Atharva review: A passable thriller

Story:

For some reason, Atharva’s (Karthik Raju) ambition of becoming a police officer was never fulfilled. Fortunately, he is hired by the Clues Team, an investigative unit that aids the police. His journalist girlfriend Nithya (Simran Choudhary) introduces him to Joshni (Ayraa Jain), an actress in Bollywood. After the murder of Joshni, Atharva vows to solve the case and begins the hunt to find the traces left.

Analysis

You can find crime thrillers like “Atharva” on OTT platforms. The vast majority of these suspenseful shows originate from foriegn countries and center on forensic or clue teams that solve crimes. The creators of “Atharva” hoped to introduce viewers to this subgenre while simultaneously providing an glimpse of the meticulous case-solving work done by the Clues team.

So it’s not surprising that the opening sequences are both interesting as they focus on the mechanism of the Clues team. After a while, though, it starts to feel like any other ordinary criminal drama. Unnecessary “mass moments” also cause the mood to plummet.

The performance of Karthik Raju, who played the lead, is satisfactory. Simran Choudhary is superb in her portrayal.

The score of Sricharan Pakala gels well with theme and genre of the movie. Superb cinematography is credited to Charan Madhavaneni. Despite having a solid plot, director Mahesh Reddy adds superficial touch.

Final Take

“Atharva” focuses on the “clues department” and how they help solve crimes. Though engaging at times, it doesn’t quite live up to its billing as an absorbing thriller. It may look watchable on OTT rather than in theaters.

Rating: 2.5/5

Film: Atharva
Cast: Karthik Raju, Simran Choudhary, Ayraa Jain, and others
Music: Sri Charan Pakala
DOP: Charan Madhavaneni
Producer: Subhash Nuthalapati
Directed by: Mahesh Reddy
Release Date: Dec 01, 2023