Mind-Blowing Psychological Crime Thriller – ‘FIGHT MAHA’

TELUGUTIMES.NET RATING 2.75/5

Production House: New Eye Movies LLP
Cinematography: Nani Ayyavelli
Editor: Anand Pawan
Production Designer: Devara Madhukar
Music: Vasanth Isaipettai
Lyrics: Sriram Tapasvi
Executive Producer: Narendra Chari
CEO: Srinivas Nallagandla, Rohini Studios
Producers: AVS Raju, R. Kumar Raju, Anand Chandra
Script & Direction: Anand Chandra
Release Date: August 21, 2026
Runtime: 1 hour 57 minutes

Sunil, Raju Weds Rambai fame Akhil Uddemari, Dr. Srivani Gopichand, Vaishnavi, Siddharth and Srikanth Ayyangar play key roles in ‘FIGHT MAHA’. The tagline of the film is, “If dreams come true, whose reality is it?” Anand Chandra, who previously directed the real-life-based film Murder, produced by Ram Gopal Varma, has now presented a fictional story as a psychological thriller. Produced by AVS Raju, R. Kumar Raju and Anand Chandra under the banner of New Eye Movies LLP, the film hit theatres on August 21. With a different and intriguing concept, how well does ‘FIGHT MAHA’ engage the audience? Let’s find out in this review.

Story
Maha (Akhil Uddemari) is an ordinary young man from Visakhapatnam. His mother is a school teacher, while his younger sister is studying Intermediate. Although Maha completes his B.Tech, his heart is completely devoted to art. His dream is to become the greatest artist in the world. However, his mother strongly opposes his ambition.“How can you build a stable future by simply drawing pictures? Get a proper job and secure your future,” she tells him.Unwilling to give up on his dream, Maha lies to his mother that he has got a job in Hyderabad and leaves home, determined to build a career in art.Struggling financially in Hyderabad, Maha gets an opportunity to work as a sketch artist in the police department. His sharp observation skills and remarkable ability to reproduce faces accurately make him extremely useful to the police. Apart from drawing sketches of suspects, he also provides crucial clues based on the minute details he observes, helping the police crack several cases.However, Maha has a much bigger problem haunting his life — a sleep disorder.Sleepwalking… terrifying dreams… memories of his childhood… and his deceased father (Sunil) appearing repeatedly in his dreams.Maha often wakes up without knowing where he is. Going to sleep in one place and waking up somewhere completely different becomes a regular occurrence in his life.

Unable to control his condition, Maha eventually consults the renowned psychologist Dr. Gupta (Srikanth Ayyangar).Seeking peace and stability in his troubled life, Maha develops feelings for Amina (Dr. Srivani Gopichand), a yoga teacher from Kerala.Just when things seem to be settling down, Maha unexpectedly comes face-to-face with his college ex-girlfriend Jessica (Vaishnavi). A materialistic woman who gives greater importance to money, Jessica happens to live in the apartment next to Maha’s in Hyderabad. Her constant presence causes immense mental stress for Maha and brings back painful memories from his past. Then, one night…Maha has a terrifying dream in which he murders Jessica.He wakes up in panic — only to receive an even bigger shock.He is not in his own house.He is inside Jessica’s house.And, to his horror…Jessica is actually dead.Maha is shattered.A terrifying question begins to haunt his mind:“Did I come to her house while sleepwalking? If so… did I actually kill her?”Did Maha really commit the murder?Is there an unknown person who has deliberately framed Maha for the crime?Why does his deceased father keep appearing in his dreams?Is there any connection between his father’s death and Maha’s sleepwalking disorder?Why does yoga teacher Amina distance herself from Maha?The answers to these questions form the rest of the story.

Performances
Akhil Uddemari, despite this being only his second film, impresses throughout the movie with the confidence and maturity of an experienced actor. His performance as the protagonist gives the feeling that Telugu cinema has found a promising young lead. At certain moments, his lively and energetic mannerisms even remind us of actor Nani.Sunil, who plays Maha’s father during his childhood, showcases different shades in his character. His determination to become the world’s No. 1 artist, his cruelty and his relentless hunger for success are clearly reflected in his eyes and performance. Dr. Srivani Gopichand as the heroine, Vaishnavi as the ex-girlfriend, along with Siddharth, Srikanth Ayyangar, Krishnam Raju (Jogi Brothers) and Sameer, deliver performances that suit their respective roles.

Technical Aspects
There is a touch of another RGV in director Anand Chandra’s treatment. Without unnecessarily stretching the content, he has crafted the screenplay in such a way that almost every sequence leaves the audience wondering, “What happens next?”While his earlier film Murder was based on a real-life incident, ‘FIGHT MAHA’ is a fictional story. However, the way the events are presented makes them feel as though something similar could actually happen in someone’s life. This realistic treatment works well for the film.The suspense, visuals, performances and, above all, the memorable sound design and background score come together effectively.Anand Chandra displays a clear sense of professionalism in his direction and presentation.Vasanth Isaipettai’s music and background score are major assets to the film. Cinematographer Nani Ayyavelli’s visuals add tremendous life to the narrative and effectively complement the psychological atmosphere.The runtime is just right for the story, the editing is crisp, and the production values are appropriate for the film.

Analysis
The film maintains its grip without unnecessary scenes, jerks or abrupt jumps. Every sequence creates enough curiosity to make the audience eagerly wait for what comes next.The director succeeds completely in delivering a nearly two-hour psychological crime drama that keeps the mind constantly engaged.Handling a crime drama of this nature is like walking on a razor’s edge. However, the ‘FIGHT MAHA’ team takes that risk and executes it with remarkable confidence and skill.With its edge-of-the-seat pacing, FIGHT MAHA delivers a strong punch.The film attempts to take the content-driven graph of Telugu cinema to the next level. With a runtime of just 1 hour and 57 minutes, it keeps you hooked to the big screen from beginning to end.

‘FIGHT MAHA’ is undoubtedly a gripping psychological crime thriller that keeps the audience guessing until the very end.