The Paradise Movie Review: Nani’s Most Ambitious Film Yet Divides Critics, Wins the Box Office

A look at the story, the reviews, and the box office numbers behind Telugu cinema’s biggest recent release.

The Story

Set in 1980s Secunderabad, The Paradise follows a marginalized tribal community that has long been denied its basic rights and citizenship. Nani plays a character named Dhagad, a rugged, rebellious leader who rises up against a system built to keep his people oppressed. The film pairs its political backdrop with an intimate emotional thread — director Srikanth Odela has said the story is anchored in the emotional bond between a mother and her son, with Nani’s character fighting for both his mother and his land.

Backing Nani is a stacked supporting cast: Kayadu Lohar as the female lead, Raghav Juyal in a menacing villain turn as “Vikram Malik,” veteran Mohan Babu as the antagonist force, and comedian-actor Sampoornesh Babu in a pivotal role. The film reunites Nani with Odela, the director who gave him his career-best hit, Dasara (2023).

Our Take: A Mixed but Massive Theatrical Experience

The Paradise arrives with the weight of enormous expectations — Nani himself called it the kind of mass film he’d always wanted to watch as an audience member, and reportedly the most physically and mentally tiring film of his 18-year career. That effort is visible on screen: the scale is bigger, the action rawer, and Odela leans hard into the raw, unfiltered tone he promised, describing the film as one that doesn’t blur or mask societal taboos.

But the reception has been genuinely split. Early reviews are divided — some viewers praised the action sequences, scale, and Nani’s performance, while others flagged issues with the storyline and overall execution. It’s less a universally-loved blockbuster and more a bold, polarizing swing — the kind of film that plays great as a theatrical experience for some and drags for others, largely on pacing and screenplay grounds.

Even Nani has been unusually candid about this. In a post on social media after release, he acknowledged that he’d read the audience reactions and the flaws pointed out by critics, thanking fans for both the love and the “hilarious trolls,” while saying the film was made with a lot of hard work.

Box Office Collection

Despite the mixed reviews, The Paradise has been a monster at the ticket window:

For context, Nani’s previous hits HIT: The Third Case and Dasara had collected ₹31.50 crore and ₹32.95 crore respectively by their second day — so The Paradise is comfortably ahead of both on pure numbers, even with the steep single-day drop.

Should You Watch It?

If you’re a Nani fan or enjoy large-scale, socially-charged action dramas in the Dasara mold, The Paradise delivers spectacle, a strong villain in Raghav Juyal, and a story with real stakes. Just temper expectations on the screenplay — this is a film best enjoyed for its moments and performances rather than as a flawless narrative.

Sources & Further Reading