# Bhairavam (భైరవం)
**Bhairavam** (భైరవం) is a 2025 Indian Telugu-language action drama directed by Vijay Kanakamedala and an official remake of the 2024 Tamil film *Garudan*.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/story/telugu/review/2025/may/30/bhairavam-movie-review-a-jaded-action-drama-that-trades-layers-for-the-larger-than-life) It stars Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas, Nara Rohith, and [Manchu Manoj](https://www.edgepedia.org/manchu-manoj) as three childhood friends whose loyalty is tested when a politician schemes to seize temple land in their village.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bhairavam) • [3](https://www.ottplay.com/review/bhairavam-review-a-rustic-action-drama-with-big-names-but-mixed-impact/34af54b25e726) The film was produced by K.K. Radhamohan under the Sri Sathya Sai Arts banner and released in theaters on May 30, 2025.[4](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/bhairavam-movie-130566)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original title | భైరవం (Bhairavam), Telugu-language action drama[4](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/bhairavam-movie-130566) |
| Release | May 30, 2025, in Indian theaters; ZEE5 streaming from July 18, 2025[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bhairavam) • [5](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/bhairavam/0-0-1z5785936) |
| Director and producer | Vijay Kanakamedala; K.K. Radhamohan, Sri Sathya Sai Arts[4](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/bhairavam-movie-130566) |
| Lead cast | Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas (Seenu), Nara Rohith (Varadha), Manchu Manoj (Gajapathi)[3](https://www.ottplay.com/review/bhairavam-review-a-rustic-action-drama-with-big-names-but-mixed-impact/34af54b25e726) |
| Source film | Official remake of the 2024 Tamil film *Garudan*[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/story/telugu/review/2025/may/30/bhairavam-movie-review-a-jaded-action-drama-that-trades-layers-for-the-larger-than-life) |
| Runtime and certificate | 2h 35m (155 min) per IMDb and Gadgets360; Rotten Tomatoes lists 3h 0m; certified A (18+) in India[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34442678/) • [4](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/bhairavam-movie-130566) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bhairavam) |
| Box office | ₹196.5 million (₹19.65 crore) worldwide gross and ₹158.6 million (₹15.86 crore) India net per Sacnilk; IMDb lists $28,355 worldwide gross[7](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Bhairavam_2025) • [6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34442678/) |
## Spoilers
### Story and title
The story follows Gajapathi Varma (Manchu Manoj), Varadha (Nara Rohith), and Seenu (Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas), three close friends in a small town who differ in social status but are bound by loyalty. Their friendship cracks when a politician sets his sights on temple land worth ₹10 billion (₹1000 crore), and misunderstandings between the friends drive the drama toward betrayal and resolution.[3](https://www.ottplay.com/review/bhairavam-review-a-rustic-action-drama-with-big-names-but-mixed-impact/34af54b25e726) A Telugu-language review places the setting in the village of Devipuram in the [East Godavari district](https://www.edgepedia.org/east-godavari-district), where the Varahi Ammavari temple is cared for by the trustee Nagarathnamma ([Jayasudha](https://www.edgepedia.org/jayasudha)), who raises the three young men as equals.[8](https://ntvtelugu.com/reviews/bellamkonda-sai-sreenivas-manchu-manoj-nara-rohith-starrer-bhairavam-movie-review-and-rating-805061.html)
In an interview, director Vijay Kanakamedala explained the title: in the film, Kala Bhairava is the guardian (kshetrapalaka) of a village temple, so the film is called Bhairavam.[9](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/may/hyderabad-english-edition-2025-05-19.pdf) He said he was drawn to the commercial qualities of *Garudan*'s story and the chance to work with three heroes, and that he added commercial elements to suit Telugu audiences while keeping the original's emotional core.[9](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/may/hyderabad-english-edition-2025-05-19.pdf)
## Production and cast
The film brought together three lead actors returning after gaps in their careers. For Manchu Manoj, it was a comeback; IMDb's trivia notes his last lead appearance was *Okkadu Migiladu* (2017).[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34442678/) For Bellamkonda Sreenivas, it was his first film in two years after the critical and commercial failure *Chatrapathi* (2023).[10](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/bhairavam-twitter-review-bellamkonda-sreenivas-manoj-manchu-and-nara-rohith-win-praise-10038765/) The supporting cast includes Jayasudha, Aditi Shankar, Anandhi, Divya Pillai, Ajay, Raja Ravindra, Sarath Lohitashwa, Sampath Raj, Sandeep Raj, and Vennela Kishore.[10](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/bhairavam-twitter-review-bellamkonda-sreenivas-manoj-manchu-and-nara-rohith-win-praise-10038765/)
Behind the camera, Hari K Vedantam handled the cinematography, Chota K Prasad took charge of editing, Sricharan Pakala composed the music, and Brahma Kadali designed the production.[10](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/bhairavam-twitter-review-bellamkonda-sreenivas-manoj-manchu-and-nara-rohith-win-praise-10038765/) The film was presented by Dr. Jayantilal Gada of Pen Studios and distributed theatrically by Prathyangira Cinemas.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bhairavam)
