Movie Title: Tunnel
Director: Ravindra Madhava
Casting: Atharvaa Murali, Lavanya Tripathi ,Ashwin Kakumanu , Shah Ra, Barani, Selva, Azhagam Perumal, Bose Venkat, Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli, Bhaarath, Thoufiq, Sarvhaa, Pradeep K. Vijayan
Music Composer: Justin Prabhakaran
Cinematography: Sakthi Saravanan
Editor: Kalaivanan
Banner: Lachuram Productions
Genre : Action Thriller
Producer: A. Raju Nayak
Filmycycle.com Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Tunnel: An intriguing thriller (3/5)
Fresh after the success of DNA, Tamil hero Atharvaa Murali is back with an interesting thriller titled, Tunnel. Directed by Ravindra Madhava, the movie Telugu rights are acquired by Lachuram Productions owned by A. Raju Nayak. The film has hit the screens on September 19th in Telugu. Let’s Review it.
Synopsis:
Tunnel story takes place in 2016 with a gripping police encounter in the slums, where a team of officers bring down a ruthless gang of bank robbers. A year later, the tables turn when a mysterious figure (Ashwin Kakamanu) emerges from the shadows, targeting those very officers one after another. What begins as a routine patrol for a fresh-faced recruit (Atharvaa Murali) soon spirals into a nightmarish clash of vengeance and survival. As the story unfolds, the film gradually uncovers the deeper conflict driving the masked avenger and the men sworn to uphold the law.
Performances:
Atharvaa slips into the role of the rookie with ease, grounding the chaos with his earnest presence. Yet, it is Ashwin Kakamanu who steals the spotlight his intense, layered portrayal infuses the antagonist with both menace and a haunting sense of humanity.On the flip side, Lavanya Tripathi gets little scope, with her romantic subplot coming across as a distraction rather than an asset.Shah Ra struggles early on with misplaced comedy, but redeems himself with a more assured turn in the latter portions.
Analysis:
Tunnel stumbles when it tries to balance too many tones and timelines. The midsection diverts into a pair of flashbacks meant to add depth, but they only slow the narrative down. The antagonist’s backstory carries genuine emotional heft, yet it’s oddly undercut by an animated sequence that feels out of place in an otherwise raw, grounded film. On the other hand, the hero’s romantic arc comes across as filler, stretching the runtime and softening the urgency of the main conflict.
Technical Department:
On the technical front, the film delivers striking visuals its night sequences and the tense tunnel episode stand out in particular. However, the editing leaves noticeable gaps, including a glaring continuity slip where a scene set in 2017 references a 2023 release.The first half is bogged down by misplaced humor and sluggish pacing, but things tighten considerably after the interval, where the tension ratchets up to a gripping, emotionally charged finale. The climactic reveal is handled with skill, yet the overall impact is blunted by uneven pacing and tonal dissonance.
Verdict:
Altogether, Tunnel has some gripping and on spot thrills that will keep the audience hooked to the narrative. Direction Ravindra Madhava, handled the movie nicely but once the twist in the tale is revealed things look predictable yet delivers a quality output due to the well making standards.
