24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Hari Hara Veera Mallu X Review: Netizens find Pawan Kalyan's movie mediocre
Despite sky-high expectations, Hari Hara Veera Mallu failed to strike a chord with audiences. The 17th-century period action drama, starring Pawan Kalyan as a rebellious outlaw, drew flak online for its underwhelming execution.
However, not all was lost. The netizens praised Nidhhi Agerwal for her standout performance and lauded Bobby Deol's menacing turn as the antagonist. Directed by M Jyothi Krishna and Krish Jagarlamudi, the film aimed big but seems to have missed the mark with most viewers.
Kalyan fans can be seen applauding for their favourite star in a number of videos from South Indian theatres that are becoming viral online. Netizens are sharing their thoughts about the movie on social media as it has been released in various regions of the nation. Online reviews for the pan-India film are currently conflicting.
Here's what the netizens said about Hari Hara Veera Mallu
While Hari Hara Veera Mallu had generated significant buzz ahead of its release, some social media users found themselves disappointed by its 'uninspired storytelling, uneven visuals, and embarrassingly poor visual effects.'
One user commented, 'We were excited for this magnum opus. Nidhi Agarwal's outstanding performance is wasted. We are not sure why this film released. For those who were hoping for something exceptional, Hari Hara Veera Mallu is a huge disappointment overall, (sic)'.
Another user said, 'Overall, barring the relatively engaging pre-interval stretch and a single sequence in the second half, Hari Hara Veera Mallu is marred by mediocrity — plagued by uninspired storytelling, uneven visuals, and embarrassingly poor visual effects".
Another added, 'Pawan Kalyan seemed uninterested in acting. He is no longer the actor we watched growing up".
Another one wrote, 'VFX is much worse than what we saw in the trailer. Everything looked cheap. Over loud music, lazy writing, back-to-back pointless battle sequences, lazy dialogue delivery from Pawan Kalyan make this a BORING watch!'
'It's hard to pinpoint where Hari Hara Veera Mallu truly derails, because from start to finish, the film suffers from some of the worst VFX and CGI work seen in Indian cinema post-Baahubali. What could have been a visual spectacle ends up looking like a half-hearted attempt built on hype and star power alone.'
'The production values are shockingly poor. Even a basic AI tool with a free subscription could generate better visuals than what's on display here. This kind of carelessness should serve as a wake-up call for the industry; technical excellence is not optional, especially for high-budget films of this scale,' another commented.
About Hari Hara Veera Mallu cast and plot
The novel takes place during a period when revolutions and power struggles influenced the path of history. The major role of Hari Hara Veera Mallu, a warrior battling for justice in a chaotic time, is played by actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan. Bollywood actor Bobby Deol plays the reimagined Mughal ruler Aurangzeb in the film as well.
Playing the title role, the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh stated that the film illuminates the tyranny of Aurangzeb and narrates the story of a heist involving the Koh-i-Noor diamond. The music for Hari Hara Veera Mallu was written by MM Keeravani, who is renowned for his award-winning contributions to Indian cinema.