Movie: Sarangapani Jathakam
Rating: 2.5/5
Banner: Sridevi Movies
Cast: Priyadarshi, Roopa Koduvayur, VK Naresh, Tanikella Bharani, Avasarala Srinivas, Vennela Kishore, Viva Harsha and others
Music: Vivek Sagar
DOP: PG Vinda
Editor: Marthand K Venkatesh
Production Designer: Raveender
Stunts: Venkat - Venkatesh
Producer: Sivalenka Krishna Prasad
Written and Directed by: Mohanakrishna Indraganti
Release Date: April 24, 2025
Priyadarshi has been in fine form lately, with recent hits like Court performing well at the box office. In contrast, director Mohanakrishna Indraganti, despite a strong track record in the past, has faced a series of recent setbacks.
It remains to be seen whether the actor can deliver another success and help Indraganti break his streak of flops.
Story:
Sarangapani (Priyadarshi), a salesman at an automobile showroom in Hyderabad, is a firm believer in astrology. He gets engaged to Maithili (Roopa Koduvayur), who also happens to be his immediate boss.
One day, a cheiromantist named Jogeshwar (Srinivas Avasarala) predicts a troubling future — foretelling that Sarangapani is destined to commit a crime.
Determined to secure his future with Maithili, Sarangapani enlists the help of his quirky friend Chandu (Vennela Kishore) to carry out a ‘harmless’ murder — one they believe wouldn’t count as a real crime. Their bizarre plan leads them to a hotel in Vizag called “Ahotel,” run by Ahobill Rao (Tanikella Bharani).
Did Sarangapani actually go through with the murder? And will Maithili discover his strange obsession with palmistry?
Artistes’ Performances:
Priyadarshi fits the role perfectly, channeling shades of early Rajendra Prasad and Allari Naresh with his comic flair. His impeccable timing elevates the humor in several key scenes. Vennela Kishore and Harsha Chemudu, playing his close friends, provide much-needed laughs.
Kishore’s tongue-in-cheek one-liners and Harsha’s innocent charm—especially in the second half — are major strengths of the film.
Roopa Koduvayur has a limited role but delivers a convincing performance. Avasarala Srinivas is decent as the astrologer. The rest of the cast stay true to their roles, effectively complementing the narrative.
Technical Excellence:
The film features Mohanakrishna Indraganti’s regular technical team, all of whom deliver sincere efforts, though none of the departments particularly stand out.
Vivek Sagar’s music and PG Vinda’s cinematography are merely serviceable. The film could have benefited from tighter editing.
Highlights:
Comedy portions
Priyadarshi, Vennela Kishore and Harsha
Drawback:
Lacks contemporary feel
Many stretches drag on
Lack of a strong plot
Analysis
Director Mohanakrishna Indraganti blends elements of comedy and murder mystery in his latest outing, Sarangapani Jathakam.
The film begins in a fairly routine manner, but things take a turn when an astrologer predicts that Sarangapani (Priyadarshi) is destined to commit a murder — setting the stage for the drama to unfold.
Indraganti takes nearly an hour to build momentum, with the early portions offering only occasional laughs. Sequences like Sarangapani trying to murder an elderly grandmother with a chocolate or attempting to kill his boss using perfume fall flat and lack imagination.
However, the writing picks up once the story shifts to Vizag.
It’s in this stretch that Indraganti’s comedic flair begins to shine, thanks largely to the trio of Priyadarshi, Vennela Kishore, and Harsha Chemudu, whose comic timing injects life into the narrative. Harsha’s entry marks a turning point — the hotel sequence in Vizag, where another murder attempt unfolds, runs for nearly 45 minutes and, despite dragging at times, delivers genuine laughs.
The plot, however, is quite thin, with little innovation in the screenplay and a twist that’s easy to predict. Indraganti relies heavily on his actors to carry the film, and without their performances, the film may have faltered.
While the comedy works in parts, the film never becomes consistently engaging or laugh-out-loud funny.
All things considered, Sarangapani Jathakam is a light-hearted entertainer that works in patches. The second half, especially the comedic portions, provides decent amusement, with Priyadarshi, Vennela Kishore, and Harsha giving it their all. Still, the sluggish first half, overstretched scenes, and wafer-thin plot hold it back. Indraganti, though not in top form, manages to land a few laughs — but the writing doesn’t quite recapture the charm of his earlier works.
Bottom-line: For laughs
