Aishwarya Rajesh’s Isakapatnam Review: Samuthirakani Steals the Show in a Slow-Burning Crime Thriller

Rating: 2.75/5

— Surya Prakash Josyula

Story:

Set against the backdrop of the 1980s and 90s, this story takes place in a coastal port area. Naidu (Samuthirakani) migrates to the Isakapatnam port region with his wife and daughter to earn a livelihood. Though he starts as a common laborer, he is driven by an intense lust for power and cruelty. He is someone who will go to any length to grow in life.

Within a short period of arriving in the area, he murders the local fishermen’s leader, Chinnarao (Rajeev Kanakala), and takes complete control of the port area. Through smuggling, illegal businesses, and rowdyism, he turns into an unstoppable force.

Naidu has a daughter named Bharathi (Aishwarya Rajesh), who is the exact opposite of her father. She is a very gentle girl. Staying away from violence, she helps the poor through an NGO. She is in love with a car driver named Suri (Sudhakar Komakula). However, she learns that her father is planning to marry her off to Pratap Varma (Ravi Varma) to resolve his political troubles.

What did Bharathi do then? What kind of game did she play against her father? How did Naidu respond? What is the role of ‘Pothana’ (Jwala Koti) in this story? What are the roles of police officer Varma (Sunil) and Peddanna (Naresh Agastya)? Who is the real hero of this story, and how does it finally end? You have to watch the web series ‘Isakapatnam’ to find out.

Analysis:

In reality, Bharathi is the hero of this story. However, we do not realize this until the very end. By the time we understand that Bharathi is the trump card hidden by the director, the series comes to an end. Why did this happen?

From the very beginning of Isakapatnam, we mostly see Naidu’s world. His growth, his empire, his decisions—everything happens from his perspective. Bharathi, on the other hand, remains a mysterious character for a long time. What is she thinking? Why is she silent? What is her ultimate goal? The audience is left in the dark about all of this.

This creates a major issue. If Bharathi is the actual hero of the story, the audience does not travel with her in the screenplay. The audience merely observes her instead of experiencing her journey. That is the difference. A character hidden just for the sake of a twist fails to capture the emotional depth.

The director intended to give a twist at the end revealing that “Bharathi is the actual mastermind.” But every twist comes with a price, and here, that price is Emotional Attachment. If the audience had seen Bharathi’s internal conflict from the very beginning—why she hates her father, why she isn’t fighting back, and what she is waiting for—her victory in the climax would have felt like a personal victory for the viewers as well.

Instead, her mastermind persona is suddenly revealed in the climax. As viewers, we are surprised, but we aren’t emotionally moved. Even though she emerges as the hero in the climax, the journey required for her to grow as a hero in the audience’s hearts is missing.

There is another interesting aspect to this series. The director has written many characters, but Samuthirakani’s screen presence appears massive compared to everyone else. The remaining characters seem to revolve entirely around him. In a way, Samuthirakani’s performance overshadows all the other roles.

Additionally, while “the first three episodes feel slow,” the slowness itself isn’t the main issue. The problem is that they are filled with ‘information scenes’. The director takes a lot of time carefully introducing each character. These introductions do not drive the story forward; they merely showcase the world. In a screenplay, what moves the audience forward is not information, but conflict.

Final Thought:
Despite a few shortcomings, you can watch Isakapatnam for the solid performances of Samuthirakani and Aishwarya Rajesh.

Where to Watch:
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video in Telugu.