Saindhav

Saindhav is a 2024 Indian Telugu-language action thriller film written and directed by Sailesh Kolanu and produced by Venkat Boyanapalli, under Niharika Entertainment. It stars Venkatesh Daggubati in the lead role alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Arya, Shraddha Srinath, Ruhani Sharma, Andrea Jeremiah and Baby Sara in pivotal roles.

The film revolves around Saindhav (Venkatesh from Anari), a former criminal trying to lead an honest life, who gets pulled back into the world of crime when his daughter is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. What follows is a gripping thriller filled with action, drama and brilliant performances.

The Marvelous Cast of Saindhav

Saindhav features a stellar ensemble cast that adds great depth to the film. Led admirably by Venkatesh Daggubati, the actors put up strong, sincere performances that bring the characters to life.

Main Roles

In the lead role of the titular Saindhav, Venkatesh turns in an excellent performance. He portrays the emotional and moral dilemmas faced by his character with incredible authenticity. As a father ready to go to any lengths to save his beloved daughter, Venkatesh makes you truly feel his anguish, desperation and steely determination. His is a complex character with shades of grey, and Venkatesh does full justice, delivering a layered, nuanced act. His performance forms the lynchpin that anchors the entire narrative.

Making his much-awaited Tollywood debut, Nawazuddin Siddiqui leaves a lasting impression as the principal antagonist, Vikas. With his beguiling smile that can turn psychotic in a moment, Nawazuddin gives Vikas a unique blend of childlike petulance and chilling ruthlessness. His comic struggles with speaking Telugu make Vikas oddly endearing, while his swift shifts to violent madness are truly terrifying. Nawazuddin completely owns every frame he appears in, keeping you fascinated yet horrified by the twisted workings of Vikas’ mind. It’s a flamboyant yet controlled performance.

Supporting Cast

While the leads put up a lion’s share of the histrionics, the support cast also pitch in with sincere acts. Shraddha Srinath plays the level-headed, sympathetic neighbour who stands steadfastly beside Saindhav in testing times. She provides the calming, emotional anchor amidst the chaos.

Andrea Jeremiah oozes glamour and intrigue in her small but important role as Jasmine, the femme fatale from Saindhav’s troubled past. Arya, Jisshu Sengupta and Mukesh Rishi make their presence felt in pivotal roles that impact the protagonist. Baby Sara leaves a mark as Saindhav’s cute daughter.

Though they get limited screen time, each supporting actor contributes significantly to the film in their own way. Their collective efforts round out a true ensemble showcase that perfectly complements the leads. Every performer gets well into the skin of their character, bringing the fascinating world of Saindhav to vibrant life.

With its big names and brilliant performances, the cast of Saindhav packs a real punch. Venkatesh and Nawazuddin’s star power, coupled with the dedication of the support crew, gives the film a unique appeal that engrosses viewers into the story. This is the marvelous cast that takes Saindhav a cut above the regular action thrillers.

Brilliance from Veterans in Saindhav

The film derives much of its appeal from the incredible performances of its lead actors, especially Venkatesh and Nawazuddin. Their contrasting, powerful acts truly enhance the viewing experience.

Venkatesh Daggubati Anchors the Narrative

In the fictional port city of Chandraprastha, Saindhav aka Saiko (Venkatesh) leads an idyllic life with his young daughter Gayatri (Sara Palekar) and neighbour, a taxi driver called Manu (Shraddha Srinath). He works as a crane operator at the port and will do anything for his daughter’s happiness. However, she is diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and the injection alone costs ₹17 crores, the kind of money he doesn’t have. Desperate to save his daughter with the help of Dr Renu (Ruhani), Saindhav is drawn back to the dangerous world of crime he left behind.

Venkatesh brings out the father’s anguish and helplessness very convincingly in his performance. He holds the narrative together even as events spiral out of control.

Saindhav Collection and Review from Critics

Saindhav released on January 13, 2024 to mixed reviews. While the performances were appreciated, the plot and screenplay received criticism for being patchy at places.

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As per trade reports, the film had an underwhelming opening weekend. It earned around Rs 18 crore globally in its first 3 days. The collections are lower than expected considering its high budget and the fact that it released during Sankranthi.

Critics pointed out that while Saindhav is not a bad film as such, it does not offer anything extraordinary either. The plot seems familiar and fails to pack in surprises or leave a lasting impact. Director Sailesh Kolanu has shown sparks of brilliance in the past, but Saindhav is not his best work.

The film’s music by Santhosh Narayanan has also met with a mixed response. While the background score is impactful in parts, the songs are mostly forgettable.

On the whole, Saindhav ends up as a strictly average affair that rides majorly on the shoulders of its lead stars. Similar to the movie Neru that a lot of people watch.

Music of Saindhav

The albums features two tracks – the peppy “Wrong Usage” sung by Nakash Aziz and the melodious “Sarada Saradaga” crooned by Anurag Kulkarni. While both songs are passable, they do not leave a lasting impact.

To conclude, Saindhav boasts of an incredible cast and has its moments, but lacks the punch to emerge as a great thriller. The story fails to engage fully and the treatment is uneven. Still, Venkatesh and Nawazuddin’s powerful acts make it worth a watch for their fans. It’s a fairly engaging one-time watch, but could have achieved greater heights.