Movie: Psych Siddhartha
Rating: 1.5/5
Banner: Spirit Media, Nanduness, Keep Rolling Pictures
Cast: Shree Nandu, Yaamini Bhaskar, Narasimha S, Priyanka Rebekah Srinivas, Sukesh, Wadekar Narsing, Bobby Ratakonda, Sakshi Atree Chaturvedi, Mounika, Pradyumna Billuri, and others
Music: Smaran Sai
DOP: K Prakash Reddy
Editor: Prateek Nuti
Producers: Shree Nandu, Shyam Sunder Reddy Thudi
Written and Direction: Varun Reddy
Release Date: Jan 01, 2026
A film releasing on the very first day of the New Year usually generates a certain buzz, and “Psych Siddhartha” was no exception. The interest around the film further increased with Suresh Productions coming on board as the distributor.
Now that Shree Nandu’s “Psych Siddhartha” has hit theatres on the opening day of 2026, let’s take a look at how the film fares.
Story:
Siddhartha Reddy (Shree Nandu) is cheated in business by Mansoor, and soon after, his girlfriend Trisha (Priyanka Rebekah Srinivas) also betrays him, choosing to settle with Mansoor.
Shattered by these back-to-back setbacks, Siddhartha spirals into a disturbed state of life, living alone in a rundown apartment, drowning himself in alcohol.
Living on the floor below is Shravya (Yaamini Bhaskar), a woman burdened with her own problems. Unexpected circumstances bring the two together, slowly setting Siddhartha’s life on a different path.
Artistes’ Performances:
Shree Nandu has invested heavily in this film, taking on multiple responsibilities as the lead actor, co-writer, and producer. After showcasing his natural ease and subtlety in the recently released Dhandoraa, he delivers a sincere performance here as well. While he shines in the role, the character itself lacks strong empathetic layers, making it feel somewhat one-dimensional.
Yaamini Bhaskar fits the role of a single mother convincingly, both in terms of appearance and performance. The supporting cast has limited scope, with little room to make an impact. The child actor who plays Yaamini’s son, however, stands out with an endearing presence.
Technical Excellence:
The film is shot almost entirely on a couple of roads in Hyderabad and within a single locality. While the production design and cinematography attempt to lend authenticity and support the narrative, the limitations are evident.
The film consistently gives off a low-budget feel, with modest production and technical values apparent throughout. However, music and songs really feel fresh, catchy and clear.
Highlights:
Music and Songs
Drawback:
Lack of engaging narrative
One dimensional story, screenplay
Too much of repetitiveness
Chaotic and messy feel
No emotional vibe
Vulgarity
Analysis
After the success of “Arjun Reddy,” several Telugu films have adopted a familiar narrative pattern like portraying the protagonist as an alcoholic, careless, and aggressively masculine figure. What many filmmakers seem to overlook, however, is that Arjun Reddy had a method to its madness. There was coherence, emotional logic, and a strong narrative grammar driving the chaos.
Merely imitating the protagonist’s attitude, peppering the script with bold dialogues, suggestive scenes, and showcasing reckless behaviour does not automatically make a film engaging.
“Psych Siddhartha” falls into this very trap. The film begins on a promising note, effectively presenting Siddhartha as an isolated man battling alcoholism for specific reasons. However, when the backstory revealing why he ended up in this state unfolds, it fails to leave a strong impact or emotional connect.
Initially, the editing style and overlapping dialogue delivery seem experimental and stylistic, but soon they begin to feel like a gimmick.
The excessive use of images, meme videos, and on-screen text for narration neither adds a trendy touch nor enhances the storytelling. Instead, it gives the film an uneven, short-film-like feel. The character of Trisha and her actions lack clarity; while she claims to be a confused individual, the writing and presentation of her role appear equally confused. At times, even the director seems unsure about how to stage certain sequences.
The segment where Siddhartha begins to emerge from his dormant, self-destructive phase and finds purpose through painting is one of the few portions that makes sense thematically. Unfortunately, soon after, the film slips into a predictable formula, focusing on routine romantic and jealousy-driven sequences involving Shree Nandu and Yaamini Bhaskar.
Overall, “Psych Siddhartha” starts off trying to appear hip and edgy in its narrative approach, but gradually turns chaotic and tests the viewer’s patience. Despite Shree Nandu’s sincere efforts, the film ultimately becomes a bore. Towards the end, a character directly addresses the audience, asking why they are still seated and questioning the need for a formulaic happy ending. Ironically, the film itself does not break away from the very formula it mocks.
Bottom-line: Messy Execution