Anveshitha
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''Anveshitha'' is an Indian Telugu-language
supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
that aired on
ETV ETV may stand for: Television * Educational television, the use of television in education * Enhanced TV, an interactive television application specification Africa * e.tv, South Africa * ETV (Ethiopia), Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation * ETV G ...
from 1997 to 1999. Written by Ilyas Ahmed and Jyotsna, and directed by Ilyas Ahmed under the
pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...
Pradyumna, the series was produced by
Ramoji Rao Cherukuri Ramoji Rao (16 November 1936 – 8 June 2024) was an Indian businessman, media proprietor and film producer. He was head of the Ramoji Group which owns the world's largest film production facility Ramoji Film City, '' Eenadu'' news ...
. It premiered on 27 August 1997 on the occasion of ETV's second anniversary and ran for 100 episodes till 21 July 1999. Based on a paranormal novel by Ilyas Ahmed and Jyotsna, ''Anveshitha'' explored themes such as
black magic Black magic (Middle English: ''nigromancy''), sometimes dark magic, traditionally refers to the use of Magic (paranormal), magic or supernatural powers for evil and selfish purposes. The links and interaction between black magic and religi ...
,
witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
,
demonic possession Spirit Possession is an altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors which are purportedly caused by the control of a human body and its functions by Supernatural#Spirit, spirits, ghosts, demons, angels, or Deity, gods. The concept ...
, astral travel, and other
supernatural phenomena Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanings since the an ...
. Blending elements of horror,
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
, and mystery, the series was broadcast weekly on Wednesdays at 8:30 PM, with episodes ranging from 18 to 24 minutes in length. The show became highly popular among Telugu audiences and received critical acclaim, winning eight
Nandi Awards The Nandi Awards are annual awards presented by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to recognise excellence in Telugu cinema, theatre, and television, as well as lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. The awards are named after the monolithic ...
across various categories. It is regarded as a landmark in Telugu television for its innovative storytelling and supernatural themes.


Plot

The story revolves around a young woman named Snigdha (
Yamuna The Yamuna (; ) is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Low ...
) who comes to live in
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
after marrying her beau Pavan (
Achyuth Kunapareddy Achyutha Vara Prasad, better known as Achyuth (1960 – 26 December 2002) was an Indian actor who primarily worked in Telugu Telugu cinema, films and television. He acted in over 50 films and 50 television shows. His accolades ...
), an
archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...
, much to the disapproval of her mother-in-law. There, certain events lead her to discover an eerily desolated monument, inside which she encounters a strange witch-cult, whose members worship a bat-like
demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in Media (communication), media including f ...
named Karakinkara. Strangely, the place is visible only to Snigdha and when she recounts what she saw, everyone around her starts to think she is delusional, much to her chagrin. The statue of Karakinkara seems to haunt her wherever she goes and she starts experiencing terrifying nightmares. The terror-stricken woman spends sleepless nights, and spirals into depression with no one to believe her and a not-so-loving mother-in-law. Meanwhile, a young woman named Masthanamma (Lakshmi) is hired as a household help by Snigdha's mother-in-law. Unbeknownst to anyone, Mastanamma, who practices
witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
, captures a terrifying paranormal entity known as Khabees and holds him captive on the top of a wardrobe as her slave. She also falls in love with Pavan and so intends to get rid of Snigdha with the help of Khabees, who starts terrifying Snigdha from above the wardrobe. Meanwhile, Snigdha gets pregnant much to the dislike of her mother-in-law. A series of events make Mastanamma realize her mistakes and she becomes friends with Snigdha. Eventually, Snigdha gives birth to a boy named Anirudh (Master Anil Raj), whom Mastanamma saves from the attack of the Karakinkara followers. But, soon after giving birth to Aniruddh, Snigdha dies in a fire accident and Mastanamma disappears without a trace. After the death of Snigdha, a grief-stricken Pavan raises Aniruddh on his own for 7 years, before uncovering hair-raising facts and shocking truths behind Snigdha's death. The subsequent episodes delve into several intriguing questions: Is Snigdha truly dead? Did her mother-in-law play a role in her demise? What led to Mastanamma's sudden disappearance? What became of Khabees? Who are the Karakinkara followers, and why were they targeting Snigdha? How does young Anirudh attempt to connect with his deceased mother, and what drives him to believe in the paranormal? Additionally, the story introduces Professor Athma ( Vallabhaneni Janardhan)—who is he, and what motivates his friendship with Anirudh? The first 50 episodes focus on the challenges faced by Snigdha and Pavan, while the latter half shifts to a grown-up Anirudh ( Shanmukha Srinivas). Anirudh develops
extrasensory perception Extrasensory perception (ESP), also known as a sixth sense, or cryptaesthesia, is a claimed paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind. The term was ad ...
and begins recalling his past life with the guidance of a
spirit guide A spirit guide, in Spiritualism, is an entity that remains as a discarnate spirit to act as a guide or protector to a living incarnated individual. Description In traditional African belief systems, well before the spread of Christianity ...
named Clara ( Suma Kanakala). New characters are introduced, including Bheesthi Nayak (Raja), the leader of the Karakinkara cult; Ankitha (Meena), Anirudh's best friend; and Aneela, his love interest. The storyline culminates in Anirudh's efforts to dismantle the powerful and malevolent Karakinkara cult.


