Mowgli 2025 Review: Love, and a lot of déjà vu

What’s Mowgli 2025 about?

Mowgli (Roshan Kanakala), who dreams of becoming a police officer, takes up the chance to work as a dupe at a film shoot happening in his village located in the forest region of Parvathipuram, Andhra Pradesh. During the shoot, he meets a mute dancer who does not share her real name, so he affectionately begins calling her Jasmine (Sakkshi Mhadolkar).

As the days pass, the two grow closer and eventually fall in love. A brief misunderstanding separates them for a while, but they reconcile soon after. Their reunion is threatened by local S.I. Christopher Nolan (Bandi Sanjay Kumar), who develops an interest in Jasmine and becomes the main obstacle in their story.

The rest of the film focuses on how Mowgli and Jasmine attempt to escape from this predatory police officer and protect their love.

Analysis

“Mowgli 2025,” the second film from director Sandeep Raj, whose debut “Color Photo” won a National Award, opens by introducing the antagonist. The villain, a local S.I., is shown threatening even a woman IAS officer, which instantly establishes his predatory nature. Once his character is set, the narrative shifts to the protagonist Mowgli and his budding romance with a group dancer from a film crew.

The initial setup, with the boy and girl growing closer while functioning as dupes for the hero and heroine, feels interesting and somewhat refreshing. However, it soon becomes clear that the film leans heavily on the familiar style of director Teja’s love stories, particularly “Jayam” and “Neeku Naaku Dash Dash.” “Mowgli” resembles a reworked version of “Jayam,” which is why the post-interval portions feel repetitive, as if an old story is being retold with new packaging.

The escape sequence from the police station is almost a replica of episodes from Teja’s films, and even Bandi Suraj Kumar’s portrayal of the S.I. echoes Gopichand’s villain act in “Jayam.”

To bring a twist to this tried and tested template, Sandeep Raj inserts a devotional layer that involves Lord Hanuman and concludes the film with a message about faith. This addition appears forced and seems designed to align with the current trend of devotional or mythological undertones in mainstream cinema.

The familiar storyline and slow-paced narration are further weighed down by an excessively long runtime.

In terms of performances, Bandi Suraj Kumar delivers a few impactful moments with his intensity. Roshan Kanakala is adequate in his role, while Sakkshi Mhadolkar impresses with a sincere performance as the mute heroine.

The film benefits from rich production values. Among the technical crew, the cinematographer’s work stands out. As a writer and director, Sandeep Raj shows some interesting ideas, but the final output appears confused, with the intended message and the love story failing to blend into a coherent whole.

Bottom line: “Mowgli 2025” treads on a set of familiar ideas. After a reasonably engaging start, the narrative quickly slips into a template that feels like a contemporary rehash of Teja’s “Jayam.” As the story progresses, the film turns into a tiring watch.

Rating: 2/5

By TC Team

Movie: Mowgli 2025
Cast: Roshan Kanakala, Sakkshi Mhadolkar, Bandi Saroj Kumar, Harsha Chemudu, and others
Music: Kaala Bhairava
DOP: Rama Maruti
Production Designer: AS Prakash
Editor: Peekay
Art: Kiran Mamidi
Action: Natraj Madigonda
Producers: TG Vishwa Prasad, Krithi Prasad
Written and Directed by: Sandeep Raj
Release Date: December 12, 2025