Latest news with #AbhignyaVuthaluru
Hans India
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Promising start fizzles into predictable crime drama
Rating: 2.25/5 The web series Viraatapalem - PC Meena Reporting, starring Abhignya Vuthaluru and directed by Poluru Krishna, opens with a gripping premise but gradually loses steam, devolving into a formulaic and unconvincing crime drama. Set in the fictional town of Viraatapalem during the early 1990s, the story revolves around a chilling mystery — brides being killed on their wedding day. Villagers believe a curse is behind the deaths, halting weddings for years. Enter Meena, a determined young police officer posted in the town who takes the investigation into her own hands. In a dramatic move, Meena decides to get married herself to bait the killer. What follows is a series of episodes aimed at unmasking the truth behind the so-called curse. Despite a strong setup, the series falters after the initial episodes. The pacing dips, with later episodes feeling stretched and lacking in suspense. The absence of impactful cliffhangers, a hallmark of compelling crime thrillers, makes the narrative feel monotonous. Forced twists and weak character motivations further dampen the experience, particularly the plotline involving Meena's decision to marry, which feels unnatural and contrived. Performance-wise, Abhignya Vuthaluru holds her own and manages to engage viewers despite the uninspired screenplay. Surabhi Prabhavati also performs well in a significant role, but the rest of the supporting cast fails to leave a mark. On the technical front, the series features decent cinematography but lacks polish in production design. The dialogues are effective, and editing is crisp, but the overall execution is inconsistent. Director Poluru Krishna, who earlier delivered the hit Recce, does not replicate that success here. To add to its woes, Viraatapalem has been caught in controversy, with ETV Win accusing Zee5 of lifting its concept from their show Constable Kanakam. Viraatapalem - PC Meena Reporting starts strong but ultimately disappoints due to predictable storytelling, weak writing, and a lack of genuine thrills. Apart from a decent climax twist, the show struggles to leave a lasting impression.
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting' series review: Abhignya Vuthaluru-starrer is undone by a bland narrative
On the surface, the premise of Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting, the Telugu web series from Zee5, may seem to hold some promise. Meena (Abhignya Vuthaluru), a young female constable who is new to a village, is determined to get to the bottom of the story when she suspects that incidents of crime involving women are conveniently written off as a curse upon the village. For those who do not often tune into the digital space, the story may hold some intrigue. However, the broad storyline is on the lines of similar narratives explored in web series and cinema, of late. Writer-director Surya Vangala's brooding Telugu crime thriller Brinda, starring Trisha, is an example of an intriguing story of crime solving that also lays bare the internal conflicts of the protagonist. Prakash Dantaluri's Telugu film Yevam, led by Chandini Chowdary, is another example of an underdog story of a female cop punching above her weight. Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting (Telugu) Director: Krishna Poluru Cast: Abhignya Vuthaluru, Charan Lakkaraju, Surabhi Prabhavathi Storyline: As new brides meet with a tragic end, a village is believed to be cursed. A female police constable gets to the bottom of the mystery. Streaming on: Zee5 Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting is in a similar zone. Directed by Krishna Poluru, the series has screenplay by Vikram Kumar Kandimalla and story by Divya Tejaswi Pera. While one does not expect each story to break new ground, a layered narrative helps to hold viewers' interest over several episodes. After all, long-format storytelling is a space that can help writers and directors go beyond the confines of mainstream cinema, without the crutches of having to cater to the box office. This is where Viraatapalem wobbles. The story unfolds in a pre-smartphone era. The seeds for the story are sown through an incident in the early 1980s when a young bride throws up blood and dies soon after her wedding. Similar incidents follow and people believe the village to be cursed. No one gets married in the village. Those who move away to other towns, do not return. The occasional ones who dare to get married in the village or return post marriage meet with a tragic end. Years later, the fear and stigma remain. The series spans seven episodes of 17 to 25-minute duration each. The first two episodes serve to introduce the key characters. No surprises for guessing that the police station is perfunctory, without doing much crime solving. Meena, who comes to the village accompanied by her mother, finds an unlikely ally in the teaseller, Kittu (Charan Lakkaraju). The needle of suspicion points towards a few powerful men and women in the village; the narrative packs in a sub plot about a family torn apart owing to differences that arise when a woman wants to marry a man from a different social strata. Once these characters and their stories are revealed, the intrigue wears off. None of the supporting characters are written with depth. The narrative makes some of the characters appear suspicious and this repetitive narrative tool gets weary. Add to that, none of the other police officers are shown to perform their duties with the required tenacity. This lack of strong characters makes the story insipid. Meena goes about her investigation in a rather straightforward manner with no room for tact. The many shots of her lost in thought while sipping tea at Kittu's stall get repetitive. Her quick turnaround when it comes to marriage is unconvincing. Abhignya tries to shoulder the series but the lack of depth in writing limits her scope. The final episode raises a point about the lack of empathy with which society treats those who go through a crisis and what is considered auspicious or what isn't. However, the argument fails to strike a chord since the story barely explores the mindset of the characters involved. (Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting streams on Zee5)
Scroll.in
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
