The Telugu film Racharikam (2025) is a political drama that delves into the depths of power, casteism and gender inequalities in a rural backdrop. The film is directed by Suresh Lankalapalli and stars Vijay Shankar, Varun Sandesh and Apsara Rani in the lead roles. The story of the film revolves around Raja Reddy (Srikanth Iyengar), a powerful leader who rules the village with all his might. He desires a daughter, but events take place in his life that shake his thinking. While her daughter Bhargavi (Apsara Rani), son Vivek (Varun Sandesh) and Bhargavi’s lover Shiva (Vijay Shankar) play important roles in this struggle.
Apsara Rani surprised the audience with her glamorous avatar in the first part of the film and with her powerful dialogues in the second part. However, the story of the film seems quite predictable and the protagonist’s character weakens in the second half. The music is composed by Vengi and the cinematography is by Arya Sai Krishna, which depicts the rural setting well.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Racharikam |
| Release Date | 31 January 2025 |
| Language | Telugu |
| Genre | Political Drama |
| Directed by | Suresh Lankalapalli |
| Written by | Suresh Lankalapalli |
| Produced by | Esshwar |
| Production Company | Chill Bross Entertainment |
| Running Time | 135 minutes |
| Main Cast | Vijay Shankar, Varun Sandesh, Apsara Rani |
| Supporting Cast | Srikanth Iyengar, Hyper Aadi, Satish Saripalli |
| Cinematography | Arya Sai Krishna |
| Edited by | JP |
| Music by | Vengi |
| Plot Theme | Rural politics, caste and gender oppression, power struggle |
| Box Office / Reception | Mixed reviews; praised for performances, criticized for predictability |
| IMDb/Review Ratings | Cinejosh – 2/5, The Hans India – 3/5, OTTPlay – Mixed |
Racharikam Story
Racharikam is a Telugu political drama film, the story of which revolves around rural power, casteism and gender discrimination. The main character of the film is Raja Reddy (Srikanth Iyengar), who holds undefeated power in Rachakonda village and has ambitions of becoming the Chief Minister. Raja Reddy desires a daughter, but his life takes a turn that challenges both his thinking and power.
Raja Reddy’s daughter Bhargavi (Apsara Rani) stands up to her father’s authority. She, along with her lover Shiva (Vijay Shankar), raises her voice against social injustice. Bhargavi’s brother Vivek (Varun Sandesh) is a serious and impressive character who is torn between family and society.
The film shows how women and lower castes are oppressed in the village and how the hunger for power crushes the innocent. While the first half is full of violence, political intrigue and a love story, the second half turns emotional and more violent. Apsara Rani’s character takes a strong turn in the second half where she surprises the audience with her powerful dialogues and strong acting.
Though the story of the film seems a bit cliched and the character of the protagonist weakens in the second half, some powerful dialogues, beautiful cinematography of rural settings and impressive performance of Apsara Rani make the film worth watching.
Movie Trailer
Conclusion
Racharikam is a political drama that highlights social issues like casteism, oppression of women and abuse of power. Though the story seems familiar and the direction lacks innovation, Apsara Rani’s strong performance and some impressive scenes carry the film. The cinematography and music are decent, but the editing and screenplay lack finesse. Overall, Racharikam is an average film that is memorable only for its message and some strong characters. This film is worth watching once.