Dhootha Review: Naga Chaitanya puts up a convincing act in a well-crafted horror series

Naga Chaitanya has made his debut in long-form storytelling format with Dhootha, a crime show that blends elements of horror and mystery. Directed by Vikram K Kumar, the eight-episode show not only relies on jump scares but has a solid storyline that shines a light on social issues, with its characters set in a morally corrupt world. While the narrative has novelty and merges paranormal with media ethics, do Naga Chaitanya and Vikram deliver on promises? Let's find out.

Hot Take

Dhootha or messenger follows the story of an enterprising journalist Sagar (Naga Chaitanya) and how he unwillingly gets drawn into a series of murders that eventually threaten him and his family. Like all horror shows, the director invests in building an atmosphere of terror and surprise and relies on Naga Chaitanya's performance to deliver the chills.

The actor, who has thus far dabbled with mellow and emotional dramas, has a lot to offer here and steps up to the task. Dhootha makes him the antagonist of his own life and puts him in a predicament of his own making. What follows next is a series of unexpected twists and turns and edge-of-the-seat moments that aim to elevate the show's eerie experience. Thankfully, the actor-director duo delivers in most regards, minus the tropes that storylines like these tend to be burdened with.

Does Dhootha live up to the hype?

Naga Chaitanya takes on an offbeat role, something that the audience is not used to seeing him in, and delivers to a T. The director creates a conducive environment for an anxiety-ridden performance by the actor through and through and he delivers. Chay is so absorbed in the narrative that at times it is difficult to separate the actor from the character.  

He plays into the tropes of the horror genre well, wearing the expression of terror on his face effortlessly. However, some time into the series, it begins to weigh down on him and it starts to appear that the film will keep juggling between the plot and Chay's reaction to it.

Vikram K Kumar comes to the rescue as he introduces new characters and a defined backstory to the horrors that are unfolding onscreen. This takes the pressure of performance off Naga Chaitanya's shoulders and the audience gets to invest fully in the show as its intriguing layers start to peel off.

Horror tropes are aplenty

Dhootha leans into the tropes of the horror genre a little too much. The haunting background score and the blue tint are evident throughout. Movies like Tumbbad, Megan and Midsommar have proved that horror works well if you break away from the tropes. Something of the sort could have benefitted Dhootha and given it an edge over shows in a similar vein.

Another aspect that the series lacks is in the setting the backstory of the leads. Sagar is thrown into the midst of what's unfolding and his background is not fully disclosed. That makes the relatability very in-the-moment and not something that you can overlook through eight episodes.

Despite playing to the tropes and its somewhat predictable ending and sporadic jump scares, Dhootha is a safe thriller worth a one-time watch.

Stream it or skip it?

It's delightful to see Naga Chaitanya break out of his comfort zone and deliver a promising thriller that holds attention through its runtime. Chay is a larger portion of what's exciting about the show and he seems to have proven that he is a director's actor.

Bottomline

Dhootha makes one feel like it's part of the Final Destination universe. Some will be reminded of the 2016 Kannada movie U-Turn as they have similar social horror storylines. Despite being inspired, Dhootha is good spin on a tale that you may have witnessed before and ends on a promising and positive note. The feel-good ending then becomes its biggest takeaway.

Rating: 3/5 stars