118

118 is a 2019 Telugu-language action thriller written and directed by the cinematographer K. V. Guhan in his Telugu directing debut and produced by Mahesh S. Koneru under East Coast Production. It stars Kalyan Ram, Shalini Pandey and Nivetha Thomas. Released on 1 March 2019 to generally positive reviews, it was a commercial success.

Story

While staying in room 118 of a resort, Gowtham, an investigative journalist, dreams of a young woman being beaten and a car being pushed into a lake. When the same dream returns months later on another visit, and he stumbles on a road he saw in it, he becomes convinced it points to something real. His attempt to decode the nightmare puts his own life in danger.

Cast

• Kalyan Ram
• Shalini Pandey
• Nivetha Thomas

Production and music

K. V. Guhan had earlier directed the 2010 Tamil film Inidhu Inidhu, a remake of Happy Days. Filming began around May 2018, and the first look was released on 5 July 2018, Kalyan Ram’s birthday. Shekar Chandra composed the three-song soundtrack, released on Aditya Music on 26 February 2019.

Release

After post-production finished around February 2019, the film opened in theatres on 1 March 2019.

Reception

The Times of India called it a fine thriller as long as viewers did not dig too deep, while The Indian Express found it full of unoriginal ideas and Firstpost felt the plot sent its hero on a wild goose chase. It nevertheless did well commercially, and Kalyan Ram’s profile counts it among his critical and commercial successes.

Sources: Wikipedia and Wikidata.