418 Movie Review Roundup: What Critics Say

Critics agree on one thing about 418: Chaithra J Achar is the reason to watch it. The Prashanth Neel-presented horror thriller has opened to mixed reviews, with most critics praising its eerie atmosphere, striking technical craft and Achar's haunting performance, but faulting its overlong runtime, repetitive scares and a climax that fails to land.

Directed by debutant Kirtan Nadagouda, a longtime associate of Prashanth Neel, and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, 418 released in cinemas on Friday, October 23, 2026, in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Hindi, after paid premieres in Dolby Atmos theatres the night before.

418: quick facts

Release date	Friday, October 23, 2026 (paid premieres on October 22)
Director	Kirtan Nadagouda (debut)
Presenter	Prashanth Neel
Producer	Mythri Movie Makers (its first horror film)
Cast	Chaithra J Achar, Charan Lakkaraju, Surya Raj Veerabathini, Preethi Pagadala, Shashank Patil
Music	Venky GG
Cinematography	Dinesh Divakaran
Languages	Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi
Certificate / runtime	A / about 2 hours 28 minutes

What is 418 about?

Set in a remote rural medical college, 418 follows a student who moves into a newly reopened hostel and begins to experience strange, terrifying encounters. A building sealed for 15 years holds its darkest secret behind the door of Room 418, tied to a tragedy involving a young woman named Devika, played by Chaithra J Achar. The film pits scientific reasoning against local superstition, and draws on Yakshagana folklore for its horror.

418 review roundup: what the critics said

Most critics have rated 418 between 2 and 2.75 out of 5.

Publication	Rating	Verdict
123Telugu	2.75/5	Builds a spooky mood through setting and sound; climax needed better closure
Great Andhra	2.5/5	Effective horror moments, a weak ending
TeluguCinema	2.5/5	An engaging central episode, limited scares
M9 News	2/5	Short on scares
The Hindu	—	A promising but half-hearted horror saga; a terrific beginning and striking craft that eventually loses steam

What works

• Chaithra J Achar. Every review singles her out. Her performance as Devika, especially in the flashback portions, gives the film its emotional core and its most effective stretch.
• The Devika episode. Critics consistently name the flashback as the film's strongest section, with tighter writing and staging than the rest.
• Atmosphere and craft. Dinesh Divakaran's cinematography, Venky GG's background score and the sound design are widely praised for building a genuinely unsettling mood.
• A local identity. The use of Yakshagana folklore and a rural medical college setting gives 418 a flavour distinct from the usual haunted-house template.

What doesn't

• The climax. The most common complaint is an ending that feels rushed, confusing or unconvincing after a strong setup.
• Runtime and pacing. At nearly two and a half hours, critics feel the film is too long for its premise and needed tighter editing.
• Repetitive scares. Several reviews note a reliance on loud jump scares that lose their effect as the film goes on.
• A divided opening. Some critics found the first act tense and terrific, while others felt it was slow, with the first big scare arriving close to an hour in.

418 box office: how it opened

418 went into release with a modest but healthy start in pre-sales for a debutant-directed horror film without a major star. Its opening-day advance stood at around ₹90 lakh gross from about 1,900 shows across languages, according to trade tracking.

With mixed reviews, the film's run will depend on how audiences respond over the weekend. Horror films without star power often grow on word of mouth, and the praise for Chaithra J Achar's performance gives 418 a hook to build on. Day 1 figures are expected shortly.

Our take

418 is a film of striking parts rather than a satisfying whole. The Prashanth Neel stamp, Mythri's backing and a genuinely eerie atmosphere make it one of the more ambitious horror films of the year, and Chaithra J Achar delivers a performance that deserves a wider audience. But critics broadly agree the film loses its grip in the final stretch. For horror fans willing to forgive an uneven ending, the craft and the Devika episode may still make it worth a theatre visit.

418 movie: frequently asked questions