A well known investigative journalist on the verge of launching a newspaper finds himself caught in a maze of mysterious incidents of crime. There’s no turning back. Dhootha (messenger), the Telugu web series directed by Vikram Kumar, has actor Naga Chaitanya Akkineni essaying the part of the journalist. The director-actor duo who collaborated for Telugu films Manam and Thank You step into the digital space with this paranormal crime thriller series, which will stream on Amazon Prime Video on December 1.
In an interview with The Hindu, Chaitanya states that he was eager to experiment in the digital space and when Vikram approached him with a character that went beyond being merely black or white, he was game to step out of his comfort zone. Season one of Dhootha unfolds during monsoon in Visakhapatnam and also stars Parvathy Thiruvothu, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Prachi Desai, Pasupathy, Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam and Tanikella Bharani.
“My first challenge was to play an investigative journalist who is complex; there are several layers to him,” says Chaitanya, about his character that has shades of grey. Not having to think of box office reception was an advantage. “I still am not brave enough to try portraying such a character for the large screen,” he admits. “The audience watches content at home with a neutral mindset. Of course, it has to engage them or they will move to something else. They expect entertainment when they make an effort to go to the theatre, and spend on tickets and popcorn. On OTT, they are open to watching something new.”
