# Pindam (పిండం)
**Pindam** (పిండం) is a 2023 Indian Telugu-language horror thriller film written and directed by Saikiran Daida in his directorial debut. It stars Sriram (credited as Srikanth in the Tamil industry), Kushee Ravi, Easwari Rao, and [Srinivas Avasarala](https://www.edgepedia.org/srinivas-avasarala), and follows a family whose six-year-old daughter with a speech impairment is threatened by a powerful spirit, with the demonologist Annamma called in to uncover the spirit's history and intentions.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/Nov/18/pindam-gets-release-date-49669.html) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pindam)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 15 December 2023, worldwide theatrical release[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/Nov/18/pindam-gets-release-date-49669.html) |
| Director | Saikiran Daida, in his directorial debut; co-written with Kavi Siddhartha[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/Nov/18/pindam-gets-release-date-49669.html) |
| Cast | Sriram, Kushee Ravi, Easwari Rao, Srinivas Avasarala, Ravi Varma[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/Nov/18/pindam-gets-release-date-49669.html) |
| Runtime | 2 hours 38 minutes[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pindam) |
| Certification | CBFC A (adults only), with cuts requested despite the certificate[3](https://www.telugubulletin.com/pindam-strictly-for-adults-193380) |
| Basis | Advertised as based on a true incident in Nalgonda, unfolding across the 1930s, the 1990s, and the present[3](https://www.telugubulletin.com/pindam-strictly-for-adults-193380) • [4](https://telugucinema.com/news/pindam-is-intended-for-adults-only) |
| Audience rating | 6.5/10 on IMDb from about 11,000 votes[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29548562/ratings/) |
| Streaming | Prime Video and Aha in India; available on Aha from 2 February 2024[6](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/pindam-854611.html) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and structure
The story begins in the frame of a conversation: Loknath (Srinivas Avasarala), who has been studying ghosts, approaches Annamma ([Easwari Rao](https://www.edgepedia.org/easwari-rao)), an exorcist, seeking answers, and she recounts a difficult case from years earlier.[7](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/pindam-review-offers-few-thrills) The flashback moves to the 1990s, when Antony (Sriram), a rice mill accountant, relocates his pregnant wife Mary (Kushee Ravi), their daughters, and his mother to a house near his workplace. A series of strange occurrences convinces the household of a supernatural presence, and they turn to Annamma for help.[7](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/pindam-review-offers-few-thrills) • [8](https://www.telugubulletin.com/pindam-movie-review-193514) [Marketing](https://www.edgepedia.org/marketing) materials describe the threat as a powerful spirit that had never seen the face of the earth and that begins to threaten the life of the six-year-old, speech-impaired girl in the family.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pindam)
The narrative unfolds across three time periods: the 1930s, the 1990s, and the present day. Director Saikiran Daida said the story grew from a gruesome incident his grandmother told him about, and that he and co-writer Kavi Siddartha designed the screenplay so that a scary sequence arrives roughly every ten minutes.[3](https://www.telugubulletin.com/pindam-strictly-for-adults-193380) • [9](https://telugucinema.com/news/pindam-team-provides-insight-into-the-production) He described the film as a straightforward horror drama without forced cinematic liberties.[3](https://www.telugubulletin.com/pindam-strictly-for-adults-193380)
## Origin and certification
The film is presented as based on a true incident in Nalgonda, in present-day [Telangana](https://www.edgepedia.org/telangana), centering on a middle-class family trapped in a house possessed by spirits.[3](https://www.telugubulletin.com/pindam-strictly-for-adults-193380) • [4](https://telugucinema.com/news/pindam-is-intended-for-adults-only) The Central Board of Film Certification granted it an A (adults only) certificate, and, unusually for that rating, the makers were also asked for several cuts. The team additionally issued a strict disclaimer that the film was not advisable for pregnant women, a move that added to pre-release curiosity.[3](https://www.telugubulletin.com/pindam-strictly-for-adults-193380)
