In the remote reaches of rural Andhra Pradesh, a man stripped of sight by tragedy steps back into a world where curses feel as real as the soil underfoot, and every unexplained death points to something older and far more dangerous than simple misfortune.

This article takes a close look at Virupaksha, the 2023 Telugu horror thriller directed by Karthik Varma Dandu. It examines the way the film blends authentic regional folklore with tight suspense, studies the lead performance that carries much of the emotional weight, and considers what the story reveals about the uneasy meeting point between tradition and modern thinking in Indian cinema.

The Cursed Village Awakens

The story opens in the isolated village of Rudravanam, a place where shadows seem to hold secrets beyond ordinary darkness. A young scientist named Surya, played with quiet intensity by Sai Dharam Tej, loses his sight in a laboratory accident while working abroad. When his father dies, he returns home after twelve years away. What he finds is a community already on edge, convinced that a string of sudden deaths and misfortunes trace back to the evil eye of Virupaksha, a fierce form of Lord Shiva. What starts as a search for personal answers quickly turns into a deeper confrontation with long-hidden wrongs, and Surya must rely on senses sharpened by blindness to uncover the truth.

Director Karthik Varma Dandu builds the opening with measured care. Wide shots of mist-covered fields and crumbling temples create a heavy, closed-in feeling. The sound design adds to the tension through distant drums that echo like heartbeats, wind-borne whispers, and the steady chirp of crickets that rise into unsettling peaks. These choices pull viewers into Surya’s sharpened awareness, where every small sound could signal real danger. The film stays grounded in local detail, showing rituals performed by actual tantric practitioners that carry the weight of genuine Telugu occult traditions.

As Surya moves through the village he meets a range of possible suspects: the shrewd headman, a mysterious priestess, and a childhood friend who becomes an uneasy ally. Each conversation uncovers cracks in the community, from old land quarrels to family secrets kept buried for years. The script holds back key revelations and plants false leads that keep the audience guessing. One standout scene unfolds during a midnight ritual lit only by oil lamps, where ancient Sanskrit chants mix with raw, guttural calls and the line between staged performance and something more real begins to blur.

Whispers of Black Magic

At the heart of the fear lies the film’s treatment of tantrik vidya, shown not as flashy tricks but as a structured practice with deep historical roots. Villagers use yantras, geometric patterns drawn in vermilion, and homams, fire ceremonies whose smoke carries the sense of consumed lives. Surya’s logical outlook collides with these beliefs, producing moments where he tries to read signs through reason yet still faces growing supernatural events: objects that rise without touch, shadows that twist into claw shapes, and a constant feeling of being observed.

The evil eye theme draws directly from Hindu mythology, where Virupaksha’s third eye stands for both safeguarding and ruin. That same split runs through the villains, whose actions spring from a twisted sense of devotion. One intense sequence shows a black magic ceremony meant to curse an enemy, complete with thorn-pierced effigies and blood offerings, filmed with such raw detail that some viewers left screenings early. Dandu tempers the graphic moments with suggestion, letting off-screen sounds and Surya’s reactions carry much of the impact.

Surya’s Sightless Odyssey

Sai Dharam Tej’s performance gives the film its center, turning Surya from a lost outsider into a determined seeker of justice. His careful movements and searching hands show vulnerability, while his voice carries a growing quiet anger. A memorable sequence finds Surya alone in an abandoned house, piecing together a crime through sound and smell as his fingers trace long-dried bloodstains. The moment shows how the story turns disability into an unexpected strength, much like the classic sensory tension in Wait Until Dark, yet rooted firmly in local culture.

The supporting cast deepens the picture. Samyuktha Menon plays Nandini, whose loyalty brings real feeling to the story and whose own change from doubter to believer carries moral weight. Brahmaji’s priest hides personal motives behind smooth sermons. The young actors cast as children touched by the curse bring an unsettling innocence that highlights the surrounding darkness.

Shadows in the Frame

Cinematographer Ajaneesh Loknath uses strong contrasts of light and dark to mirror Surya’s limited view, filling frames with silhouettes broken by sudden shafts of moonlight. Handheld camera work during chases through thick undergrowth creates a sense of confusion, while steady wide shots of village gatherings capture the rising group panic. Practical effects keep the horror physical, from realistic wounds on bodies to controlled fire effects in the ritual scenes, avoiding heavy digital work in favor of tangible impact.

