# Saindhav (సైంధవ్)
**Saindhav** (సైంధవ్) is a 2024 Indian Telugu-language action thriller written and directed by Sailesh Kolanu, starring Venkatesh Daggubati as a former hitman and single parent who returns to violence when his daughter is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Made as Venkatesh's 75th film and released during the Sankranthi (major South Indian harvest festival in mid-January) festival season on 13 January 2024, it was produced by Venkat Boyanapalli under the Niharika Entertainment banner and received largely negative reviews from critics.[1](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/venkatesh-saindhav-telugu-movie-review.html) • [2](https://cbfcindia.gov.in/cbfcAdmin/assets/pdf/List_of_feature_films_certified_2024.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 13 January 2024, as a Sankranthi festival release; certified UA by the CBFC on 2 January 2024 with a listed duration of 140 minutes[2](https://cbfcindia.gov.in/cbfcAdmin/assets/pdf/List_of_feature_films_certified_2024.pdf) • [3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/11/saindhav-movie-reviewlarger-than-life-meets-new-age-mass-2649926.html) |
| Milestone | Venkatesh Daggubati's 75th film, in a career then spanning 37 years[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/saindhav-movie-review-venkatesh-film-is-utterly-avoidable-9107838/) |
| Premise | Single parent Saindhav Koneru, a former cartel hitman working as a crane operator, takes on a crime syndicate after his daughter Gayathri is diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy and needs a life-saving injection[5](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/hyderabad/saindhav/ET00350932) • [1](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/venkatesh-saindhav-telugu-movie-review.html) |
| Setting | The fictional coastal South Indian town of Chandraprastha, created so the filmmakers could depict gun smuggling and a cartel in a Telugu-speaking setting[3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/11/saindhav-movie-reviewlarger-than-life-meets-new-age-mass-2649926.html) |
| Notable casting | Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Telugu debut as Vikas Malik; Shraddha Srinath, Andrea Jeremiah, Arya, and Ruhani Sharma in supporting roles[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/saindhav/movie-review/106810167.cms) |
| Reception | Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer 40%, IMDb 5.0; most Telugu critics rated it between 1.5 and 3 out of 5[7](https://cinegraph.org/movies/saindhav-2024) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/saindhav-movie-review-venkatesh-film-is-utterly-avoidable-9107838/) |
| Streaming | Available on Amazon Prime Video[8](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/27567/venky75/reviews/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and setting
Saindhav Koneru, known as SaiKo, lives as a single parent in Chandraprastha, a fictional coastal town in [South India](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-india) under the influence of a crime cartel. He works as a crane operator in the customs department while his daughter Gayathri (Baby Sara Palekar) is cared for by his neighbor Manognya ([Shraddha Srinath](https://www.edgepedia.org/shraddha-srinath)), a divorcee and cab driver. When Gayathri is diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a rare terminal illness, Saindhav must obtain a life-saving injection that synopses price at 160 million rupees (16 crore rupees); in his pre-release interview the director cited a cost of ₹170 million (₹17 crore).[5](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/hyderabad/saindhav/ET00350932) • [3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/11/saindhav-movie-reviewlarger-than-life-meets-new-age-mass-2649926.html) The conflict draws the former hitman back into confrontation with the cartel, led in part by Vikas Malik ([Nawazuddin Siddiqui](https://www.edgepedia.org/nawazuddin-siddiqui)).[1](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/venkatesh-saindhav-telugu-movie-review.html) • [7](https://cinegraph.org/movies/saindhav-2024)
Kolanu said he invented Chandraprastha because the only large Telugu-speaking coastal city, [Visakhapatnam](https://www.edgepedia.org/visakhapatnam), could not credibly host a cartel story, and because he wanted the characters to speak Telugu organically, which ruled out Chennai or Mumbai.[3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/11/saindhav-movie-reviewlarger-than-life-meets-new-age-mass-2649926.html) Reviewers noted the worldbuilding: a Buddhist stupa behind a beach, a fort built by erstwhile Muslim rulers used for a cartel meeting, and a hilltop manor where Saindhav strikes a deal.[11](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/review/2024/jan/13/saindhav-movie-review-an-action-entertainer-capsized-by-sentimentality-51193.html)
