Honestly, the Telugu film industry has a weird obsession with making inanimate objects come to life. We’ve seen possessed cycles and even a sentient house. But a haunted auto-rickshaw? That’s specifically what tuk tuk telugu movie brought to the table when it hit the big screens on March 21, 2025.
If you missed the theatrical run, don’t feel too bad. Most people did. But now that it’s living its second life on ETV Win, the chatter is starting to pick up again.
Directed by C. Supreeth Krishna—the guy who previously gave us Alanti Sitralu—this isn't just a basic horror flick. It’s more of a fantasy-comedy mashup that tries to be deep but occasionally just ends up being a bit slow. The plot follows three teenage boys (Harsh Roshan, Karthikeya Dev, and Steven Madhu) living in a village in Chittoor. They’re broke. They want a camera. Naturally, their "genius" plan involves collecting Ganesh Chaturthi donations and pimping out an old scooter into a three-wheeled rickshaw.
The Weird Hook That Almost Works
The central character isn't even human. It’s the rickshaw itself. The boys start noticing the handle of the "Tuk Tuk" literally nodding to their questions. At first, they think they’ve found a direct line to God. They start using it to make money, and for a while, the movie feels like a breezy village comedy.
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But things get dark fast.
It turns out the vehicle is possessed by the spirit of a girl. This is where the movie shifts gears from a lighthearted kids-on-an-adventure vibe to a heavy romantic tragedy. We get the backstory of Shilpa (played by Saanve Megghana) and her lover Naveen (Nihal Kodhaty).
Why the Critics Were Split
Critics weren't exactly kind, but they weren't brutal either. Most reviews, like the ones from The Times of India and 123telugu, hovered around the 2.5 to 3-star mark.
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The biggest gripe? The pacing.
The second half drags. It really drags.
You’ve got this high-energy first half with the boys being mischievous, and then the movie suddenly wants you to cry for forty minutes about a tragic love story. It’s a tonal whiplash that some viewers found hard to swallow. However, the visuals are surprisingly great. Karthik Sai Kumar used a lot of golden-hour lighting that makes the Chittoor countryside look like a dream.
Cast Performances: Who Stole the Show?
Harsh Roshan is becoming a face to watch. He recently got a lot of praise for Court - State vs A Nobody, and here, he carries the comedy well. The chemistry between the three leads feels authentic—like actual village kids who have nothing better to do than get into trouble.
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Saanve Megghana, who we saw in Pushpaka Vimanam, brings a lot of heart to the spirit character. It’s a tough role because you're playing a memory and a ghost simultaneously, but she manages to keep it from feeling like a caricature.
One thing that really stands out technically is the music by Santhu Omkar. They actually used an AI-generated music video for the song 'Ru Ru', which was a first for Indian cinema. It’s kind of ironic that a movie about an old-school scooter used cutting-edge tech for its promotion.
Is It Worth the Watch?
If you like "small film" vibes with a supernatural twist, yeah, it’s worth a Saturday afternoon. Just go in knowing it’s not Kanchana. It’s not going to make you jump out of your seat. It’s more of a "slice-of-life meets Ghostbusters" situation.
What to do next:
If you're in the mood for something offbeat, head over to ETV Win and search for tuk tuk telugu movie. It’s also available on Amazon Prime Video in certain regions. Skip the first 15 minutes if you find the village intro too slow—the movie only really finds its legs once the scooter starts talking back.