{ "id": "ep2afxwfef", "slug": "athidhi", "title": "Athidhi", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials", "label": "International serial drama and telenovelas", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_south_asia", "label": "South and Southeast Asian serials", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_south_asia" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_south_asia.telugu_serials", "label": "Telugu serials", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_south_asia.telugu_serials" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials", "label": "India · 2021 and later: International serial drama and telenovelas", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021", "label": "India · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials", "label": "International serial drama and telenovelas", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Athidhi (అతిథి) is a 2023 Telugu-language horror thriller web series written and directed by Bharath YG, starring Venu Thottempudi, which premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on September 19, 2023.", "snippet": "Athidhi (అతిథి) is a 2023 Telugu-language horror thriller web series written and directed by Bharath YG, starring Venu Thottempudi, which premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on September 19, 2023.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_south_asia.telugu_serials", "markdown": "# Athidhi\n\n**Athidhi** (అతిథి) is a 2023 Telugu-language horror thriller web series in which unexpected guests enter the house and life of a loner, unleashing a series of horrific events in which everyone becomes both a suspect and a victim.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28802669/) Written and directed by Bharath YG and produced by Praveen Sattaru, who also served as showrunner, it premiered on [Disney+ Hotstar](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-hotstar) on September 19, 2023 and consists of six episodes of roughly 29 minutes each.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/aug/31/venu-thottempudi-set-to-make-ott-debut-with-athidhi-47140.html) • [3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/athidhi/season-1)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Format | Telugu horror thriller web series, 6 episodes of about 29 minutes each[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/athidhi/season-1) |\n| Premiere | September 19, 2023, on Disney+ Hotstar (now JioHotstar)[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28802669/) |\n| Creator | Written and directed by Bharath YG; produced by Praveen Sattaru, also showrunner, under Random Frames Entertainment[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/aug/31/venu-thottempudi-set-to-make-ott-debut-with-athidhi-47140.html) |\n| Lead cast | Venu Thottempudi as Ravi Varma, Avantika Mishra as Maya, Aditi Gautam as Sandhya, Venkatesh Kakumanu as Savari[4](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/athidhi-telugu-web-series-review.html?=1) |\n| IMDb rating | 6.1/10 from about 445 votes; unweighted mean 7.2[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28802669/ratings/) |\n| Critical reception | Telugu reviews clustered around 2.5/5, with Filmibeat giving 2.75/5[4](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/athidhi-telugu-web-series-review.html?=1) • [6](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/reviews/athidhi-telugu-web-series-review-and-rating-venu-thottempudi-lives-upto-the-character-125047.html) |\n| Certification | U/A 16+[7](https://www.airtelxstream.in/tv-shows/athidhi/HOTSTAR_DTH_TVSHOW_4596) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Premise and story\n\nThe series centers on Ravi Varma ([Venu Thottempudi](https://www.edgepedia.org/venu-thottempudi)), a horror novelist who lives in a mansion with his paralyzed wife Sandhya (Aditi Gautam).[4](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/athidhi-telugu-web-series-review.html?=1) The teaser introduces a man living in a mansion and what follows when a woman, late on a heavily rainy night, asks him whether she can stay over.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/aug/31/venu-thottempudi-set-to-make-ott-debut-with-athidhi-47140.html) The six episodes are titled Strange Beauty, Two Short Stories, The Murder, Back and Forth, The Key Factor, and Arishadvarga.[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/athidhi/season-1)\n\nThe plot unfolds through Ravi's unfinished book, an anthology of short stories that the stranded YouTuber Savari discovers in the house.[8](https://thetvdb.com/series/athidhi/allseasons/official) As Ravi narrates his stories, Savari's suspicion of Maya is confirmed during a power outage, and the situation worsens when strangers arrive and later return, threatening him to join their illegal activities.[8](https://thetvdb.com/series/athidhi/allseasons/official) In the later episodes the unwanted guests torture Ravi for a locker room key, and the finale, Arishadvarga, reveals the life and sins of a king as karmic paths are exposed and the sinners receive their comeuppance.[8](https://thetvdb.com/series/athidhi/allseasons/official) The South First described the show as a ghost story with a message, using the familiar template of a big mansion with scary elements to explore negative shades in human beings.[9](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/athidhi-web-series-review/)\n\n## Cast and production\n\nVenu Thottempudi, known for Telugu films of the 1990s and 2000s such as Swayamvaram and Hanuman Junction, made his OTT debut with the series after returning to films in a supporting role in the 2022 [Ravi Teja](https://www.edgepedia.org/ravi-teja) film Ramarao On Duty.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/aug/31/venu-thottempudi-set-to-make-ott-debut-with-athidhi-47140.html) Avantika Mishra co-stars as the female lead, with Aditi Gautam, Venkatesh Kakumanu, Ravi Varma, Bhadram, Chanakya Teja, Gayatri Chaganti, and Pooja in supporting roles.