Yakshini story: Maya (Vedhika) is the youngest one among the 64 Yakshinis (celestial nymphs) who live in Kubera’s Alkapuri. Maya fails to fulfil her duties after she falls in love with Mahakal (Ajay), and Kubera curses her to live on Earth. Meanwhile, she realises Mahakal’s hidden evil intentions and is left heartbroken. Kubera asks Maya to sacrifice 100 Brahmacharis who are willing to die after she pleads with him to take her back to Alkapuri. However, her 100th prey, an innocent bachelor named Krishna (Rahul Vijay), falls in love with her, making things further complicated.

Yakshini Review: Director Teja Marni and writer Ram Vamsi Krishna’s fantasy series had the potential to emerge as a fascinating watch. However, the bad writing, mediocre performances by the star cast, and inconsistency in the storytelling made this Disney+ Hotstar show a complete yawn fest. The movie begins on an impressive note with Yakshini’s mission to sacrifice 100 Brahmacharis, but soon shifts its gear and transforms into a snooze-worthy family drama that revolves around the protagonist's wedding. The show also often tends to get confused between its genres.

The romance between Maya and Krishna is just forced and boring, and the lack of chemistry between the leads makes things worse. The track involving Krishna’s annoying family makes things worse. The only silver lining of the show, the fascinating backstory of Maya and the Yakshini clan, is not explored well and will be forgotten soon. Even though the makers attempt to keep things interesting by unfolding the story with a not-so-new non-linear narrative, it does not create much impact.

Vedhika looks beautiful as the celestial nymph Maya and plays her part decently. However, the actress is wasted in a character that lacks consistency in her motives. Rahul Krishna, the leading man, shines at moments but fails to create any big impact in his underwritten role. Lakshmi Manchu is introduced in the series on a promising note, but her character also suffers from bad writing. Ajay makes an impact as the template ‘black magician’ antagonist. The rest of the star cast have nothing much to do in their forgettable roles.

When it comes to the technical aspects, cinematographer Jagadeesh Cheekati and the VFX team and production design teams headed by Junaid Ullah and Gandhi Nadikudikar, respectively, have done their parts well. Jagadeesh Cheekati’s songs are forgettable, while background music fails to uplift the flat narrative.

Yakshini Verdict: This fantasy web series is a complete yawn fest that fails to create any impact. The forced family drama and badly executed narrative make Yakshini a forgettable watch.

TeluguCinema

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