Indrajith
• Devi Prasad as a police inspector
• Shafi as John Philip
• Sivannarayana Naripeddi as Gangadhara Rao, Bhaskar’s father
• Divija Prabhakar as Sravani, Lakshmi’s elder sister

Director: Purushotham Raaj. Songs: Sricharan Pakala and Vijai Bulganin. Production: Million Dreams Creations and Vijaya Saraaga Productions.

Reviews

The Deccan Chronicle gave it three out of five and called it “a commendable addition to the Telugu crime thriller genre”, a must for anyone “craving a gripping thriller”. The Hans India praised the director’s control of suspense and said the film “sustains a solid level of intrigue until the end”. The Times of India was more reserved at 2.5 out of 5, but credited its “innovative blend of detective storytelling with mythological elements”. We have not found box-office figures from a named outlet.

Where to watch Bhoothaddam Bhaskar Narayana

The film began streaming on Aha on 22 March 2024, three weeks after its cinema release. That date comes from the film’s Wikipedia article rather than a platform listing, so check Aha before you press play.

Sources: the Wikipedia article on Bhoothaddam Bhaskar Narayana and the reviews it cites, linked above; our own cast and crew records.