Show Time Movie Review

Story Overview

Show Time is a 2025 Telugu-language crime thriller directed by Madhan Dakshinamurthy. It depicts the unraveling of a middle-class family—Surya, his wife Shanti, and their daughter—when their night of casual family games takes a dark turn. An accidental crime pushes them into a web of guilt and paranoia that exposes hidden fears and emotions.

Performances and Character Dynamics

Naveen Chandra offers a sincere and grounded portrayal as Surya, steadily conveying fear and determination throughout his ordeal.
Kamakshi Bhaskarla brings realistic emotion to Shanti’s role, anchoring the film’s emotional center.
VK Naresh injects comic relief as the family lawyer, though sometimes crosses into overacting.
Raja Ravindra stands out as the imposing cop Lakshmi Kanth, delivering a convincing performance that raises tension effectively.

Direction and Screenplay Flow

Madhan Dakshinamurthy introduces a tense premise but stretches the buildup across the first half, testing viewers’ patience.
Despite this, the second half finds momentum as the psychological tension and confrontations ramp up.

Visual Aesthetic & Technical Craft

Cinematographer Vinod Raja Thiyagaraja crafts a claustrophobic atmosphere by keeping much of the action confined within tight, tense settings.
The background score by Sekhar Chandra builds suspense effectively, enhancing key emotional moments.

Narrative Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths:

• A solid emotional anchor in the central family, especially through Naveen Chandra and Kamakshi.
• A psychological thriller that occasionally delivers compelling payoffs late in the film.

Weaknesses:

• A slow-moving first half that weakens dramatic tension.
• Lack of tighter pacing and sharper edits that could have elevated the thriller aspect.
• Audience Buzz & Final Thoughts

Critics have described Show Time as “uneven,” noting that it drifts between riveting psychological drama and dull narrative gaps.
On BookMyShow, viewers describe it as “a gripping thriller that explores how an accidental murder shatters the lives of a middle-class family.”

Verdict

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Show Time grabs your attention with an engaging premise and solid performances, particularly by Naveen Chandra and Raja Ravindra. However, a stretched first half and pacing issues dull its impact. A worthwhile watch if you enjoy character-driven crime thrillers that reward patience.

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