The sound design functions almost like another main character. A score mixing deep throat-singing drones with the mournful tones of the veena returns in key moments. A low rumble often signals approaching apparitions, layered over real temple bells. This careful sound construction draws viewers deeper while also reflecting Surya’s own loosening grip on certainty.

Folklore Meets Fury

The film looks squarely at how superstition grips parts of rural India, where scientific thinking often meets long-held beliefs. Surya’s journey questions blind acceptance yet still treats believers with understanding, showing how hardship and lack of power can push people toward occult solutions. Class tensions run underneath, as an educated outsider faces off against struggling locals, reflecting real economic divides still felt in many Telangana villages.

Women in the story, such as Nandini, exercise influence through household rituals, quietly challenging older power structures. Surya’s Western training carries echoes of colonial history, marking him as someone who returns to question older ways. These elements lift the film above simple scares and invite thought about how unevenly modern ideas have spread.

Rituals of Revenge

Revenge powers the final act, which builds to a tense showdown inside an underground shrine. Surya uncovers the real source of the chaos through careful deduction, studying soil and decoding hidden mantras, leading to a harsh but fitting end. The twists reward close attention and deliver a satisfying release of tension.

The film draws from earlier Tamil horror like Arundhati and older Kannada folk stories while creating its own Telugu voice. Production stories mention the difficulties of filming night scenes during heavy rains, consulting practicing tantrics for accuracy, and working within censorship limits on occult content.

Conclusion

Virupaksha stands out by mixing genuine mythology with pointed social observation, leaving viewers unsettled by its mix of the ancient and the painfully familiar. Its real achievement comes from making the irrational feel entirely believable, a reflection of lasting cultural divides.

Readers interested in further background on the production can find additional notes at Dyerbolical via https://dyerbolical.com/about-us/.

Director in the Spotlight

Karthik Varma Dandu, born in 1988 in Andhra Pradesh, rose from modest beginnings into Telugu film direction. After earning a mechanical engineering degree from a local college, he first worked in advertising, where he sharpened his visual approach. His interest in cinema grew while assisting on sets for directors including Ravi Babu and Dasaradh, learning the finer points of storytelling.

This film marked his first feature as director after three years of scripting with help from folklore specialists. His influences range from Hitchcock’s careful suspense to the mythological epics of K. V. Mahadevan, blended with current streaming tastes. After this debut he directed Matinee in 2024, a lighter romance that showed range, with an untitled action drama planned for 2025.

His credits include Virupaksha in 2023 as the breakthrough horror thriller centered on black magic, Matinee in 2024 exploring city youth, and the upcoming project. Dandu is known for thorough preparation, scouting real locations and folding in local speech and customs. He received the Filmfare Critics award for Best Debut Director, marking him as a director who connects commercial reach with artistic ambition.

Off screen he pushes for regional stories to reach wider audiences and runs workshops for new writers. He credits his teams openly and shows interest in broader Indian projects, including possible adaptations of Western tales into Indian settings.

Actor in the Spotlight

Sai Dharam Tej, born Dharam Tej Iddupulapati on October 15, 1986, in Hyderabad, comes from a well-known film family as nephew to Chiranjeevi and brother to Varun Tej. He grew up around film sets and first appeared as a child in Tagore in 2003. Training at Ramoji Film City Academy refined his craft.

His first lead role arrived with Repalle in 2011, but wider popularity followed Mirchi in 2013 alongside Prabhas. His work mixes action leads with deeper emotion, seen in Supreme and Gudachari 116, both from 2016. Awards include a Filmfare for Best Actor in Telugu for Viraj in 2015 along with SIIMA recognition.

His film list runs from the child part in Tagore through Oosaravelli, Repalle, Niperu, February 14, Mirchi, Balupu, Viraj, Kanche, Supreme, Gudachari 116, Nene Raju Nene Mantri, Inttroducing Raja Gari Pelli, Winner, Prati Roju Pandaage, V, F3, Veera Simha Reddy, and Virupaksha in 2023 as a defining horror role, with Gaadu listed as upcoming for 2024.

His path shows the industry’s move toward more layered characters. Away from sets he focuses on fitness and supports rural education efforts. Preparing for the blind protagonist required months of blindfold practice, earning praise for the physical commitment involved.

Bibliography

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