Based on the Dutch hit reality show, ‘The Traitors’ has made a grand entry into Telugu. Hosted by young actor Teja Sajja, the show sees 20 contestants competing for a prize of Rs. 1 crore at Mysore’s Lalitha Mahal. The first three episodes, which will be streaming on Amazon Prime Video from October 15, are packed with mind games and mind-blowing twists. Trust is the biggest weakness here. Every little conversation can either ensnare a traitor or victimize the innocent.

Although comparisons to Bigg Boss are natural since both shows take place in the same location, the concept of ‘The Traitors’ is completely different. In this show, innocent people have to identify the Traitors hiding among them. At the same time, the Traitors have to secretly ‘kill’ innocent people at night and protect themselves from suspicion.

This makes even simple banter crucial in the game. A friendly conversation can be genuine or a tactic to gain trust. Silence can lead to suspicion, and an innocent person can be eliminated from the game if they mistakenly accuse the wrong person. All of these dramatic developments reach their peak in the ‘Ring of Doubt’. The discussions that take place here are more captivating than the tasks themselves.

Traitors gain advantage with chinmayi and Nikhil’s murders

The Traitors weakened the group by initially killing Chinmayi and Nikhil overnight, without revealing their identities. This blow left the Innocents confused about whom to trust.

Moreover, the Innocents made a big mistake by eliminating the innocent Gaurav Sunil. While the Traitors targeted both of them, the Innocents sent their own man home. The fact that the Innocents were hurt before they could understand the behavior of their peers was a big plus for the Traitors. Looking at Gaurav’s elimination, it becomes clear how dangerous even talking less can be.

Vidyullekha Raman’s exit: First victory for the Innocents

At the beginning of the show, Teja Sajja selects Ashika Padukone, Rahat Achanta, and Vidyullekha Ramana as ‘Traitors’. However, as the game progresses, Vidyullekha is unable to hide her body language. As others sense the changes in her behavior, suspicions grow and she is evicted.

Vidyullekha’s exit gave a good boost to the Innocents. Another Traitor, Ashika, is taking very smart steps. While being friendly with everyone, she saved herself by voting against Vidyullekha during the investigation. Although targeting a fellow Traitor was risky, it worked out well for Ashika. Ashika seems to be the most dangerous and strongest player among the Traitors currently present. Rahat is still playing the safe game.

Shravya and Pragathi’s performance

Sravya Varma and Pragathi Mahavadi are actively supporting the Innocents. Sravya’s plan to eliminate Vidyullekha and the way she convinced her peers was especially impressive.

Mounisha Chowdhury and Varsha D’Souza are likely to make an impact in the upcoming episodes. Harshavardhan, Sridevi Chowdhury, Vishnu Oy, Dr. Meghnath Reddy, Sweekar Agasthi, Pranav, J.S.S. Vardhan, and others have yet to make their mark.

‘Ring of Doubt’ is better than tasks

While the missions give the contestants a sense of teamwork, the main drama takes place in the ‘Ring of Doubt’. The show’s main attraction is the moments when those who have been together all day doubt and question each other.

The only minus point of the show is its length. The first three episodes have a combined runtime of about 3.5 hours, so they feel a bit long. The pacing would have been better if the show had been edited more crisply.

Teja Sajja hosting

Teja Sajja appeared very energetic as the host. He set the mood of the show perfectly with his one-liners and punches. His dialogue, “Love, War and All is Fair in The Traitors,” is a perfect fit for the show’s concept.

Verdict:

Overall, the first three episodes of ‘The Traitors Telugu’ were engaging, with the contestants’ mind games at the center. Although the Traitors gained ground with the murders of Chinmayi and Nikhil, Vidyullekha’s elimination gave the Innocents hope. But it remains to be seen how quickly the Innocents will sense the mind games being played by Aashika.