Raju is a fisherman from Matchilesam, a village near Srikakulam, who leads his boat crew as its Thandel, just as his father once did. He and Sathya have loved each other since they were children, but she fears the dangers of his work and wants him to choose a safer life. Raju cannot turn away from the sea.
During a storm, his crew rescues some Pakistani fishermen but strays into Pakistani waters, and Raju and 22 other fishermen end up in a Pakistani prison. As political tensions grow in 2019, their hopes of going home fade, and Sathya begins a long fight to bring them back.
About Thandel
Thandel is a 2025 Telugu romance and action film. It is directed by Chandoo Mondeti and produced by Bunny Vasu, with music by Devi Sri Prasad. Sai Pallavi, Naga Chaitanya Akkineni, Karunakaran, Divya Pillai and Prakash Belawadi appear in it, alongside 5 more credited names. It runs 2 hours 32 minutes. It streams on Netflix.
