Movie: Korean Kanakaraju
Cast: Varun Tej, Ritika Nayak, Satya and Others
Director: Merlapaka Gandhi
Producers: Rajeev Reddy Yeduguru, Pramod Uppalapati, Vamsi Krishna Reddy
Music Director: Thaman S
Cinematographer: Manojh Reddy
Editor: Satyaa G
Release Date : August 07, 2026
Rating: 2.75/5
Starring Varun Tej and directed by Merlapaka Gandhi, the Indo-Korean horror comedy film Korean Kanakaraju features Ritika Nayak as the heroine, with Satya playing a prominent role. Released in theaters today amidst expectations, let’s dive into the review to see how the movie fared with audiences.
Story:
The ashes of a person who died in Korea accidentally reach India through a cook. Kanakaraju (Varun Tej), living in the Penukonda area, is a very hot-tempered person who reacts strongly against injustice, accompanied by his friend Kishappa (Satya). Amidst a few dramatic developments, Kanakaraju gets into a fight with local rowdies. Meanwhile, he falls in love with Chaitra (Ritika Nayak), a girl working at the Kia company, who also connects with him. However, Kanakaraju’s life takes a complete turn because of a ghost, forcing him to travel to Korea. Who is that ghost? What kind of person was he in the past? What does the spirit that entered Kanakaraju’s body want? How does Kanakaraju get into trouble because of it, and how does the story take a final turn? This forms the rest of the plot.
Performances:
Varun Tej handles his character well as a village youth and when possessed by the ghost, carrying the film nicely with his acting and comic timing. Satya is the main highlight of the movie, bringing laughs to the theaters with his trademark comedy one-liners and expressions. Ritika Nayak performs realistically within her scope. Murlidhar Goud, Bulliraju, and VTV Ganesh also entertain in their respective supporting roles. The rest of the cast made their presence felt.
Technical Aspects:
S. Thaman’s songs are decent, and his background score effectively elevates the horror and comedy sequences. Manoj Reddy’s camera work looks good with natural visuals and locations, while the editing is decent. Director Merlapaka Gandhi comes up with a fresh setting for an Indo-Korean horror comedy, handling the horror blocks and comedy well. The technical team has handled the film well.
Review:
Korean Kanakaraju focuses more on entertaining and making people laugh rather than just terrifying them. The comedy scenes after the ghost enters in the first half and the pairing between Satya and Varun Tej work out nicely. Though the narrative slows down slightly once it shifts to the Korea backdrop in the second half, the movie overall delivers continuous fun. Leaving logic aside, it makes for a fun weekend watch.
Plus Points:
Indo-Korean horror comedy premise.
Comedy and Performances
Thaman’s Music
Minus Points:
Slow Narrative
Logic is missing for some parts
Limited Emotional Depth
Final Verdict: Korean Kanakaraj is Keka in Parts
Click Here To Read Review in Telugu
