Telugu general entertainment channels have stayed away from bold content involving clandestine affairs, etc for decades. On the other hand, Telugu OTT has been taking nascent steps at imitating Hindi and foreign shows dominated by adult themes. In 2022, Disney Plus Hotstar came up with 'Exposed', a mega series running into scores of episodes. Themes like extra-marital affairs were its predominant elements. The series was a total disappointment.
This year, Aha Video seems to be doing something similar with a web film titled 'Mix-Up'. "This is the kind of Mixup you all Desire! Wink Wink. Coming Soon to Spice Up your screens (sic)," the OTT platform wrote on Twitter, releasing a poster. “Can desire triumph over love?” reads its caption. Led by Akshara Gowda, the show also features Pooja Jhaveri, Kamal Kamaraju, and Adarsh Balakrishna.
To be frank, the casting is not inspiring barring Akshara. Kamal and Adarsh are hardly known for memorable roles. Their casting is also a dead giveaway about the kind of roles they are likely playing in the film. Pooja Jhaveri is a failed movie actress.
Southern filmmakers have failed to crack the code when it comes to bold content. They fail to understand the nuances of the genre, playing things to the gallery. 'Mix-Up', one hopes, will be different. But given the track record of our filmmakers, Aha Video is risking it.
