ANAKAPALLI MOVIE REVIEW & RATING:

Anakapalli, starring Vikram Sahidev and Sandhya Vasishta in the lead roles, is a rural romantic action drama that blends love, gangster elements, family emotions and action. Tarak Ponnappa plays a powerful negative-shaded character, while the film is directed by Khagesh Tammineni and written and scripted by Trinadha Rao Nakkina.

The film hit theatres on October 2, 2026. Here’s our review of Anakapalli.

Story

Surya (Vikram Sahidev) is a carefree young man from Anakapalli who prefers enjoying life rather than worrying about his future. His otherwise simple life changes when he falls in love with Amrutha (Sandhya Vasishta), a girl from his village.

Meanwhile, Bullet (Tarak Ponnappa) is a feared local gangster who has established his dominance in the town. A series of circumstances brings Surya into Bullet’s gang, gradually pulling him into a world of crime and violence.

As Surya becomes increasingly involved with Bullet, he finds himself torn between his loyalty to the gangster and his love for Amrutha. Things take a dramatic turn when Surya is forced to confront Bullet, leading to a series of challenges that test his courage, relationships and emotions.

Why does Surya join Bullet’s gang? What makes him go against the gangster? And how does Amrutha influence the choices he makes? The answers form the core of the story.

Performances

Vikram Sahidev delivers a sincere performance as Surya. He shows visible improvement in his acting, particularly in his expressions and body language. He also handles the action sequences with confidence and brings intensity to the character.

Sandhya Vasishta is convincing as Amrutha. Her natural appearance suits the rural setting, and she brings a pleasant screen presence to the romantic portions. Her chemistry with Vikram works well, while she also gets an emotional role, particularly around the pre-interval sequence.

Tarak Ponnappa makes a strong impression as Bullet. His rugged look, dialogue delivery and commanding screen presence suit the gangster character perfectly. He brings the required intensity and menace to the role.

Trinadha Rao Nakkina, making his acting debut in a crucial role, delivers an effective performance.

Indraja once again impresses as a caring mother. Her natural performance gives the family-oriented scenes emotional weight.

Kandregula Naidu makes his acting debut as a local gangster and creates a noticeable impact.

Nandini Rai adds glamour with her special song, while Sangeetha Krish makes her presence felt in the energetic climax song.

Chanti and Mahabub Basha provide additional entertainment and support in key sequences.

Analysis

The biggest strength of Anakapalli is its rural gangster backdrop. The film attempts to bring together romance, action, crime and family emotions while keeping Surya’s transformation at the centre of the narrative.

The screenplay has a few engaging turns, especially when Surya’s relationship with Bullet begins to change. The emotional and family-oriented portions add depth to the proceedings and prevent the film from becoming just another gangster drama.

Director Khagesh Tammineni captures the rustic atmosphere effectively and maintains a reasonable balance between the romantic, emotional and action portions. While certain stretches could have been tighter, the film manages to hold attention through its central conflict and emotional moments.

The climax stands out, bringing an unexpected turn to Surya’s journey and giving the story an emotional conclusion.

Technical Aspects

Davzand’s music suits the rural setting, while the background score elevates several emotional and action sequences.

Maaya V’s cinematography effectively captures the village atmosphere. The rustic visuals and framing complement the mood of the story.

Srikrishna Attaluri’s editing is neat and keeps the narrative moving across its different emotional and action-driven portions.

The dialogues by Uday Bhagavatula are another positive, particularly in the rural and emotional sequences. The rest of the technical department delivers adequate support.

Verdict

Anakapalli is a rustic romantic action drama that combines love, gangster elements and family emotions. Vikram Sahidev and Tarak Ponnappa’s performances, the rural setting, emotional sequences and an interesting climax work in the film’s favour.

Though the screenplay could have been tighter in parts, the film manages to deliver an engaging blend of romance, action and family drama.

Bottom Line: A Rustic Romantic Action Drama With Emotional Depth

THE SOUTH INDIA TIMES RATING:3/5