The Paradise X Review: Nani's Mass Avatar And High-Voltage Action Impress, But Second Half Divides Viewers

Nani has spent years moving between grounded performances and commercial cinema, but The Paradise places him firmly in a much more intense, action-heavy world. Directed by Srikanth Odela, the film reunites Nani with his Dasara filmmaker, while Raghav Juyal, Kayadu Lohar and Mohan Babu fill out a cast built around a turbulent story set in 1980s Secunderabad.

Now that The Paradise has released in theatres on September 24, the first reactions on X are beginning to come in. The Paradise X review conversation is already split, with Nani's performance, the interval action and Anirudh Ravichander's music drawing praise, while the writing, editing and second half have divided viewers. Here's what netizens have to say about the movie.

The Paradise X Review

Venky Reviews was among the more critical voices, praising the opening and interval while finding the second half frustrating. The reviewer described it as an "Artificial Mass Film", particularly objecting to the writing, narration, abrupt edits and lack of emotional connection.

Bunny Kalyan found plenty to enjoy early on, particularly Mohan Babu's screen presence and Nani's introduction. The interval fight was singled out as "TERRIFIC!", although the reviewer felt the second half became slower and could have been trimmed.

X user AmuthaBharathi had a more subdued response, calling the first half passable but finding the second half flat. The post also questioned the emotional impact of the mother-son track and felt Anirudh's background score was less effective later in the film.

Christopher Kanagaraj praised the opening stretch, interval point and KCR scenes, but criticised the film's staging, colour treatment, slow-motion shots and editing. The emotional bond at the centre of the story was another concern in the reaction.

Laxmi Kanth highlighted Nani's presence and performance, along with Anirudh Ravichander's score. The initial flashback setup, Nani's introduction and the Aaya Sher sequence also received praise, although the reviewer felt the film became more generic as it progressed.

User 'idlebrain jeevi' offered one of the more enthusiastic reactions, teasing a surprise second-half appearance, another mother-centric song and major action moments. The interval and climax were described as delivering "goosebumps moments", adding to the film's theatrical appeal.

Reviewer Bossu was less convinced by the opening half, describing it as routine and overloaded with fights and elevations. The interval, however, was singled out as a "Peak" moment, while the reaction found the emotional scenes somewhat forced.

The Paradise Plot, Release Date And Cast

The Paradise stars Nani as Dhagad and is set in 1980s Secunderabad, following a marginalised community fighting discrimination and the denial of basic rights. Raghav Juyal plays the antagonist, while Kayadu Lohar, Mohan Babu, Sonali Kulkarni and Sampoornesh Babu are also part of the ensemble. Produced by SLV Cinemas, The Paradise released in theatres on September 24, 2026, in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, English, Spanish, Bengali, Kannada and Malayalam.