drive telugu movie review
“Drive” (Telugu) is a cyber‑themed revenge thriller starring Aadhi Pinisetty that released in December 2025 and has largely received mixed‑to‑negative reviews, with most critics calling it a dull, undercooked thriller despite a committed lead performance. A few audience reactions are more positive, praising Aadhi and the suspense elements, but these are in the minority compared to critical consensus.
Quick Scoop
- Genre & premise: A cyber revenge thriller about media tycoon Jayadev Reddy (Aadhi Pinisetty), whose secret political deal is exposed by an anonymous hacker who starts attacking his personal world.
- Critical verdict: Major Telugu review outlets rate it around 2/5, calling it a mediocre, skippable thriller with weak writing and flat execution.
- Audience chatter: Some viewers say it is “worth watching” for Aadhi and the clean narrative without unnecessary commercial padding, but this is not the dominant opinion.
Story & Setup
- Jayadev Reddy is shown as a powerful, calculating business magnate planning to move to London with his family while secretly dealing with a nationalist group.
- When a hacker leaks this backdoor deal, Jayadev’s life collapses as the hacker targets those close to him, turning the film into a digital cat‑and‑mouse game about who the hacker is and why he wants revenge.
What Works
- Aadhi Pinisetty’s performance: Critics and users alike agree that Aadhi brings sincerity and intensity, often carrying otherwise weak scenes on his shoulders.
- Moments of tension & visuals: A few confrontational conversations between Jayadev and the unseen hacker create brief spikes of suspense, and the cinematography by Abinandhan Ramanujam is frequently singled out as the film’s strongest technical element.
- Climactic stretch & tease of continuation: A late‑film appearance by Satyadev reportedly leaves more impact than much of the prior runtime and hints at possible continuation or a larger universe.
What Fails
- Flat writing and execution: Reviews repeatedly say the film fails to build sustained tension or emotional stakes, with an overly familiar revenge plot and underexplained hacker motivation.
- Lack of freshness: Despite its cyber‑thriller packaging, critics call the narrative clichéd and two‑dimensional, never delivering the sharp battle of wits the premise suggests.
- Pacing issues & music: The second half is described as dragging, while Osho Venkat’s background score is considered mismatched to the tone and largely forgettable.
Critical vs Audience View
Here is a compact look at how different perspectives line up:
| Aspect | Critic View | Audience/Forum Chatter |
|---|---|---|
| Overall quality | “Dull revenge drama… easy to skip”, ~2/5 ratings. | [1][3]Some say “absolutely worth watching” but not a widely held stance. | [5]
| Story & writing | Clichéd plot, low suspense, weak motivations. | [3][1]Viewers wanting a tight, novel thriller often feel underwhelmed. | [1][3]
| Performances | Aadhi is solid but “wasted” on poor material. | [3][1]Fans highlight him as the main reason to watch. | [5]
| Technical craft | Good visuals and framing; BGM considered weak; editing can’t fix draggy second half. | [1][3]Some casual viewers appreciate the polished look and simple, no‑nonsense flow. | [5][1]
| Rewatch / recommendation | Mostly recommended to skip unless you’re a big Aadhi fan or into cyber themes. | [3][1]Fans who enjoyed it treat it as a one‑time, expectation‑free watch. | [5]
Should You Watch It Now?
- If you are an Aadhi Pinisetty fan or curious about Telugu attempts at cyber‑centric thrillers, this can work as a one‑time, low‑expectation watch for his performance and some stylish frames.
- If you expect a tight, edgy thriller with strong writing, twisty plotting, and sustained tension, current reviews suggest you will likely be disappointed and may prefer to wait or skip.
TL;DR: As of late 2025, “Drive” in Telugu is trending more as a missed opportunity than a standout thriller, with craft and lead acting unable to overcome weak storytelling.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.