Anakapalli Review: Surya's Gritty Telugu Gangster Drama

We open in rural Anakapalli, where Surya (Vikram Sahidev) is a young man with dreams bigger than his village's dusty horizons. Those dreams get derailed fast when he falls into the orbit of a feared local gangster - a man whose shadow stretches across every transaction, every feud, every hushed conversation in the region. Surya doesn't just join the underworld; he climbs it, driven by a mix of desperation and that dangerous cocktail of ambition and loyalty.

Then love walks in. Sandhya Vasishta's character isn't just a romantic subplot - she's the human anchor that forces Surya to confront what he's become. The central tension is classic: power and loyalty on one side, a shot at the life he once imagined on the other. Tammineni doesn't reinvent the wheel here, but he does spin it with enough style to keep you watching.

Let's start with the obvious: Vikram Sahidev is the real deal. The man has a face that can shift from tender to terrifying in a single close-up, and Anakapalli gives him plenty of room to flex. His Surya feels lived-in - a kid who stumbled into darkness and learned to like the warmth of its fire. When he whispers a threat, you believe it. When he looks at his love interest like she's the last good thing in the world, you believe that too. It's a balancing act, and he nails it.

Sandhya Vasishta brings a quiet steel to her role, refusing to be just the "heroine who waits." Their scenes together crackle with an easy chemistry that makes the central dilemma actually hurt. You want him to choose her, sure - but you also understand why walking away from the gangster life isn't as simple as packing a bag.

The supporting cast is stacked. Trinadha Rao Nakkina, Tarak Ponnappa, and Nandini Rai each get moments to shine, though Nakkina's gangster feels undercooked compared to the menace the script implies. You keep waiting for him to do something truly chilling, and it mostly stays implied.

Tammineni's direction is confident, especially in the first hour. The rural landscapes are shot with a painterly eye, and the action sequences - particularly a mid-film chase through a crowded market - are visceral and well-choreographed. He knows how to build tension without relying on shaky-cam chaos.

The problem is the script. At 153 minutes, Anakapalli has room for three movies, and it tries to be all of them. The second act spins its wheels with subplots that go nowhere, and a few characters vanish for long stretches only to reappear when the plot remembers them. The romance, as good as it is, sometimes feels like it's competing with the gangster drama rather than deepening it. And the climax, while emotionally satisfying, leans on a coincidence so convenient it might as well have been delivered by a courier.

Still, there's more here to like than to dismiss. The film has a pulse, a sense of place, and a lead performance that's worth the price of admission alone. It's not the definitive rural gangster romance - but it's a worthy entry in the genre.

Pros:

• Vikram Sahidev's magnetic, career-best performance
• Genuine chemistry between the leads
• Visually striking rural cinematography
• Action sequences that prioritize tension over noise
• A first act that hooks you immediately

Cons:

• Bloated 153-minute runtime with a saggy middle
• Underdeveloped antagonist
• Subplots that fizzle out without payoff
• A climax that relies on too much coincidence

Anakapalli is the kind of film that reminds you why Tollywood's rural action-drama space keeps thriving - when it works, it really works. Vikram Sahidev carries the weight of the film on his shoulders and makes it look effortless. The romance lands, the action delivers, and the world feels authentic. But a flabby script and an overlong runtime keep it from reaching the heights it clearly aspires to.