Mangalavaaram

Ajay Bhupathi's 2023 Telugu film follows a series of murders in a village and the villagers attributing them to a supernatural force. At the centre is Shailu, living under the village's moral supervision. The real subject is not the killings but how sexuality becomes a secret and a threat in a rural settlement: everyone watches everyone else, and the real violence comes from there. Rather than saying so directly, Bhupathi puts it inside a horror construction. Payal Rajput's performance carries it. The story loses shape in the second half and the explanatory section runs long. Who it's for: viewers who like Telugu thrillers and rural horror. Who it's not for: anyone avoiding content involving sexual violence and abuse, or wanting a clear genre.