Odela 2

Odela 2
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ashok Teja
Written by	Sampath Nandi
Produced by	D. Madhu Sampath Nandi
Starring	Tamannaah Bhatia Hebah Patel Vasishta N. Simha
Cinematography	Soundararajan
Edited by	Avinash
Music by	B. Ajaneesh Loknath
Production companies	Madhu Creations Sampath Nandi Teamworks
Release date	17 April 2025 (2025-04-17)
Running time	150 minutes
Country	India
Language	Telugu

Odela 2 is a 2025 Indian Telugu-language supernatural thriller film directed by Ashok Teja and written by Sampath Nandi. The film stars Tamannaah Bhatia, Hebah Patel, Vasishta N. Simha in lead roles. Produced by D. Madhu and Sampath Nandi, with cinematography by Soundararajan and music composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath. The sequel to Odela Railway Station (2022) centers on the fictional village of the same name. The film portrays how Odela Mallanna Swamy protects his village from evil forces. This movie got mixed reviews from critics and received heavy backlash for its poor storyline and direction despite having a powerful theme.

Plot

In the rural village of Odela, Telangana, the gruesome legacy of serial rapist and murderer Tirupati lingers after his death at the hands of his wife, Radha, in the events of Odela Railway Station. Following his execution, the villagers, fearing his malevolent influence, perform a ritual called Samadhi Shiksha, sealing his corpse instead of cremating it. This improper burial prevents Tirupati’s soul from attaining moksha, transforming him into a vengeful evil spirit that returns six months later to terrorize the village. His spirit possesses men and resumes a horrific spree of rapes and murders, targeting newlywed brides, plunging Odela into fear and chaos.

As the village grapples with the escalating supernatural threat, a schoolgirl, seemingly possessed, arrives at the police station carrying Radha’s severed head, signaling the spirit’s growing power. Desperate, the villagers turn to Radha, now imprisoned for killing Tirupati, for guidance. Radha reveals the existence of her estranged sister, Bhairavi, a powerful Naga Sadhu and devotee of Lord Shiva, who left home in childhood to pursue a divine path. Known as Shiva Shakti, Bhairavi has been chanting "Om Namah Shivaya" 10 crore times to attain the divine darshan of Lord Shiva, living as an ascetic guarded by a sacred snake.

Bhairavi arrives in Odela just before the film’s interval, her dramatic entrance raising hopes of salvation. She confronts the spirit’s chaos, uncovering that Tirupati’s malevolent force is manipulating the village’s men to perpetuate his crimes. With the aid of a local Muslim baba (Murali Sharma), who strangely quotes Hindu scriptures, Bhairavi performs rituals to weaken the spirit’s hold. The narrative delves into themes of Shiva Tattva and divine energy, portraying Bhairavi as a mythical force destined to restore order.

As the battle intensifies, Bhairavi faces challenges in rallying the superstitious villagers, who are torn between fear of the spirit and reliance on sorcerers and fakirs. Tirupati’s spirit unleashes a whirlwind of terror, including a visceral “viswaroopam” manifestation, pushing the village to the brink. Bhairavi’s spiritual strength is tested as she navigates the village’s regressive beliefs and her own ascetic vows. The climax unfolds at the Odela Mallanna temple, where Bhairavi, empowered by Lord Shiva’s divine intervention, engages in a fierce confrontation with Tirupati’s spirit. Despite her efforts, the final act struggles to deliver the anticipated catharsis, leaning heavily on gore and outdated horror tropes.

In the end, Bhairavi subdues the spirit, but not without significant loss to the village. The film concludes with a hint of a potential third installment, suggesting that the battle between good and evil in Odela may not be fully resolved. The narrative, while ambitious in its blend of spirituality and horror, is critiqued for its predictable screenplay and reliance on clichés, with Bhairavi’s character failing to fully embody the ferocious heroism expected of her divine role.

Cast

• Tamannaah Bhatia as Bhavani aka Bhairavi
• Hebah Patel as Radha
• Vasishta N. Simha as Tirupati, Radha's husband
• Murali Sharma as Allah Bakshu
• Sharath Lohitashwa
• Yuva
• Naga Mahesh
• Vamsi
• Gagan Vihari
• Surender Reddy
• Srikanth Iyengar
• Bhupal
• Pooja Reddy
• Kriss Venugopal
• Rahul Ravi

Production

Development

In March 2024, filmmaker Sampath Nandi announced on social media his second collaboration with director Ashok Teja, titled Odela 2. The film is a supernatural thriller and serves as a sequel to Odela Railway Station. Tamannaah Bhatia was selected for the lead role. Hebah Patel and Vasishta N. Simha were retained from the prequel and cast in pivotal roles. The additional cast includes Yuva, Murali Sharma, Sharath Lohitashwa, Srikanth Iyengar, Naga Mahesh, Vamshi, Gagan Vihari, Surender Reddy, Bhupal and Pooja Reddy.

