A Telugu crime thriller now streaming on Prime Video struggles to balance feminist messaging with gripping storytelling
Cheekatilo Movie Review: Sharan Kopishetty’s latest Telugu offering, Cheekatilo (In the Darkness), arrives on Amazon Prime Video with ambitious intentions but delivers a mixed bag of serial killer thrills. Starring Sobhita Dhulipala in a performance-driven role, this crime drama attempts to merge social commentary with psychological suspense but ultimately stumbles in execution.
Cheekatilo Movie Plot Overview
The narrative kicks off with a chilling prologue set three decades in the past. A young woman becomes the victim of a brutal masked assailant, identifiable only by his sinister calling card—jasmine flowers left at each crime scene. Fast-forward 30 years, and the jasmine killer resurfaces, targeting the close friend of television journalist Sandhya (Sobhita Dhulipala).
Unlike typical sensationalist media personalities, Sandhya approaches true crime reporting with unusual empathy and journalistic integrity. When her friend falls victim to the resurfaced serial murderer, she transforms from observer to investigator, utilizing her analytical skills to piece together connections that law enforcement overlooks.
Supported by her boyfriend Amar (Viswhadev Rachakonda), Sandhya dives deeper into the decades-old mystery, eventually drawing the killer’s attention and putting herself directly in harm’s way.
Performance and Production Quality
| Aspect | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Performance | 3.5/5 | Sobhita Dhulipala delivers committed work |
| Supporting Cast | 3/5 | Adequate but underutilized |
| Direction | 2.5/5 | Loses focus in maintaining tension |
| Screenplay | 2.5/5 | Over-reliant on coincidence |
| Overall Impact | 2.5/5 | Barely adequate thriller experience |
Sobhita Dhulipala shoulders the film admirably, portraying a feminist journalist whose stern demeanor and unwavering dedication to victims’ dignity provide the movie’s emotional anchor. However, the script by Chandra Pemmaraju and Kopishetty doesn’t always serve her character’s intelligence convincingly.
Where Cheekatilo Loses Its Edge
The film possesses all the standard ingredients for an engaging serial killer thriller—disturbing crimes, victim-blaming commentary, a determined protagonist, and an unexpected culprit. Yet these elements never coalesce into a genuinely gripping experience.
Key Weaknesses:
- 1. Implausible Investigation: Sandhya’s amateur detective work repeatedly outpaces professional law enforcement not through superior deduction but through screenplay convenience. Her podcast revelations feel forced rather than earned.
- 2. Suspense Mismanagement: The film’s attempts to maintain mystery around the killer’s identity and motivations backfire, creating confusion rather than intrigue.
- 3. Logic Gaps: The murderer’s inexplicable delays in confronting Sandhya represent just one of many narrative shortcuts that undermine believability.
- 4. Pacing Issues: Despite running under two hours, the thriller struggles to maintain momentum, with investigative sequences that feel repetitive rather than revelatory.
Social Commentary vs. Storytelling
Cheekatilo deserves recognition for its well-intentioned feminist perspective. The film directly addresses how violence against women is reported, the societal tendency to blame victims, and the importance of treating crime survivors with dignity. Sandhya’s character embodies these values consistently.
However, the movie’s earnest messaging often overshadows narrative coherence. The screenplay appears more interested in making Sandhya an idealized hero than a believable one, granting her investigative breakthroughs that strain credibility.
Technical Aspects and Atmosphere
The film establishes atmospheric tension in its opening sequences, with effective use of shadows and confined spaces during attack scenes. The jasmine flower signature provides a memorable visual motif that could have been exploited more effectively throughout.
Cinematography captures the nocturnal dread essential to serial killer narratives, though the execution remains conventional rather than distinctive.
Final Verdict
Cheekatilo represents a “barely adequate” addition to the serial killer thriller genre. While Sobhita Dhulipala’s committed performance and the film’s progressive stance on women’s safety provide worthwhile elements, structural weaknesses prevent it from achieving genuine suspense or lasting impact.
Best For: Fans of Sobhita Dhulipala, viewers interested in socially conscious crime dramas, Telugu cinema enthusiasts looking for something different from mainstream fare.
Skip If: You demand tight plotting and plausible detective work in your thrillers, or prefer psychological suspense that doesn’t rely heavily on convenient coincidences.
Where to Watch Cheekatilo Movie
Cheekatilo (In the Darkness) is currently streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in Telugu with subtitles available.
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
The film’s heart is unquestionably in the right place, championing important conversations about violence against women and responsible journalism. Unfortunately, good intentions don’t automatically translate to gripping cinema. Cheekatilo needed sharper writing and more disciplined direction to match its admirable ambitions with actual thrills.
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Chaitan Limkar is an entertainment writer specializing in movie reviews, box office collections, and web series coverage. With a sharp understanding of audience preferences and industry trends, he delivers accurate, engaging, and insight-driven content on films and digital streaming platforms. His writing focuses on honest reviews, reliable box office analysis, and timely entertainment news, helping readers stay updated with the latest happenings in cinema and OTT entertainment.
