Thandel, which was released in theaters on February 7, 2025, is a Telugu romantic action thriller, written and directed by Chandoo Mondeti and produced by Bunny Vasu under the Geetha Arts banner. The film, starring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in the lead roles, is based on a real-life incident in 2018 when Srikakulam fishermen were arrested for trespassing into Pakistani waters. It was released in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi languages with music by Devi Sri Prasad, cinematography by Shamdutt, editing by Naveen Nooli, a runtime of 2 hours and 32 minutes, and a U/A rating. After the love story, how is this film, which created hype with the Chaitu-Sai Pallavi pair, Devi Sri songs, and real incident backdrop? Let's see my feelings, highlights, and shortcomings in this review
What's in the story?
Raju (Nagachaitanya) is a fisherman in Machhilesam village near Srikakulam. Raju, who inherits leadership qualities from his father, is chosen as the ‘Tandel’ (leader) of a fishing group. He has been deeply in love with his girlfriend Satya (Sai Pallavi) since childhood. However, Satya is worried about Raju’s dangerous life in the sea and asks him to give up fishing after marriage. Raju, however, says that the sea is in his blood and he cannot give up his profession. One day, after a small disagreement with Satya, Raju goes fishing with his group in the Gujarat sea. Due to an unexpected storm, their boat reaches Pakistani waters. Suspected as spies, Raju is imprisoned in Karachi Central Jail along with 21 fishermen. Satya is worried about Raju’s life in India. How did Raju and his group survive? Did Satya-Raju’s love story have a happy ending? The story is about.
My Feelings: Heart-touching love, but half a success!
When I saw the trailer, the songs “Bujji Thalli”, “Namo Namah Shivaya”, I thought that there would be a Bajrangi Bhaijaan style realistic drama along with emotional romances like Premam, Love Story. The film impressed with Raju-Satya love scenes in the first half, Srikakulam dialect, rural atmosphere, and Devi Sri music. As a user on X wrote, “Chaitu-Sai Pallavi chemistry, DSP music is a must for the movie!” I agree with the sentiment. The second half starts with the Pakistan jail episode, Raju’s heroism, and the patriotic track, but the screenplay does not gain momentum here. Reviews from Times of India (3.5/5) and 123Telugu (3.25/5) praised the film's strong love story and performances, but highlighted the logical flaws in the narration and prison scenes. The Pakistan episode felt convoluted and the climax predictable, which reduced the film's impact.
Technical aspects, acting
Technically, Tandel is strong. Shamdut's cinematography captures the vastness of the ocean and the rural beauty brilliantly. The songs "Hilesso Hilessa", "Namo Namah Shivaya" and Devi Sri Prasad's background score add emotional depth to the film. While Naveen Nooli's editing is smooth in the first half, some scenes drag in the second half. Nagendra Tangala's production design recreates the atmosphere of a fishing village realistically. Dialogues like “Nine months without you are more painful than childbirth” touched the heart.
In acting, Naga Chaitanya (Raju) gave the best performance of his career. His Srikakulam accent, rugged look, and subtle acting in emotional scenes were impressive. News18 and Galt reviews praised his “vulnerable” performance. Sai Pallavi (Satya) captivated once again with her signature expressive acting. The romance and anxiety she expressed with her eyes in the scenes with Raju were the highlight. The chemistry between the two is the strength of the film. Karunakaran, Prakash Belawadi, and Aadukalam Naren did decently in supporting roles, but the role of the Pakistani jailer did not have much impact.
Likes, Dislikes
Likes:
Chaitu-Sai Pallavi chemistry: Love scenes, emotional moments are heart-touching.
Naga Chaitanya's performance: Career best, natural acting in Srikakulam dialect.
Sai Pallavi's expressions: Satya's character was brought to life, energy in dance.
Devi Sri's music: "Bujji Thalli", "Azaadi" songs, BGM elevated the emotions.
Visuals: Sea, village shots are realistic, attractive.
Dislikes:
Slow second half: Pakistani jail scenes are draggy, logic errors, complicated rasping.
Predictable climax: Heroic tropes, overdrama reduce the freshness.
Pakistan Episode: Villainy, drama did not have much impact, realism was missed.
Dubbing Issues: In some scenes, the accent and dubbing seemed unnatural.
Patriotic Overload: Patriotism overshadows the love story.
Who can watch it?
An emotional watch for Thandel Nagachaitanya, Sai Pallavi fans, those who like romantic dramas like Love Story, Premam. With a U/A rating, there is mild action, romance, patriotic elements, so family audience, youth, couples can enjoy it. The film collected ₹100 crores worldwide and became the fourth highest-grossing Telugu film of 2025. However, the film may be a disappointment for Telugu audiences expecting a realistic drama on the level of Bajrangi Bhaijaan or a high-energy entertainer like Pushpa 2. Some in X commented that it was “overdramatic, boring”, but praised the love story and performances. The visuals and music experience will be better if you watch it in 2D, IMAX in theaters, or you can watch it on Netflix (streaming from March 7, 2025).
Rating: 3/5
Tandel impressed with Naga Chaitanya-Sai Pallavi’s heartwarming chemistry, career-best performances, Devi Sri’s music, and realistic visuals. However, the slow second half, logic errors in the Pakistan episode, and overdramatic patriotism stopped the film from being a full-fledged hit. Chandoo Mondeti's way of turning a real incident into a romantic drama is appealing, but a tighter screenplay would have been even better. A time-consuming watch in the theater for those who like romantic, emotional love stories, but not a fully engaging experience for the Telugu audience!
Release Date: February 7, 2025 (Theaters), March 7, 2025 (Netflix)
Director: Chandoo Mondeti
Cast: Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, Karunakaran, Prakash Belavadi, Aadukalam Naren
Rating: U/A (Mild Action, Romance, Patriotic Themes)