Jatadhara Review: Horror Thriller with Sudheer Babu and Sonakshi Sinha Movie

Title: Jatadhara

Cast: Sudheer Babu, Sonakshi Sinha, Shilpa Shirodkar, Divya Khosla, Rajiv Kanakala, Jhansi, Avasara

Producers: Umesh Kumar Bansal, Shivin Narang, Aruna Aggarwal, Prerna Arora, Shilpa Singh Hull, Nikhil Nanda

Directors: Venkat Kalyan, Abhishek Jaiswal

Music: Rajiv Raj

Release Date: November 7, 2025

Plot Summary:

Shiva (Sudheer Babu) is a scientist at heart and a skeptic when it comes to ghosts, dedicating his life to investigating paranormal activities scientifically. Unknown to his parents (Jhansi and Rajiv Kanakala), he travels to haunted locations to study supernatural occurrences. The story gains momentum when Ankit, the assistant of renowned ghost hunter Mani Sharma (Avasarala Srinivas), dies under mysterious circumstances. Shiva heads to the village of Rudraram, despite warnings connected to his past.

The film raises questions: What secrets link Shiva to Rudraram? Why does the enigmatic Dhan Pishachi (Sonakshi Sinha) reside there? What injustice affected Shiva’s family involving a sinister money vampire? And how does Shiva plan to bring peace to the tormented souls of his parents? The answers unfold only by watching the movie.

Review:

The story follows a familiar formula of combining horror with mythology. The hero, initially a skeptic, uncovers connections to the haunted village through flashbacks and ultimately confronts supernatural forces using divine intervention. While the premise has potential, the execution falls short in delivering consistent thrills.

The film offers moments of mild suspense, but the emotional depth is lacking, reducing audience engagement. The story itself feels repetitive, with no standout scene generating excitement. Flashbacks meant to explain Shiva’s disbelief in ghosts stretch unnecessarily, and the romance subplot drags the pace further.

Though the idea of the “money vampire” seems ominous, it fails to leave a lasting impact on viewers. The second half gains slight momentum during the interval but again loses grip due to stretched storytelling. The Dhan Pishachi sequences and the climax involving Shiva do not leave a significant impression, even with a sequel teased.

Performances:

Sudheer Babu makes a sincere effort but struggles due to the weak character construction. Divya Khosla has limited screen time, while her chemistry with Sudheer falls flat. Shilpa Shirodkar plays Shobha with a negative angle convincingly, but Sonakshi Sinha as the money vampire lacks depth and dialogue impact, mostly resorting to screams. Rajiv Kanakala, Subhalekha Sudhakar, and Rohit Pathak deliver solid performances.

Technical Aspects:

Cinematography stands out as a strength, while background music and VFX are underwhelming. The production quality is good, but technical elements do little to enhance the overall experience.

Conclusion:

Jatadhara has an intriguing premise blending myth and horror, yet uneven storytelling and lack of emotional engagement prevent it from being a gripping thriller. Fans of the genre may find some moments interesting, but the film largely struggles to impress.