## Production
The film was launched at Ramanaidu Studios in [Hyderabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/hyderabad) with a formal pooja ceremony attended by actors including [Nani](https://www.edgepedia.org/nani-actor), Rana Daggubati, and [Naga Chaitanya](https://www.edgepedia.org/naga-chaitanya); trade reporting at the time described it as the most expensive film of Venkatesh's career and a planned pan-India release in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam.[9](https://telugu.samayam.com/telugu-movies/cinema-news/venkatesh-daggubati-nawazuddin-siddiqui-sailesh-kolanu-movie-saindhav-launched/articleshow/97354931.cms) Niharika Entertainment, which had produced *Shyam Singha Roy*, made it the banner's second film.[9](https://telugu.samayam.com/telugu-movies/cinema-news/venkatesh-daggubati-nawazuddin-siddiqui-sailesh-kolanu-movie-saindhav-launched/articleshow/97354931.cms)
In an interview before release, Kolanu said the project began when producer Venkat Boyanapalli arranged a meeting with Venkatesh after the success of *HIT 2* (2022), and that the actor then asked him to direct his 75th film. Kolanu described *Saindhav* as an organically written script that found a star, and said the film was shot over 100 days in 2023.[3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/11/saindhav-movie-reviewlarger-than-life-meets-new-age-mass-2649926.html) He positioned it as more emotional than his *HIT* procedural thrillers, aimed at viewers seeking larger-than-life cinema, and said the makers hoped the film would raise awareness of spinal muscular atrophy.[3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/11/saindhav-movie-reviewlarger-than-life-meets-new-age-mass-2649926.html)
The crew included composer [Santhosh Narayanan](https://www.edgepedia.org/santhosh-narayanan), cinematographer S. Manikandan, editor Garry BH, and production designer Avinash Kolla.[10](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/saindhav-review-a-dreary-action-drama) Filming took place in Hyderabad, Vizag, Mumbai, and Sri Lanka.[11](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/review/2024/jan/13/saindhav-movie-review-an-action-entertainer-capsized-by-sentimentality-51193.html)
## Reception
**Critical response was mostly negative.** [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) gave 1.5 out of 5 and called the film "utterly avoidable"; Cinema Express gave 2 out of 5 and described it as "an action entertainer capsized by sentimentality"; TeluguCinema gave 2.25 out of 5 and called it "a dreary action drama"; 123telugu, NTV Telugu, and FilmiBeat each gave 2.75 out of 5; and The Times of India was the most favorable at 3 out of 5, praising Venkatesh and Nawazuddin Siddiqui's performances.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/saindhav-movie-review-venkatesh-film-is-utterly-avoidable-9107838/) • [11](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/review/2024/jan/13/saindhav-movie-review-an-action-entertainer-capsized-by-sentimentality-51193.html) • [10](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/saindhav-review-a-dreary-action-drama) • [1](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/venkatesh-saindhav-telugu-movie-review.html) • [6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/saindhav/movie-review/106810167.cms) Common criticisms targeted the flat narration, the mismatch between old-school sentiment and new-age action, and uninventive action choreography; reviewers frequently singled out Venkatesh's performance and the final half hour as the film's main assets.[1](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/venkatesh-saindhav-telugu-movie-review.html) • [12](https://www.teluguvox.com/reviews/6096-saindhav-review-not-tollywood-s-vikram.html) [Hindustan Times](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindustan-times) called it a partly engaging "desi John Wick" in which Nawazuddin Siddiqui stole the show in his Telugu debut.[13](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/telugu-cinema/saindhav-review-venkatesh-starrer-falters-but-nawazuddin-siddiqui-is-a-hoot-101705128349790.html)
Aggregated scores reflected the divided response: a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer of 40% and an IMDb rating of 5.0, against a [BookMyShow](https://www.edgepedia.org/bookmyshow) user score of 8.3 out of 10 from more than 34,000 votes.[7](https://cinegraph.org/movies/saindhav-2024) • [5](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/hyderabad/saindhav/ET00350932)
