For the past few years, Mahesh Babu has carefully picked roles that are heroic and centered around the greater good of the common people. His 2017 crime thriller Spyder is the same. The Telugu film is the story of a techie who develops software that helps people in need. With an added element of humour, drama and romance, Spyder, also starring Rakul Preet Singh, remains a movie that we cherish.

The opening scene of the Telugu movie shows three youngsters. The girl has been fooled by one boy and is all set to elope for love. The boy brings his friend along to help him ditch the girl and run away with the money. But they’re all caught, not by police in uniform but still by officials. In this indirect and simple scene, we know that we’re rooting for righteousness all throughout the film.

Mahesh’s character Shiva has been following a girl for ’28 days’. On the 28th day, the girl turns around and questions his behaviour. She lists down all details about his outfit, vehicle and the nitty-gritties of the last 28 days. Seeing this, his friend asks if she is telling the truth and Shiva shyly accepts. With a sense of worry and excitement, both at once, he tells Shiva that the girl is in love with him. While we’re all expecting them to break out into a romantic track, Shiva says: “But this is not love.” What a heartbreak!

A little before we hit the interval, we learn about the villain. It is just a boy who is born and brought up in a graveyard. When kids are born, they cry. But when Bhairavudu is born, he hears others cry. Eventually, he develops a sharp ear and can spot a cry or a funeral coming towards the graveyard from afar. If this wasn’t creepy enough, we see him mimic people crying over the bodies of their loved ones and turn his frown into a smile. With brilliant acting abilities, this kid sets fear in us.

Before the final fight sequence, Shiva needs to find out the whereabouts of this villain, Bhairavudu. Sitting on the top floor of a hospital, he instantly creates a set-up that allows him to locate him without moving. He makes use of satellite networks and cell phones, woos serial-watching women into participating in his quest and makes them save the people in danger. He basically empowers housewives to get hold of a serial killer without them questioning their abilities.

In the climax, Shiva is supposed to be sentenced to a jail term for creating a software that invades people’s privacy. Despite the fact that he has helped many people and saved many lives, his seniors are hellbent on him serving the term. He manipulates them into standing for him and taking the responsibility of this software on themselves. Truly, it has to be one of the most impressive scenes.

You can watch the film here or find more Mahesh Babu starrers on ZEE5.