
Ayyana Mane review: A tale of mysterious deaths, superstitions, and gods let down by poor writing
The OTT space has seen a paucity of Kannada content and the new web series Ayyana Mane, helmed by television veteran Ramesh Indira and produced by his wife Shruti Naidu, is an attempt to set a new trend in this space. The six-episode series, which dropped on Zee5 on April 25, revolves around Jaaji (Kushee Ravi), who gets married to Dushyanth (Akshay Nayak) and moves to his family home- Ayyana Mane.
As soon as Jaaji sets foot into her husband's ancestral home, Ayyane Mane, her father-in-law drops dead. While a frightened Jaaji believes she is bringing bad luck to the house, her mother-in-law, husband and brothers-in-law convince her otherwise. Not only does she find strange occurrences in the house, but she also finds that the people in the household also act strangely, arousing her suspicion that all is not well. She soon learns of the mysterious deaths of the other daughters-in-law along with the odd significance of the family deity and certain family beliefs. All these push Jaaji to fear that she could be next in line. Though her husband tells her that she doesn't need to be frightened, Jaaji's mother-in-law Nagamma (Manasi Sudhir) compels her to remain quiet about the goings-on in the house. What is really happening in Ayyana Mane? Who is behind these deaths? Will Jaaji be killed?
Given that director Ramesh Indira is known for his Kannada serials, Ayyana Mane also follows a similar soap opera template and not an OTT series format. What is supposed to be a gripping mystery thriller is slow and lacks the sinister atmospheric theme one would expect in such a series. There are a few red herrings thrown to put numerous people under suspicion, but they are neither convincing nor authentic. Even the reasons as to why the killings are being committed are also not compelling enough.
Themes like family gods and rituals, and superstitions in rural areas have been explored in Ayyana Mane, but it's all at a very superficial level, unfortunately. Thus, the screenplay doesn't flow smoothly, and it becomes tedious midway.
Kannada actor Kushee Ravi anchors the series and essays the innocent-yet-curious, frightened-yet-courageous Jaaji with ease. Since Ayyana Mane is like a regular TV soap, the role would have been a cakewalk for her. Manasi Sudhir has an important role and is convincing while the others are par for the course.
Technically, the cinematography by Rahul Roy stands out as do the costumes by Shilpa Hegde, especially the choice of sarees for the women. The BGM by LV Muthu Ganesh, son of L Vaidyanathan, elevates the scenes as well.
On the whole, Ayyana Mane has an interesting premise but this tale of mysterious deaths, superstitions and gods is let down by poor writing.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Diljit Dosanjh to investigate tricky murder case in 'Detective Sherdil', movie to stream from this date
Actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh is set to play the role of a genius investigator in the film ' Detective Sherdil '. The makers of the movie have released its trailer on Tuesday. The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast including Diana Penty , Boman Irani, Ratna Pathak Shah, Chunky Panday, Sumeet Vyas, Banita Sandhu, Kashmira Irani, and others. As per the trailer, global icon Dosanjh has been tasked to solve a murder case involving a billionaire business tycoon and his family. According to the press note shared by the makers of Detective Sherdil, the plot of the film revolves around a flamboyant billionaire business tycoon (played by Boman Irwho was found gruesomely murdered in Budapest. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Classic Solitaire , Built for Desktop Play Solitaire Download Undo The trailer then introduces Diljit Dosanjh as Detective Sherdil, an unorthodox investigator who has a knack for solving murder cases. By his side is Natasha (Diana Penty), a poised and brilliant investigator with a mind as sharp as her presence is striking. As the two dig deeper into the tangled web of family secrets, betrayals, and billion-dollar motives, the case becomes increasingly twisted and unpredictable, as shown in the trailer. As the investigation continues, a gripping game of deceit unfolds where every suspect harbours a secret that changes the narrative of the story. It is directed and edited by Ravi Chhabriya. The OTT platform Zee5 shared the trailer on their Instagram handle. They wrote, "A murder with many suspects. And a sher with the chaabi to everyone's dil. Are you ready?" On collaborating with Diljit Dosanjh, Ravi Chhabriya said, "From day one, I knew we needed a detective who could balance charm, wit, and a bit of swagger--and Diljit brought all of that and more. The way he got the character to life; and gave it a pulse, a whole new energy that made our vision feel more real," as quoted in a press note shared by the makers of Detective Sherdil. On playing the character of Detective Sherdil, Dosanjh said, "Playing Detective Sherdil has been fun for me. The character quirks and this attitude is something that I have tried differently. Hope audiences enjoy this character and the film." The film is set to premiere on Zee5 on June 20, 2025.


Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
ZEE5 aims to slash operating losses by up to 60% in FY26
Mumbai: ZEE5 , the streaming platform owned by Zee Entertainment , aims to reduce its operating losses by 50-60% in FY26, president of digital businesses and platforms Amit Goenka said. The OTT industry has shifted its focus to achieving profitability after years of heavy investments in subscriber acquisition, which had taken a toll on their P&L. In FY25, ZEE5 reduced its Ebitda loss to ₹548 crore from ₹1,105 crore in the previous year. The company has been aggressively cutting costs to achieve its goal of an 18-20% Ebitda margin in FY26. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Rates Undo "This year, we are striving to reduce our Ebitda losses by more than 50-60% compared to last year. ZEE5 is the only division in Zee Entertainment that is not yet profitable, and we are looking to make it Ebitda-positive," he said. According to Goenka, producing content at a competitive price has been Zee's strength, and the company wants to maintain the cost advantages it has built over the years. Live Events ZEE5's focus on investing more in the story than in the star cast has helped it reduce costs-unlike other major streamers who spend huge amounts of money on star-driven shows, he noted. "We will control our costs and at the same time deliver quality content to audiences," he said. ZEE5 is planning to launch 100 content titles in FY26, with a focus on language-based offerings in markets like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi and Bengali. In FY25, the platform launched 60 pieces of content across movies and originals. Goenka also downplayed concerns that stringent cost controls would impact revenue growth, even as the platform competes with giants like Netflix, Prime Video and JioHotstar. ZEE5's revenue grew by 6% in FY25 to ₹976 crore. "Controlling costs can still help you grow users and offer a great content experience because how you tell the story is more important than the face behind it," he said. While ZEE5 has a hybrid subscription and ad-led model, Goenka sees a lot of potential in the subscription model and intends to partner with telcos, broadband players and other distribution platforms to reach new audiences in tier-2 and -3 cities. The platform also aims to double down on technology to improve user experience and experiment with emerging genres like short-form vertical video.


Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
‘Viewers will dive into a left-hander's quirky struggles in this black comedy'
Accidents are inevitable when a world isn't built for you: this premise drives Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana, an upcoming Kannada black comedy suspense thriller, set for release on June 13. The film, the directorial debut of Samarth B Kadkol, produced under Hyphen Pictures and Keelambi Media Lab, stars Diganth Manchale , Dhanu Harsha, and Nidhi Subbaiah in lead roles. It will also see Nirup Bhandari and Radhika Narayan in significant roles. Many born left-handed are pressured from childhood to use their right. By age 25, this often creates a real dilemma. Interestingly, most creative people are left-handed – Samarth B Kadkol, director Director Samarth reveals that the story centres on Lohit, played by Diganth, a left-handed techie navigating a right-handed world. 'Lohit struggles to adjust to a world not designed for him. The inevitable accidents that occur when a left-hander is forced to use their right hand fuel a thrilling narrative,' he says. He further adds that the film's inspiration was personal. 'One of my directorial teammates is left-handed. Our research uncovered many funny incidents, which ultimately became the core of the script,' he says. Rajesh Keelambi adds, 'I hope this movie, with its blend of comedy, suspense, and thriller, will be a great comeback, especially for Diganth.' Buoyed by the 'positive early response', he adds, 'We're now planning a pan-India release for the film in the coming weeks. '