**Commercially the film underperformed.** [The Pioneer](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-pioneer) later described *Saindhav* as "a Sankranthi disappointment for Venkatesh," noting it failed to impress audiences during the festival window in which it competed with *Guntur Kaaram*, *Hanu Man*, and *Naa Saami Ranga*.[14](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2024/epaper/december/vijayawada-english-edition-2024-12-31.pdf) • [3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/11/saindhav-movie-reviewlarger-than-life-meets-new-age-mass-2649926.html) It began streaming on Amazon Prime Video shortly after its theatrical run.[8](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/27567/venky75/reviews/)
## Context in Telugu cinema
*Saindhav* marked a shift for both its director and its star. Kolanu, an optometrist-turned-filmmaker, had built his reputation on the *HIT* murder-mystery franchise; *Saindhav* was his first masala-style star vehicle.[3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/11/saindhav-movie-reviewlarger-than-life-meets-new-age-mass-2649926.html) • [13](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/telugu-cinema/saindhav-review-venkatesh-starrer-falters-but-nawazuddin-siddiqui-is-a-hoot-101705128349790.html) For Venkatesh, known for family entertainers that drew women and family audiences, it followed mature roles in *Drushyam*, *Narappa*, and the OTT series *Rana Naidu*, and placed him in a high-stakes action role comparable, as The Times of India put it, to the territory of [Denzel Washington](https://www.edgepedia.org/denzel-washington) and [Liam Neeson](https://www.edgepedia.org/liam-neeson).[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/saindhav-movie-review-venkatesh-film-is-utterly-avoidable-9107838/) • [6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/saindhav/movie-review/106810167.cms) Reviewers compared its ambitions to *Vikram* (2022) and the [John Wick](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-wick) films, with TeluguVox judging that its attempt to be "Telugu cinema's answer to Vikram" made it look unoriginal.[12](https://www.teluguvox.com/reviews/6096-saindhav-review-not-tollywood-s-vikram.html)
## References
1. [Review: Saindhav – Partly engaging action drama, 123telugu](https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/venkatesh-saindhav-telugu-movie-review.html)
2. [List of feature films certified in 2024, Central Board of Film Certification](https://cbfcindia.gov.in/cbfcAdmin/assets/pdf/List_of_feature_films_certified_2024.pdf)
3. [Saindhav movie review: Larger than life meets new-age mass](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2024/Jan/11/saindhav-movie-reviewlarger-than-life-meets-new-age-mass-2649926.html)
4. [Saindhav movie review: Venkatesh film is utterly avoidable, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/saindhav-movie-review-venkatesh-film-is-utterly-avoidable-9107838/)
5. [Saindhav (2024), BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/hyderabad/saindhav/ET00350932)
6. [Saindhav Movie Review: Venkatesh and Nawazuddin deliver riveting performances, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/saindhav/movie-review/106810167.cms)
7. [Saindhav, Cinegraph](https://cinegraph.org/movies/saindhav-2024)
8. [Saindhav Movie Reviews, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/27567/venky75/reviews/)
9. [Venkatesh Daggubati, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sailesh Kolanu movie Saindhav launched, Samayam Telugu](https://telugu.samayam.com/telugu-movies/cinema-news/venkatesh-daggubati-nawazuddin-siddiqui-sailesh-kolanu-movie-saindhav-launched/articleshow/97354931.cms)
10. [Saindhav Telugu Movie Review – A dreary action drama, TeluguCinema](https://telugucinema.com/reviews/saindhav-review-a-dreary-action-drama)
11. [Saindhav Movie Review: An action entertainer capsized by sentimentality, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/telugu/review/2024/jan/13/saindhav-movie-review-an-action-entertainer-capsized-by-sentimentality-51193.html)
12. [Saindhav Review: Not Tollywood's Vikram, TeluguVox](https://www.teluguvox.com/reviews/6096-saindhav-review-not-tollywood-s-vikram.html)
13. [Saindhav review: Venkatesh's desi John Wick is decent, but it's Nawazuddin Siddiqui who steals the show, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/telugu-cinema/saindhav-review-venkatesh-starrer-falters-but-nawazuddin-siddiqui-is-a-hoot-101705128349790.html)
14. [Saindhav: A Sankranthi disappointment for Venkatesh, The Pioneer](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2024/epaper/december/vijayawada-english-edition-2024-12-31.pdf)
---
*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 2024*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 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