Cast


Production

The filming of the serial took place predominantly at
Ramoji Film City Ramoji Film City is an integrated film studio facility located in Hyderabad, India. Spread over , it is recognized as the world's largest film studio complex by the Guinness World Records. Established in 1996 by Telugu media proprietor Ramoj ...
,
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
, where a huge Karakinkara set was constructed.


Themes

The series explores a wide range of supernatural themes, including
witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
,
black magic Black magic (Middle English: ''nigromancy''), sometimes dark magic, traditionally refers to the use of Magic (paranormal), magic or supernatural powers for evil and selfish purposes. The links and interaction between black magic and religi ...
, astral world,
astral projection In Western esotericism, esotericism, astral projection (also known as astral travel, soul journey, soul wandering, spiritual journey, spiritual travel) is an intentional out-of-body experience (OBE) in which a subtle body, known as the astra ...
,
demonic possession Spirit Possession is an altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors which are purportedly caused by the control of a human body and its functions by Supernatural#Spirit, spirits, ghosts, demons, angels, or Deity, gods. The concept ...
,
spirits Spirit(s) commonly refers to: * Liquor, a distilled alcoholic drink * Spirit (animating force), the non-corporeal essence of living things * Spirit (supernatural entity), an incorporeal or immaterial being Spirit(s) may also refer to: Liquids ...
,
ghost In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...
s,
Ouija board The Ouija ( , ), also known as a Ouija board, spirit board, talking board, or witch board, is a flat board marked with the letters of the Latin alphabet, the numbers 0–9, the words "yes", "no", and occasionally "hello" and "goodbye", along ...
usage,
extrasensory perception Extrasensory perception (ESP), also known as a sixth sense, or cryptaesthesia, is a claimed paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind. The term was ad ...
,
spirit guide A spirit guide, in Spiritualism, is an entity that remains as a discarnate spirit to act as a guide or protector to a living incarnated individual. Description In traditional African belief systems, well before the spread of Christianity ...
s,
zombie A zombie (Haitian French: ; ; Kikongo: ''zumbi'') is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. In modern popular culture, zombies appear in horror genre works. The term comes from Haitian folkl ...
s,
telepathy Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic ...
, and
séance A séance or seance (; ) is an attempt to communicate with spirits. The word ''séance'' comes from the French language, French word for "session", from the Old French , "to sit". In French, the word's meaning is quite general and mundane: one ma ...
s.


Music

The
title song Theme music is a musical composition which is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at so ...
of ''Anveshitha'' was composed by Madhavapeddi Suresh, written by C. Narayana Reddy, and sung by the noted singer K. S. Chithra. The song was acclaimed, earning Chithra a
Nandi Award The Nandi Awards are annual awards presented by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to recognise excellence in Telugu cinema, theatre, and television, as well as lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. The awards are named after the monolithic s ...
for her performance.


Release

''Anveshitha'' premiered on 27 August 1997, coinciding with the second anniversary of ETV. The series originally aired on Wednesdays at 8:30 PM and consisted of 100 episodes, each with a runtime of 18 to 24 minutes. The final episode was broadcast on 21 July 1999. Following its initial run, ''Anveshitha'' was re-telecast from 2004 to 2006, continuing to garner viewership during the rerun.


Critical reception

''Anveshitha'' received widespread critical and audience acclaim for its unique and gripping storyline. Its horror elements resonated with viewers of all ages, making it a favourite among both children and adults. The character of 'Khabees' and the statue of Karakinkara became iconic symbols of the series.Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
/ref> The performances of the lead actors,
Yamuna The Yamuna (; ) is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Low ...
and
Achyuth Kunapareddy Achyutha Vara Prasad, better known as Achyuth (1960 – 26 December 2002) was an Indian actor who primarily worked in Telugu Telugu cinema, films and television. He acted in over 50 films and 50 television shows. His accolades ...
, were particularly praised, earning them recognition and making them household names across the state. The show's ability to blend supernatural themes with compelling drama contributed to its popularity and enduring appeal.


Awards

Nandi TV Awards (Andhra Pradesh State Film, Music, Television and Arts Awards)


References

{{Reflist


External links

*
Anveshitha
' at ETV YouTube channel Horror fiction Indian horror fiction television series Telugu-language television shows 1997 Indian television series debuts 1999 Indian television series endings Indian supernatural television series ETV Telugu original programming