Paradha Review: Female-centric idea, dull execution

What’s it about?

The story unfolds in a village in Andhra, where the locals believe that unmarried girls will be cursed by the village deity, Jwalambika Amma, if they do not cover their faces with a paradha (veil). No girl is allowed to reveal her face to any man outside her immediate family.

Subbalakshmi (Anupama Parameswaran), who lost her mother at a young age, dutifully follows this tradition. Just days before her engagement to her lover Rajesh (Rag Mayur), a photographer unintentionally captures her face when the wind blows her veil away.

Unbeknownst to her, the photograph lands on the cover of a magazine. When a villager discovers it, all hell breaks loose. According to custom, a girl who shows her face to other men must end her life by jumping into a well. Subbalakshmi attempts suicide but miraculously survives. Believing that Jwalambika Amma spared her knowing her innocence, she decides to fight back and prove her honor.

With the support of her aunt Ratna (Sangitha) and a civil engineer friend Ami (Darshana) from Delhi, Subbalakshmi embarks on a journey to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, where the photographer resides. Will Subbu succeed in proving her innocence and how this his journey changes her life in unimaginable ways?

Analysis

“Paradha,” directed by Praveen Kandregula, whose earlier films “Cinema Bandi” and “Subham” won critical praise, narrates the journeys of three women: one shackled by oppressive societal customs, another struggling against workplace chauvinism, and the third confined by domestic life. At the center of the story is Subbu, played by Anupama Parameswaran, who is weighed down by her village’s bizarre custom. The word “Paradha” refers to a veil or a hijab-like scarf. However, the notion that women are forced to wear it because of a deity’s curse feels far-fetched and unconvincing.

It is clear that the veil in this story is intended as a symbolic device to underline patriarchal practices and the burdens women continue to bear. Yet, Subbu’s struggle fails to evoke empathy, since such a custom has no presence in contemporary Andhra or Telangana. Unlike the real and ongoing protests of Iranian women against the hijab, the paradha system here feels fabricated and hollow. Ultimately, it serves only as a contrived excuse to send three women on a journey

This is precisely why the film’s plot fails to engage. What makes it worse is that the narration sinks into mediocrity, with scenes that are bland and uninspired. Weak writing remains the film’s biggest drawback, closely followed by poor editing. Though the narrative tries to project feminist undertones, they appear forced and superficial — this is certainly no “Thelma & Louise.”

In the end, I found myself completely disengaged with this far-fetched drama.

Performances in the film are uneven. Anupama Parameswaran carries the narrative with sincerity, despite being veiled for most of the runtime. Her strongest moments come in the village sequences where she confronts the unjust demands of the villagers who want her banished. Sangitha fits the part of the aunt, though the writing gives her little scope to shine. Darshana Rajendran’s Telugu debut turns out underwhelming, while Rag Mayur has only a brief role. Harsha Vardhan brings in a few laughs, but the humor often slips into mediocrity.

Though technically underwhelming, the visuals and production design elevate the village jathara and deity episodes.

Bottom-line: “Paradha” attempts to shed light on women’s struggles and the burdens they carry, whether imposed by society or shaped by flawed reasoning. However, its far-fetched premise and dull narration and boring sequences make it difficult to appreciate the effort.

Rating: 2/5

By Jalapathy Gudelli

Movie: Paradha
Cast: Anupama Parameswaran, Darshana Rajendran, Sangitha, Rag Mayur, and others
Music: Gopi Sundar
DOP: Mridul Sujit Sen
Editor: Dharmendra Kakarala
Art Director: Srinivas Kalinga
Producers: Vijay Donkada, Sreenivasulu PV, Sridhar Makkuva
Director: Praveen Kandregula
Release Date: August 22, 2025