Mass Jathara (2025) is a Telugu mass entertainer from first-time director Bhanu Bhogavarapu. Ravi Teja leads as a Railway Protection Force officer who takes on a ganja racket across Visakhapatnam and the Uttarandhra belt. Sreeleela plays the heroine, Naveen Chandra is the chief antagonist, and the supporting line-up features Rajendra Prasad, Naresh, and Samuthirakani.
Across 2 hours 40 minutes, and with a UA certificate, the film packs action, family drama, romance, and festival colour. Early reception is mixed to negative, with most critics landing between 2 and 2.75 out of 5. Fans call it a throwback Ravi Teja crowd-pleaser, while detractors tag it as old-school, formula-heavy, and clichéd.
What works
- Ravi Teja: Charisma, energy, comic beats, and swagger in action carry large stretches. Many fans see it as a full-throttle return to form.
- Action set pieces: Big-scale fights in the interval block, the Jathara stretch, and the villain’s lair finale stand out. Choreography is stylish, and the CBFC notes flagged the intensity.
- Technical polish: Vidhu Ayyanna’s bright, punchy frames, Bheems Ceciroleo’s background score and a few catchy numbers like Rangu Ratri, plus expansive production design for the railway and Jathara sequences.
What falls short in Mass Jathara
- Familiar plot: A standard cop versus smuggling syndicate track, with shades of Krack and recent drug dramas. Fresh ideas and sharp twists are scarce.
- Dated choices: Forced romance with an awkward age gap, loud comedy and melodrama, clumsy song placement, blaring BGM, and a thin screenplay.
- Sluggish second half: Momentum dips after the interval despite the odd high. Editing and writing lose grip.
| Source | Rating | Verdict snapshot |
|---|---|---|
| 123Telugu | 2.75/5 | Ravi Teja’s energy props up a routine tale |
| GreatAndhra | 2/5 | Clichéd mass fare that runs out of steam |
| The Hindu | Negative | Formula-bound, Ravi Teja cannot save it |
| Indian Express | Negative | Stubbornly dated and aimless |
| Gulte | 2/5 | Standard template with weak packaging |
| IMDb User | Positive | Fan-friendly masala fun, around 5/10 |
Buzz on X lines up with this split. Fans cheer the non-stop energy and the interval and Jathara peaks, with some calling it a 3.75 out of 5 ride. Others mark it as average or outdated, in the 2 to 2.5 range.
Mass Jathara Verdict:
A below-par mass outing, around 2.25 out of 5 on balance. Worth a look for Ravi Teja followers who want big action highs, especially in B and C centres. Story logic takes a back seat, and the formula shows. The box office opened fair, then cooled on day two, with the Monday hold seen as crucial. Recovery hinges on stronger word of mouth. OTT release is likely on Netflix after the theatrical run.