Movie Title: Bakaasura Restaurant
Release Date: August 8, 2025
Filmycycle.com Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.75/5)
Cast: Praveen, Harsha Chemudu, Garuda Ram, Krishna Bhagawan, Shining Phani
Director: SJ Shiva
Producers: Lakshmaiah Achari, Janardhan Achari
Music: Vikas Badisa
Cinematography: Bala Saraswathi
Editing: Marthand K. Venkatesh
Bakaasura Restaurant- Lacks freshness in treatment
Bakaasura Restaurant is a Telugu horror-comedy that features comedians Praveen and Harsha Chemudu in prominent roles. The film was released in theatres on August 8, 2025. Let’s Review it.
Synopsis:
Paramesh (played by Praveen) is a software professional living in Hyderabad along with four of his friends. He harbors ambitions of launching his own restaurant but lacks the means to do so. In a desperate bid for money, the group starts creating ghost-hunting videos for YouTube, hoping to earn some quick fame and cash.During one of their shoots inside an old palace, they stumble upon a mystical Tantra Sastra book. They decide to perform a ritual from the book, expecting wealth, but instead, they inadvertently summon a spirit. Following this, a series of eerie events unfold.The core of the story revolves around the identity of the ghost, its intentions, and how Paramesh and his friends deal with the supernatural chaos. Does the spirit become a threat, or does it guide them toward their dreams? The film explores this question with a mix of humor and horror.
Performances:
Praveen makes a comeback as a lead actor and delivers a heartfelt performance. As a middle-class man chasing big dreams, he brings authenticity and charm, especially in scenes that reflect everyday struggles. His portrayal feels rooted and relatable.
Among the supporting cast, Vivek Dandu and Shining Phani do justice to their roles. Harsha Chemudu, although seen briefly, makes a notable impression in a pivotal part. The film’s initial ghostly encounters are handled with flair and bring in some genuinely entertaining moments.
Analysis:
While Bakaasura Restaurant starts off with promising set-up, the narrative begins to falter as it progresses. The setup is decent, but the film gradually loses momentum. The second half, which had potential to raise the stakes, ends up delivering only in bits and pieces.
Several scenes feel unnecessarily prolonged, affecting the overall rhythm. A particularly jarring stretch set in a dargah comes across as misplaced and poorly conceptualized. Emotional threads are occasionally effective but aren’t enough to cover up the lapses in storytelling.
Harsha Chemudu’s role, in particular, is underutilized. His backstory is hurried through and lacks the depth it deserved. Krishna Bhagavan doesn’t leave much of an impression, and the female characters have little to contribute. A few comedy bits also feel redundant and add to the film’s bloated runtime.
Technical Department:
Director SJ Shiva attempts a horror-comedy blend but struggles with the film’s pacing and uneven writing.
Bala Saraswathi’s cinematography is passable, and Vikas Badisa’s music strikes the right chord in certain scenes. Editing by Marthand K. Venkatesh could have been crisper as several sequences overstay their welcome. On the positive side, production values are fairly solid.
Verdict:
Altogether, Bakaasura Restaurant is a standard horror-comedy that offers occasional fun but fails to fully capitalize on its premise. While Praveen and Harsha Chemudu give sincere performances and the first half has its moments, the film eventually becomes bogged down by a sluggish pace and uninspired writing. It’s not a complete letdown, but far from memorable. If you’re looking for weekend entertainment, you might want to look elsewhere.