## Production and release
Yeshwanth Daggumati produced the film under the Kalaahi Media banner, with Prabhu Raja as co-producer and Aarohi Daida as presenter. Krishna Saurabh Surampalli composed the music; Satish Manohar handled cinematography, Sirish Prasad the editing, and Vishnu Nair the production design.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/Nov/18/pindam-gets-release-date-49669.html) [Sree Vishnu](https://www.edgepedia.org/sree-vishnu) unveiled the first look poster in October 2023, the teaser followed on October 30, and the release was announced for December 15, 2023.[10](https://e.telugurajyam.com/entertainment/sree-vishnu-unveils-the-first-look-poster-pindam.html) • [1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/Nov/18/pindam-gets-release-date-49669.html) For Kushee Ravi, the film marked her Telugu debut.[6](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/pindam-854611.html)
## Reception
Critical response was mixed. Reviewers consistently praised the technical work: TeluguCinema credited the sound designer, music director, and cameraman with creating the spooky atmosphere, and called Easwari Rao's exorcist performance fantastic, rating the film 2.5 out of 5 while finding the later portion a regular horror movie with hard-to-watch sequences.[7](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/pindam-review-offers-few-thrills) 123telugu gave the same 2.5/5, calling it a regular horror thriller with good lead performances and strong technical values but a flat narrative.[11](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/28985/pindam/reviews/) Ottplay rated it 3/5, describing Daida's treatment as atmospheric, purposeful, and honest to the genre within predictable terrain.[12](https://www.ottplay.com/review/pindam-review-sriram-kushee-ravis-horror-drama-is-atmospheric-purposeful-and-engaging/953cb91693774) The New Indian Express found that the film shines in its themes but falls behind in treatment.[11](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/28985/pindam/reviews/)
Several reviews identified the film's underlying theme of female foeticide as its distinguishing element, even as they judged the narration uneven.[7](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/pindam-review-offers-few-thrills) • [11](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/28985/pindam/reviews/) On aggregate measures, the film holds a 6.5/10 IMDb rating from about 11,000 votes[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29548562/ratings/), while filmi.ai computed a Filmi Score of 40 (mixed) as the mean of four critic readings.[13](https://filmi.ai/film/pindam-2023/)
## Streaming
After its theatrical run, Pindam became available on Prime Video and Aha in India, joining Aha on 2 February 2024, and can be rented or bought on Amazon Video in some regions.[6](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/pindam-854611.html) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pindam)
## References
1. [Pindam gets release date, Cinema Express (18 Nov 2023)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/news/2023/Nov/18/pindam-gets-release-date-49669.html)
2. [Pindam, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pindam)
3. ['Pindam' strictly for adults, TeluguBulletin (13 Dec 2023)](https://www.telugubulletin.com/pindam-strictly-for-adults-193380)
4. ['Pindam' is intended for adults only!, TeluguCinema (13 Dec 2023)](https://telugucinema.com/news/pindam-is-intended-for-adults-only)
5. [Pindam (2023) Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29548562/ratings/)
6. [Pindam (2023), Digit Binge](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/pindam-854611.html)
7. [Pindam Review: Offers few thrills!, TeluguCinema (15 Dec 2023)](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/pindam-review-offers-few-thrills)
8. [Pindam Review, TeluguBulletin (15 Dec 2023)](https://www.telugubulletin.com/pindam-movie-review-193514)
9. [Pindam team provides insight into the production, TeluguCinema (12 Nov 2023)](https://telugucinema.com/news/pindam-team-provides-insight-into-the-production)
10. [Sree Vishnu Unveils The First Look Poster 'Pindam', Telugu Rajyam (19 Oct 2023)](https://e.telugurajyam.com/entertainment/sree-vishnu-unveils-the-first-look-poster-pindam.html)
11. [Pindam Movie Reviews, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/28985/pindam/reviews/)
12. [Pindam review, Ottplay (15 Dec 2023)](https://www.ottplay.com/review/pindam-review-sriram-kushee-ravis-horror-drama-is-atmospheric-purposeful-and-engaging/953cb91693774)
13. [Pindam (2023) review, filmi.ai](https://filmi.ai/film/pindam-2023/)
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*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 2023*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 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