## Reception
**Critical response was mixed.** The British Board of Film Classification, which certified the film for a June 6, 2025 UK release at approximately 153 minutes, advised "strong bloody violence," including knife slashings, impalings, and stabbings with bloody detail.[11](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/bhairavam-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmwmzgy) Review scores ranged widely: Cinema Express gave 2 out of 5, calling it a jaded action-drama that trades a layered script for larger-than-life treatment;[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/story/telugu/review/2025/may/30/bhairavam-movie-review-a-jaded-action-drama-that-trades-layers-for-the-larger-than-life) 123telugu gave 2.75 out of 5, finding an action drama that works in parts with a predictable plot and sluggish second half;[12](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/bhairavam-telugu-movie-review-and-rating.html?amp=1) India Today gave 3 out of 5, calling it a typical but good old-school commercial entertainer that packs an emotional punch despite the template story;[13](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/bhairavam-review-typical-good-old-school-telugu-commercial-entertainer-2733142-2025-05-30) and ottplay gave 2.5 out of 5, describing a rustic drama high on performances but low on emotions.[3](https://www.ottplay.com/review/bhairavam-review-a-rustic-action-drama-with-big-names-but-mixed-impact/34af54b25e726) On Rotten Tomatoes the film held only two published critic reviews at the time of reporting.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bhairavam)
Reviewers commonly praised the lead performances while faulting the writing. Manchu Manoj and Nara Rohith drew compliments for strong performances, and some social-media reactions hailed Bellamkonda Sreenivas's work as a career-best.[10](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/bhairavam-twitter-review-bellamkonda-sreenivas-manoj-manchu-and-nara-rohith-win-praise-10038765/) Cinema Express found Varadha too uniformly virtuous and Gajapathi readable as an antagonist from early on, arguing the remake flattened *Garudan*'s gray shades into a binary narrative.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/story/telugu/review/2025/may/30/bhairavam-movie-review-a-jaded-action-drama-that-trades-layers-for-the-larger-than-life) A TeluguCinema review noted the remake retains the original's structure and screenplay while adding grandeur and a devotional angle, with the early portions feeling stale until the conflict between Rohith's and Manoj's characters begins.[14](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/bhairavam-review-some-episodes-hit-others-miss)
## Box office and streaming
Sacnilk's tracker reported total worldwide gross of ₹196.5 million (₹19.65 crore), with ₹158.6 million (₹15.86 crore) net in India and ₹10 million (₹1.00 crore) overseas.[7](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Bhairavam_2025) IMDb's box office section lists a worldwide gross of $28,355, a figure far below the Sacnilk total; the two sources measure differently and no reconciliation is available in the retrieved data.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34442678/) • [7](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Bhairavam_2025) The film began streaming on ZEE5 on July 18, 2025, in Telugu and Hindi.[5](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/bhairavam/0-0-1z5785936)
## Comparison with Garudan
Several reviewers judged the film against its source. [The Pioneer](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-pioneer)'s review wrote that Bhairavam works in parts but fails overall, especially compared with *Garudan*, and that while the Tamil version felt realistic and authentic, the Telugu remake leans toward a typical commercial film focused more on the actors than the story.[15](https://pynr.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Hyderabad-31-05-2025.pdf) Telangana Today took the opposite view, calling it a well-made remake that offers a richer and more colorful experience than the original.[16](https://telanganatoday.com/bhairavam-movie-review-a-perfect-remake-with-more-grandeur-and-strong-performances) ManaTelugu observed that Kanakamedala mostly stuck to the original script while expanding the romantic and comedic elements, which slowed the narrative and weakened the emotional impact.[17](https://manatelugu.com/bhairavam-review-a-decent-comeback-with-action-and-flaws/)
## References
1. [Bhairavam Movie Review: A jaded action-drama that trades layers for the 'larger-than-life', Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/story/telugu/review/2025/may/30/bhairavam-movie-review-a-jaded-action-drama-that-trades-layers-for-the-larger-than-life)
2. [Bhairavam, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bhairavam)
3. [Bhairavam Review: A rustic action drama with big names but mixed impact, ottplay](https://www.ottplay.com/review/bhairavam-review-a-rustic-action-drama-with-big-names-but-mixed-impact/34af54b25e726)
4. [Bhairavam Movie (2025), Gadgets 360](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/bhairavam-movie-130566)
5. [Bhairavam Movie, ZEE5](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/bhairavam/0-0-1z5785936)
6. [Bhairavam (2025), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34442678/)
7. [Bhairavam (2025) Box Office Collection, Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Bhairavam_2025)
8. [Bhairavam Review, NTV Telugu](https://ntvtelugu.com/reviews/bellamkonda-sai-sreenivas-manchu-manoj-nara-rohith-starrer-bhairavam-movie-review-and-rating-805061.html)
9. [The Pioneer, Hyderabad edition, May 19, 2025](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/may/hyderabad-english-edition-2025-05-19.pdf)
10. [Bhairavam X review, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/bhairavam-twitter-review-bellamkonda-sreenivas-manoj-manchu-and-nara-rohith-win-praise-10038765/)
11. [Bhairavam, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/bhairavam-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmwmzgy)
12. [Bhairavam Telugu Movie Review and Rating, 123telugu](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/bhairavam-telugu-movie-review-and-rating.html?amp=1)
13. [Bhairavam review, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/bhairavam-review-typical-good-old-school-telugu-commercial-entertainer-2733142-2025-05-30)
14. [Bhairavam Telugu Movie Review, TeluguCinema](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/bhairavam-review-some-episodes-hit-others-miss)
15. [The Pioneer, Hyderabad edition, May 31, 2025](https://pynr.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Hyderabad-31-05-2025.pdf)
16. [Bhairavam Movie Review, Telangana Today](https://telanganatoday.com/bhairavam-movie-review-a-perfect-remake-with-more-grandeur-and-strong-performances)
17. [Bhairavam Review: A Decent Comeback with Action and Flaws, ManaTelugu](https://manatelugu.com/bhairavam-review-a-decent-comeback-with-action-and-flaws/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Telugu films of the 2020s › Telugu films of 2025*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license