Shikhandi Movie Review: A paranormal thriller that finds its footing in the second half

A group of young architects, a mysterious village, an abandoned temple, paranormal activities and a brewing business rivalry — Shikhandi tries to blend commercial drama with horror and mythology. Directed by Gurumurthy V, the film starts on an engaging note but takes time to settle into its core plot.The story begins in a Bengaluru-based real estate company, where Naveen (played by Vijay Chendur) introduces Surya and the rest of the team of young architects. The energetic office setup and the camaraderie between the youngsters initially give the film a breezy vibe. The team is assigned a project to build a multispeciality hospital in a remote village in Ballary for Sangeetha (Khyathei), daughter of a wealthy doctor and businessman.Things take an interesting turn when the group shifts to the village and begins work on the project. A sudden animated mythological sequence introducing “Shikhandi” adds intrigue, hinting that beneath the seemingly simple setup lies a darker story. The subplot involving Sangeetha’s father and his rivalry with another powerful businessman also adds layers to the narrative.As expected, romance blooms between Surya (Yuvraj Gowda) and Sangeetha, but the film truly picks up when the group discovers an abandoned temple during a trek. A tiger encounter followed by paranormal disturbances at their stay creates the suspense the film had been building towards.The biggest strength of the film is its second half. The narrative becomes tighter after the interval with the introduction of more prominent characters, including performances by Raj Deepak Shetty and Bala Rajwadi. The horror-thriller elements work better here, and the film finally finds a consistent rhythm.Performance-wise, the actors do a decent job, especially considering many are relatively fresh faces. However, the dubbing occasionally feels uneven and takes away from the emotional impact of certain scenes. The making is neither exceptional nor disappointing — it stays somewhere in the middle. At times, the film feels like two different movies stitched together, with the first half lacking the grip and pace seen later on.That said, the core story is interesting and had the potential to be even more impactful with a tighter screenplay and crisper execution. While Shikhandi may not fully deliver on all fronts, it still manages to be a decent one-time watch, especially for audiences who enjoy paranormal thrillers with a mythological touch.