They Call Him OG (2025) Movie ft. Pawan, Priyanka, and Emraan

Pawan Kalyan steps back into action territory with They Call Him OG, a crime thriller that pairs him with Bollywood’s Emraan Hashmi. Sujeeth directs this tale of underworld revenge, bringing together Priyanka Mohan, Arjun Das, and veteran Prakash Raj. The film drops us into Mumbai’s criminal landscape of the 1990s, where a feared gangster named Ojas Gambheera must break his self-imposed exile.

Behind the camera, Ravi K. Chandran and Manoj Paramahamsa handle cinematography while Thaman S creates the soundscape. Naveen Nooli takes care of editing duties. The September 25, 2025 release builds toward a brutal face-off between two crime bosses battling for Mumbai’s streets.

The Story Unfolds

We’re thrown into 1990s Mumbai where Satya Dada runs a crucial port. His operation draws unwanted attention from Mirajkar, whose aggressive son Jimmy rips through the city hunting a missing container loaded with explosives. Things spiral when Jimmy’s rampage claims Satya Dada’s younger son.

The real puppet master pulling strings turns out to be Omi Bhau, Emraan Hashmi’s character. He desperately needs that container back and won’t stop until he gets it. As bodies start piling up, one name keeps surfacing as the only solution, OG, short for Ojas Gambheera, who’s been hiding from Mumbai’s crime world for years.

Through flashbacks, we discover who Ojas really is and what drove him away. His ties to Satya Dada run deep, and we catch glimpses of his personal life with his wife, played by Priyanka Mohan. Everything points toward an inevitable collision between OG and Omi Bhau that will reshape Mumbai’s criminal hierarchy.

The narrative sticks to well-worn gangster film territory, betrayal, vengeance, territorial wars. Nothing here reinvents the wheel. But the slick execution and high-energy sequences do enough to keep fans engaged through familiar beats.

Acting and Screen Presence

Pawan Kalyan commands attention as Ojas Gambheera from his first frame. He carries himself with calculated menace that never feels overdone. I found his restrained approach refreshing, no unnecessary shouting, just quiet intensity that makes everyone else nervous. The katana sequences show his physical commitment, mixing grace with savage efficiency.

When the script calls for vulnerability, particularly in scenes opposite Priyanka, Kalyan shifts gears smoothly. The police station confrontation ranks among his finest work here, balancing threat and control perfectly.

Emraan Hashmi brings genuine menace as Omi Bhau. He doesn’t just phone in his Telugu debut, he commits fully, matching Kalyan’s energy beat for beat. His introduction scene alone justifies his casting, establishing him as a credible threat who demands respect through presence rather than volume.

Priyanka Mohan gets shortchanged with limited screen time. She handles her flashback sequences competently and shares decent chemistry with Kalyan when given the chance. But the script treats her more as motivation than character, which wastes her potential contribution.

Prakash Raj lends weight to Satya Dada, though the role could have offered more meat. Sriya Reddy and Arjun Das work with what they’re given but never break free from functional supporting roles. Sudhev Nair makes Jimmy genuinely unsettling in the first half, bringing real unpredictability to his violent outbursts.

Visual and Technical Strengths

Sujeeth clearly loves his leading man and it shows in how OG is crafted. Every detail from costume choices to body language gets attention. The character design succeeds in giving fans their ideal version of Pawan Kalyan, dangerous, stylish, controlled.

The fight choreography deserves special recognition. Each action sequence builds differently, avoiding repetition. The opening brawl hooks you immediately with its inventive staging. The interval sequence delivers pure crowd-pleasing moments. When Kalyan wields that katana, the screen crackles with violent energy that’s hard to look away from.

Thaman S’s score doesn’t just accompany the action, it drives it. His compositions amplify every emotion, whether building dread before violence or pumping adrenaline during fights. The themes he creates for OG and Omi Bhau give each character sonic identity that enhances their presence.

Ravi K. Chandran and Manoj Paramahamsa deliver gorgeous cinematography throughout. Each shot looks meticulously composed while maintaining organic movement. Their recreation of period Mumbai feels authentic rather than staged. The color grading bathes everything in grimy, lived-in tones that suit a crime saga perfectly.

Production design never cuts corners. The sets, props, and period details transport you convincingly back three decades. Everything looks expensive in the best way, polished but not artificial. Even small touches in background elements show care and attention.

Where It Stumbles

The story’s predictability becomes its biggest weakness. If you’ve watched gangster films before, you’ll anticipate most developments. The script follows expected patterns without offering fresh angles or surprising turns. While style compensates somewhat, it can’t completely replace substantive storytelling.

Pacing problems surface heavily in the second half. After a punchy first portion, momentum drains away. Multiple sequences overstay their welcome, stretching runtime unnecessarily. Only the climax manages to recapture lost energy, but by then you’ve sat through considerable sluggishness. Sharper editing choices would have helped enormously.

Character development stays frustratingly surface-level. Prakash Raj, Arjun Das, Sriya Reddy, all feel like chess pieces rather than people. They move where the plot needs them without developing distinct personalities or meaningful arcs. You never invest emotionally because the script doesn’t give you reasons to care deeply.

The romantic angle between Pawan and Priyanka barely registers. Their relationship could have humanized OG, showing what he values beyond power and revenge. Instead we get brief flashback snippets that hint at depth without delivering it. This represents missed opportunity to add emotional stakes.

Confrontations between OG and Omi Bhau lack real bite despite being the film’s centerpiece. For all the buildup, their actual encounters feel strangely muted. The dialogue doesn’t crackle, the tension doesn’t suffocate. The climax works adequately but doesn’t provide the explosive payoff three years of waiting warranted.

Critics and Viewers React

Review aggregators show mixed-to-positive responses. 123Telugu scored it 3.25 out of 5, appreciating Kalyan’s work and technical polish while pointing out narrative weakness. They recognized Sujeeth’s success in fan service even as storytelling suffered.

Times of India went with 3 stars, noting Sujeeth’s reliance on star charisma over layered writing. They enjoyed the spectacle but wanted stronger substance underneath. GreatAndhra summed it up as More Style Than Depth, which captures the essence accurately.

Early responder Umair Sandhu gave 3.5 stars, labeling it a power-packed violent thriller while singling out Emraan Hashmi as the real highlight. His take emphasized the film’s intensity and mass appeal.

Fan reactions skew heavily positive on social media. Hardcore Pawan Kalyan supporters got exactly what they hoped for, a stylish action vehicle showcasing their star at his fierce best. General moviegoers appear more divided, echoing critical concerns about predictable plotting. IMDb currently registers 7.0, suggesting decent overall satisfaction without universal acclaim.

Closing Assessment

They Call Him OG functions primarily as fan celebration rather than crime cinema reinvention. It succeeds at giving Pawan Kalyan devotees the stylish gangster they crave. Technical elements, particularly cinematography and background score, elevate material that otherwise treads familiar ground.

The predictable storyline and shallow characterizations prevent it from achieving greatness. It entertains through pure style and star power rather than narrative depth. The film clearly sets up continuation, so OG’s story isn’t finished yet. I’d recommend this for anyone seeking a slick action showcase rather than complex crime drama.

Rating: 3.25/5