Name: The Paradise
Director: Srikanth Odela
Cast: Nani, Mohan Babu, Sonali Kulkarni, Kayadu Lohar, Raghav Juyal, Sampoornesh Babu, Easwari Rao, Tanikella Bharani, Priyadarshi Pulikonda, Keerthy Suresh (cameo)
Writer: Srikanth Odela, Vinay Sagar Jonnala
Rating: 1.5/5
The Paradise, starring Nani in the lead role, marks the actor’s second collaboration with director Srikanth Odela after Dasara. Apart from the Natural Star, the film features Mohan Babu, Sonali Kulkarni, Kayadu Lohar, and Raghav Juyal in key roles.
If you’re planning to watch the movie in theatres this week, here’s the Pinkvilla review.
The Plot
Set in 1980s India, The Paradise follows the Savaari, an underprivileged tribal community that has been left without identity, citizenship, land, or official documentation decades after independence. Trapped in an isolated settlement, they live under the absolute control of Shikanja Malik, a powerful feudal monarch who regards the Savaari as his personal property.
Among them is Jadal, who grows up learning to survive within Malik’s oppressive system. Initially, Jadal is not a revolutionary; his priority is simply survival and protecting his community. But as he witnesses the humiliation, exploitation, and systematic denial of the Savaari’s basic rights, his relationship with the system begins to change.
The community’s struggle gradually becomes centered on the question of identity, as the Savaari effectively do not exist in the eyes of the state. Jadal is reluctantly pushed into a position of leadership as the community seeks recognition and a way out of Malik’s control.
What begins as a struggle to obtain an identity eventually develops into a rebellion against the entire structure that has kept the Savaari powerless. Jadal’s transformation becomes the heart of the story, taking him from a man who has learned to survive under oppression to one who is prepared to challenge the authority that has defined his people’s existence.
What Works in The Paradise
The Paradise’s biggest strength is Nani’s controlled performance. As Jadal, he carries an enormous emotional and psychological burden, relying more on physicality, silence, and screen presence than on conventional melodrama. His rugged appearance, distinctive braids, beard, and lean physique give the character a visual identity that fits the film’s gritty period setting.
The film offers impressive world-building, creating a highly specific and immersive world that feels raw, oppressive, and lived-in, allowing the social hierarchy surrounding the Savaari to become an important part of the storytelling.
While most of the movie remains dull and flat, the combat sequences have a brutal and visceral quality. Moreover, the climax stands out as major theatrical set pieces, while the interval block delivers the kind of explosive payoff designed to generate a strong big-screen reaction.
The cinematography gives the film considerable scale. Expansive landscape shots, atmospheric compositions, and sharply framed combat sequences create a grand visual canvas without completely losing the story’s rugged character.
Coming to the musical aspects, Anirudh Ravichander rarely fumbles. However, despite the shortcomings this time, the Aaya Sher portions truly stand out as an impressive part of the film.
Watch the teaser for The Paradise:
What doesn’t work in The Paradise
The Paradise falters as a whole but especially fails in the second half, with a tedious and flat narrative that struggles to live up to its potential. Director Srikanth Odela’s execution feels like a step down from Dasara, relying on a predictable template and excessive graphic violence that increasingly overshadows the storytelling.
The filmmakers continue to use tropes involving women facing dire situations, with a protagonist, mostly a man, stepping in to save them or seek revenge, as some sort of cinematic brilliance. However, this trope is significantly saturated at this point.
Despite setting up a massive, multi-generational clash, the film lacks the emotional and narrative weight expected, while the antagonist’s sudden self-realisation and anticlimactic fate leave the central conflict feeling incomplete.
The supporting characters remain underdeveloped, and the mother-son dynamic between Nani and Sonali Kulkarni fails to evoke the intended emotional response.
Navin Nooli’s editing feels uneven, with abrupt transitions that disrupt the narrative flow, while Anirudh Ravichander’s background score feels underwhelming. The film is undoubtedly one of the weakest works the musician has done in his career. Adding to the experience, the excessively loud sound mixing often makes the dialogue inaudible during action sequences.
The Performances
Nani is one of the biggest reasons to watch The Paradise. The actor has completely transformed himself from his previous ventures, taking on an experimental character, which in itself is laudable. However, when placed inside the lacklustre world of Paradise, the potential is significantly lessened.
Mohan Babu, as the feudal antagonist Shikanja Malik, is underused. He has the presence and gravitas for a role like this, but the screenplay gives him very little to work with beyond establishing menace in his introduction before disappearing for long stretches. The film fails to establish clear character development for the antagonist, despite having such a prolific veteran actor at hand.
Similarly, Raghav Juyal is wasted in the narrative. His character has no arc, no complexity, and no moments that justify the casting of an actor with his physicality and screen presence. Even Sampoornesh Babu and Kayadu Lohar are left with little scope beyond playing underdeveloped characters.
The Verdict
The Paradise has some crazy ideas from a conceptual standpoint; however, in execution, the film has turned out to be flat and distasteful. The use of cinematic stereotypes and larger-than-life conflicts in a violent world is becoming more boring than ever, reaching a saturation point where every film feels like a copy of a copy.
While one never expected this to happen with a Nani starrer, The Paradise has turned out to be a major disappointment that even fans may not enjoy, a film which couldn’t be saved by Anirudh Ravichander’s music.
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Pinkvilla. No statement in this article is intended to defame, harm, or malign any individual or entity.
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