Cast: Dora Sai Teja, Nithin Prasanna, Prakash Thakur

Crew:

Written by Vijay Kumar, Aditya Devulapally

Cinematography by Aswin Lenin

Music by Rishi M

Directed by Aditya Devulapally

For a long time, vertical dramas were simply seen as quick, disposable content. Dhandha confidently steps in to change that conversation entirely, proving it is proper cinema meant for a mobile screen. Spread across 26 short episodes with a total runtime of just 64 minutes, it understands momentum perfectly and never loses its grip on the viewer. Let's discuss about this gripping series.

Plot:

Aravind (Dora Sai Teja) is a brilliant 22-year-old B.Tech student who is deeply obsessed with money and power. He quickly discovers that his intelligence is much more valuable in Hyderabad's dark cybercrime ecosystem than in a normal classroom. What begins as a simple game of manipulation soon grows into a large, organized network of phishing scams, illegal call centers, extortion, and gang politics. Will his dangerous ambition take him to the top? Watch the series to know more.

Analysis:

Dora Sai Teja is absolutely stunning in the role of Aravind. He completely disappears into the character, playing a calm, manipulative, and arrogant anti-hero without ever becoming annoying. It is a commanding performance that proves he is much more than just a popular YouTube star. Nithin Prasanna makes a solid mark as Aditya Singh, providing a great counterbalance, while Prakash Thakur is highly memorable as a local gangster.

Debut director Aditya Devulapally handles the series with wonderful confidence. He never treats the vertical format as a limitation, giving the show the grand visual scale of a theatrical crime drama. The screenplay by Vijay Kumar and Aditya is extremely engaging, using fourth-wall narration effectively to pull the audience into continuous criminal mind games.

Technically, the series punches way above its weight. Aswin Lenin's cinematography gives a moody, atmospheric look to Hyderabad's underbelly. Rishi M's background score is a major highlight, constantly building tension and elevating the overall attitude of the show. The climax is emotionally satisfying while setting up genuine anticipation for the second season.

Positives:

Dora Sai Teja's brilliant performance.

Strong and highly confident direction.

Gripping cybercrime plot and mind games.

Excellent background score by Rishi M.

Cinematic visual quality in a vertical format.

Negatives:

The total 64-minute runtime leaves you wanting more.

Major character conflicts are held back for Season 2.

Bottomline:

A stylish crime thriller that uses vertical content format to good use. 

Rating: 2.75/5

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this review are personal views/opinions shared by the writer and organisation does not hold a liability to them. Viewers' discretion is advised before reacting to them.