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/aug/31/venu-thottempudi-set-to-make-ott-debut-with-athidhi-47140.html)\n\nThe technical crew includes Kapil Kumar as music composer, Manojh Katasani on cinematography, Dharmendra Kakarala as editor, and Sahi Suresh on production design.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/aug/31/venu-thottempudi-set-to-make-ott-debut-with-athidhi-47140.html) Director Bharat Vyji said the story was inspired by an incident he saw in real life, involving a building near his village on a road lined with rows of trees.[10](https://www.telugutimes.net/en/cinemas/cinema-news/athidhi-entertains-everyone-in-the-family-hero-venu-thottempudi-director-bharat-vyji-1314.html)\n\n**Venu's account of the role.** In interviews, Venu Thottempudi said Athidhi was the first time he had worked in the horror genre and that performing Ravi Varma was difficult because the character knows everything that is going to happen but must behave as if he knows nothing.[11](https://www.123telugu.com/interviews/interview-venu-thottempudi-athidhi-is-a-family-entertainer.html) He described the series as a family entertainer with comedy, suspense, drama, and sentiment but fewer horror elements, so that a family could watch it comfortably together.[11](https://www.123telugu.com/interviews/interview-venu-thottempudi-athidhi-is-a-family-entertainer.html)\n\n## Reception\n\nAudience and critic responses diverged. On IMDb the series holds a weighted rating of 6.1/10 from about 445 votes, with an unweighted mean of 7.2; per-episode user ratings ranged from 7.6 to 8.2.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28802669/ratings/) Telugu critics were cooler: NTV Telugu, 123telugu, Filmy Focus, ABP Desam, and The South First each rated it 2.5/5, and Filmibeat gave 2.75/5.[4](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/athidhi-telugu-web-series-review.html?=1) • [6](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/reviews/athidhi-telugu-web-series-review-and-rating-venu-thottempudi-lives-upto-the-character-125047.html) • [9](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/athidhi-web-series-review/) Reviewers generally praised the opening episodes, the background score, and the cinematography, while finding that the later episodes fell into a regular horror format and that the ending felt rushed.[12](https://telugu.filmyfocus.com/athidhi-web-series-review-rating) • [4](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/athidhi-telugu-web-series-review.html?=1) NTV Telugu's verdict was that Athidhi differs from regular horror series and would appeal to viewers watching without expectations.[13](https://ntvtelugu.com/reviews/thottempudi-venu-starrer-athidhi-web-series-review-and-rating-in-telugu-449882.html)\n\n## Availability\n\nThe series streams on JioHotstar and, in India, is also available through VI movies and tv; [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch) listed no free streaming options as of its last check.[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/athidhi/season-1) It is also carried on Airtel Xstream Play via JioHotstar, with audio and subtitle options in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Bengali, and Malayalam depending on the platform configuration.[7](https://www.airtelxstream.in/tv-shows/athidhi/HOTSTAR_DTH_TVSHOW_4596)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Athidhi (TV Series 2023– ) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28802669/)\n2. [Venu Thottempudi set to make OTT debut with Athidhi, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/aug/31/venu-thottempudi-set-to-make-ott-debut-with-athidhi-47140.html)\n3. [Athidhi - Season 1, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/athidhi/season-1)\n4. [OTT Review: Athidhi – Telugu series on Hotstar, 123telugu](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/athidhi-telugu-web-series-review.html?=1)\n5. [Athidhi - User ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28802669/ratings/)\n6. [Athidhi Telugu Web Series Review and Rating, Filmibeat Telugu](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/reviews/athidhi-telugu-web-series-review-and-rating-venu-thottempudi-lives-upto-the-character-125047.html)\n7. [Athidhi TV Show, Airtel Xstream Play](https://www.airtelxstream.in/tv-shows/athidhi/HOTSTAR_DTH_TVSHOW_4596)\n8. [Athidhi - Aired Order - All Seasons, TheTVDB](https://thetvdb.com/series/athidhi/allseasons/official)\n9. [Athidhi review: Venu Thottempudi's web series is a ghost story with a message, The South First](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/athidhi-web-series-review/)\n10. [\"Athidhi\" entertains everyone in the family, Telugu Times](https://www.telugutimes.net/en/cinemas/cinema-news/athidhi-entertains-everyone-in-the-family-hero-venu-thottempudi-director-bharat-vyji-1314.html)\n11. [Interview: Venu Thottempudi - Athidhi is a family entertainer, 123telugu](https://www.123telugu.com/interviews/interview-venu-thottempudi-athidhi-is-a-family-entertainer.html)\n12. [Athidhi Review in Telugu, Filmy Focus](https://telugu.filmyfocus.com/athidhi-web-series-review-rating)\n13. [Athidhi Web Series Review, NTV Telugu](https://ntvtelugu.com/reviews/thottempudi-venu-starrer-athidhi-web-series-review-and-rating-in-telugu-449882.html)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › South and Southeast Asian serials › Telugu serials*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/athidhi", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/athidhi.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Athidhi\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/athidhi. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Athidhi](https://www.edgepedia.org/athidhi)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/athidhi](https://www.edgepedia.org/athidhi). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Athidhi\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/athidhi. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Athidhi is a 2023 Telugu-language horror thriller web series written and directed by Bharath YG, starring Venu Thottempudi, which premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on September 19, 2023." }