‘Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting' review: A tough cop investigates the affair of the dying brides
After the Kannada-language Ayyana Mane, the streaming platform ZEE5 has rolled out its latest snacky show that can be consumed during rides to the office and back. Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting shares a few similarities with Ayyana Mane: a heroine rather than a hero, crimes linked to superstition, a rural setting, short episodes. In 1980, police constable Meena (Abhignya Vuthaluru) is posted to the Viraatapalem village, which has the unfortunate reputation of being deadly for women seeking to get married. For the past 15 years, brides have collapsed within a day of their nuptials, blood spurting from their mouths. Meena isn't taken in by talk of a curse. Despite the opposition of her bosses, the powerful men of the village and her worried mother, Meena and the helpful tea seller Kittu (Charan Lakkaraju) set out to investigate the mysterious affair of the dying brides. Poluru Krishna directs Vikram Kumar Kandimalla's screenplay, which is based on a story by Divya Thejaswi Pera. Despite a few red herrings, alert viewers will easily guess the modus operandi at work. The close-ups aren't helpful, and there isn't enough material for seven episodes. But Meena's investigation is satisfactory, as is the twist with regard to the killer's identity. Abhignya Vuthaluru solidly plays Meena, who boldly defies gender expectations to unravel a mystery that almost nobody is interested in solving. There is scope for Meena and Kittu to return for more adventures, which will hopefully be more intricately plotted and staged with greater ambition. Play
India.com
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Viraatapalem
Telugu actress Abhignya Vuthaluru, who made her debut with 'Her – Chapter 1' and 'Geetha Subramanyam: Season 3', also starred in the web series 'Miss Perfect', is now set to appear in the supernatural thriller 'Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting'. The series will premiere on June 27 on ZEE5 Global, which revolves around a chilling curse that looms over residents of a remote village known as Viraatapalem, where every bride mysteriously dies on her wedding day. For over decade, no marriage has taken place, and the once-thriving village is now home only to very young and the very old, crippled by fear and superstition. Abhignya Vutahluru On Pay Disparity Issue Abhignya Vuthaluru, who will be featuring for the first time as a lead actress in this series, spoke about the pay disparity issue between genders. The 30-year-old actress expressed her views on it and mentioned that it should be an 'equal pay system.' During a conversation with Abhignya said, ' This is something that I am yet to learn, because mujhe lagta hai ki pay disparity nahi honi chahiye, kyunki main agar ek taraf se ek energy laa rahi hoon, ladki ki tarah, ladke bhi jab aate hai, I am sure they also come with certain energy. Agar humara kaam ek hi level par ho raha hai energy ke hisaab se, then we all deserve equal pay, par recent interviews dekha jaye, market value bhi bata rahi ki ek bandi market value itna laati hai, you have to pay them larger .' (This is something that I am yet to learn. Because I feel that there should be no pay disparity. If our work is happening on the same level of energy, I think we all deserve equal pay. But if you look at recent interviews, market value is also showing that a girl brings so much market value. So, you have to pay them larger.) We Don't Put Female Actors On Pedestal Abhignya further continued and stated, ' So, I think as more than actors being questioned, I think we have to change all of us as a community, jaise hum bahut male actors ko celebrate karte hain, we don't put female actors on a pedestal, so rather than asking the actors may be agar hum community ke hisaab se equal ki tarah importance dein performances ko than genders, then automatically I think pay parity will lead. ' (So, I think as more than actors being questioned, I think we have to change all of us as a community, like we celebrate too many male actors, we don't put female actors on a pedestal, so rather than asking the actors may be if we as a community have equal importance dein performances than genders, then automatically I think pay parity will lead.)
Pink Villa
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Viraatapalem OTT Release: When and where to watch Abhignya Vuthaluru starrer intense Telugu cop thriller online
Viraatapalem, better known as Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting, is one of the latest additions to cop drama series all set to venture into the OTT space. Even before its release, the show has already generated considerable buzz, as it features YouTuber-turned-actress Abhignya Vuthaluru in the lead role. When and where to watch Viraatapalem Telugu cop drama Viraatapalem will be available for viewing on the OTT platform Zee 5 from June 27 onwards. The streaming giant had confirmed the same with an official post on their X handle. Sharing the poster, they wrote, 'Girls of Viratapalem village, if you are thinking of getting married, take a step back! Let's see what this village is like, come on. #ViraatapalemOnZee5 PREMIERES 27th JUNE. From the director and makers of the blockbuster #RecceOnZee5.' Official trailer and plot of Viraatapalem The 8-episode series Viraatapalem revolves around the unusual encounters in the village of Viraatapalem and the women who reside there. For many years now, the place has seen women leave and migrate elsewhere. However, things begin to look promising yet challenging when a female cop named Meena is assigned as the new head of the police station. Her presence brings surprise and shock to many since the villagers get to see a female cop for the first time in their land. Meena is taken by surprise and curiosity over many things that unfold in the place, including haunting secrets and folklore, while navigating a bold investigation at the core of her work. Surprisingly, her latest case is to resolve the shocking and mysterious deaths of brides in Viraatapalem under strange circumstances on their wedding day itself. Cast and crew of Viraatapalem The star cast of Viraatapalem includes Abhigyna Vuthaluru in the lead, along with Charan Lakkaraju, Lavanya Sahukara, Ramaraju, Satish, Gowtam Raju, and more. This series is written by Divya Thejaswi Pera and is directed by Krishna Poluru. Rohit Kumar has composed the musical score for the Telugu series.
