Rating: 3/5 STARS
Starring: Tamannaah Bhatia, Hebah Patel, Vasishta Simha, Murali Sharma
Release date: 17 April 2025 (India)
Director: Ashok Teja
Producer: D. Madhu
Music: B. Ajaneesh Loknath
We believe that Telugu cinema is at the forefront when it comes to innovative and experimental storytelling, that is not only unique, but also leaves a deep impression on the audience. The moment you step into the theatre, you are transported to a different part of the world, so distant and unfamiliar, yet comforting. This is exactly what happens at Odela 2. A spooky sequel to Odela Railway Station, the movie dives deeper into the dark secrets of its haunted village. With Tamannaah Bhatia stepping into a fierce new role and a story packed with creepy rituals, the film tries to scare and surprise.
Odela 2 Plot:
The film starts with a shocking scene: a young girl, covered in blood, walks into a police station holding a severed head. This one scene is enough to get you hooked for the rest of the movie. Telugu movies make sure to start on a high. The village of Odela is still cursed by the evil spirit of Tirupati (Vasishta N. Simha), a serial killer you would instantly recognize from the first film. To stop him, villagers perform a ritual called Samadhi Shiksha—burying his body with painful objects to trap his soul. But the plan backfires. Tirupati returns as a vengeful ghost, killing brides on their wedding nights. Enter Bhairavi (Tamannaah), a Naga Sadhu who’s called back to save the village. She’s the estranged sister of Radha (Hebah Patel), Tirupati’s widow. Bhairavi’s arrival sets up a final battle between faith and fear, where chants and courage face off against pure evil. The eerie part of the movie begins!
Four Pillars of Odela 2 Movie:
Acting: Tamannaah Shines, Rest Just Go With The Plot
Tamannaah is the real show-runner of this movie. She ditches glamour for a raw, intense role. Her first scene—walking through smoke in holy robes, eyes burning with purpose—is unforgettable. She’s fierce, especially when leading rituals or facing the ghost. Although there are a lot of gaps in the story and her past is rather unexplored, she does justice to her eerie, Naga Sadhu role.
Vasishta N. Simha as Tirupati is scary, both as a human and a ghost but her character feels one-dimensional. Hebah gets little screen time and doesn’t make the most out of it. There is no emotional connection. Murali Sharma plays Allah Bakshu, a local mystic. He’s interesting but vanishes too soon, wasting potential.
Direction: Strong Start, Messy Middle, Decent Climax
Director Ashok Teja builds a creepy atmosphere early on. The Samadhi Shiksha ritual is chilling—villagers chant, bury cursed items, and sacrifice a black rooster. These scenes feel real and terrifying. But the film loses steam. The pace feels too slow and the jump-scares become repetitive. Audiences will definitely hope for unique horror scenes, but will get dragged into rituals after rituals. The climax unfolds the story and is definitely unpredictable.
Cinematography & Music
The reason why audiences loved Odela Railway Station is the reason why they’ll love Odela 2. Cinematographer Soundararajan makes Odela look hauntingly beautiful. Sunsets paint the village in orange, while shadows hide ghosts in every alley. The camera lingers on creepy details—a bloodstained wedding saree, a crumbling temple bell. The attention to detail is amazing.
Ajaneesh Loknath’s music amps up the fear. Chants, drums, and eerie silences make you jump. Although some VFX scenes look more cheap than gore, the music keeps the movie alive. Even the tracks are beautiful and sound haunting.
Screenplay & Execution
This is where the film falls flat. The plot loses its grip and the focus is all on rituals and loud, dark music.
The dialogues fall short and the director tries to overcompensate with unnecessary gore scenes and screams.
The ghost’s attacks on brides feel repetitive and overly graphic. Less smoke and more practical effects would’ve felt scarier.
The characters do not get enough back stories. Interesting characters such as Allah Bakshu and others disappear without adding much.
Our Verdict- Is Odela 2 Worth Watching?
We wouldn’t dismiss this movie as unworthy, just because of the gaps in the plot. The story could have been better, but the director ensures to give it closure. It’s rare to see a Telugu film where a woman leads a spiritual battle, not a love story. If you are a fan of watching eerie dark rituals and ghosts on the big screen, then this film won’t disappoint. However, if you prefer tighter and unpredictable plots, with well developed backstories and on-screen chemistry, then you can skip this one. Odela 2 is like a campfire ghost story—chilling in parts, but sometimes you wish it had a better storyteller.