Filming

The principal photography began on 1 March 2024 at Varanasi. In June, a major action sequence featuring Bhatia, who underwent rigorous training and rehearsals for the role, was filmed in Hyderabad. In July, the climax was shot at a set of the Odela Mallanna temple created at Ramoji Film City, featuring the main cast and 800 junior artists. Filming wrapped in October 2024, with post-production focusing on visual effects to enhance the supernatural elements. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) granted the film an A rating due to its intense supernatural and violent content and has a runtime of 150 minutes.

Music

The film's soundtrack and background score were composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath, known for his work on Kantara. The music complements the film's supernatural and spiritual themes, incorporating traditional Telugu folk elements and devotional motifs. The single "Yemulada Rajanna," featuring vocals by Aniruddha Sastry and lyrics by Sampath Nandi, was released at a promotional event in Hyderabad, emphasizing the divine aura of Odela Mallanna Swamy. Another track, "Giya Giya Joy of Odela," was released post-launch, adding to the film's festive and cultural vibe.

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Yemulada Rajanna"	Sampath Nandi	B. Ajaneesh Loknath	Aniruddha Sastry	3:32
2.	"Giya Giya Joy of Odela"	Suddala Ashok Teja	B. Ajaneesh Loknath	Sri Krishna	4:28

Marketing

Promotional activities began with a first-look poster in March 2024, followed by a teaser launched at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on 22 February 2025, highlighting Bhatia's transformation into character. A new poster featuring Bhatia's blood-soaked character was released on 22 March 2025, alongside the official release date announcement.

Release

Odela 2 was released on 17 April 2025.

Reception

Paul Nicodemus of The Times of India gave the film two and a half out of five stars, noting, "Tamannaah shines in an eerie but uneven spiritual thriller." He described it as a horror thriller with a captivating village atmosphere and strong performances, especially by Tamannaah Bhatia, enhanced by Soundararajan's moody cinematography. However, its impact fades due to a sluggish second half and reliance on familiar horror tropes. Aditya Devulapally of Cinema Express rated the film one and a half out of five stars, stating, "A spiritual horror film that’s less horror, more havoc." He characterized it as a visually striking film with occasional effective VFX and intense moments from Tamannaah Bhatia and Vasishta N. Simha. Yet, its narrative coherence falters under Ashok Teja’s direction, weighed down by a poorly structured script and excessive violence.

Avinash Ramachandran of The Indian Express assigned the film two out of five stars, commenting, "Tamannaah Bhatia shoulders a shaky sequel that needed more sensitivity and sensibility." He outlined it as a supernatural thriller with an initially promising premise and strong early performance by Tamannaah Bhatia, undermined by repetitive, perverse violence. The film’s lackluster narrative, thinly written characters, and reliance on B. Ajaneesh Loknath’s overbearing score fail to maintain engagement under Ashok Teja’s direction. Srivathsan Nadadhur of The Hindu critiqued the film, observing, "Tamannaah Bhatia cannot salvage this outdated Telugu sequel." He viewed it as a supernatural thriller with visually engaging sequences, driven by Tamannaah Bhatia’s presence and Ashok Teja’s mythological focus. Still, its conventional narrative, underwritten characters, and overemphasis on gore curb its impact.

Sushmita Dey of Times Now gave the film two and a half out of five stars, stating, "Even Tamannaah Bhatia's Performance Can't Save This Underwhelming Supernatural Thriller." She depicted it as a visually appealing supernatural thriller with effective background music by Ajaneesh Loknath and a committed performance by Tamannaah Bhatia. However, its weak screenplay and slow pacing under Ashok Teja’s direction lead to a lack of genuine thrills and emotional depth. Arjun Menon of Rediff.com rated the film one and a half out of five stars, noting, "Tamannaah Rises Above Campy Horror." He described it as a visually vibrant supernatural thriller, elevated by Tamannaah Bhatia’s commanding performance and Soundararajan’s dynamic cinematography. Yet, Ashok Teja’s direction and a simplistic screenplay result in a loud, emotionally shallow narrative that fails to fulfill its pulpy ghost story potential.

External links

• Odela 2 at IMDb