Gowtam Tinnanuri’s Kingdom, starring Vijay Deverakonda, Bhagyashri Borse and Satyadev, arrives with the promise of a high-adrenaline action drama wrapped in stylish visuals. But overall, I felt it misses the one thing that holds it all together: emotional impact. Here’s my review of Kingdom (2025). Let’s break it down.
Kingdom 2025 Poster
Plot Summary: A Spy Story Tied to Brotherhood
Soori (Vijay Deverakonda) is a rural police constable from Andhra, who finds himself caught in the middle of a high-stakes spy mission. As the mission unfolds, he learns it connects to his long-lost brother Siva (Satyadev). What starts as a spy mission is later becomes personal. And this brotherly bond — forms the core.
Sounds like it could be intense, right? It should’ve been.
A shot from Kingdom 2025
First Half: Stylish, But Emotionally Hollow
The film opens with a visually striking British-era setup. Within minutes, you know this is going to be a well-shot movie. Cinematographers Jomon T. John and Girish Gangadharan make every frame look polished and premium.
Once the plot gets going—especially in the first hour—the narration starts to feel flat. The issue, I felt, is in how the emotional beats are handled. There are scenes meant to establish Deverakonda’s Soori as a determined character, and later the director introduces his emotional trigger—his pain and desperation to find Siva. But the way it unfolds feels either too predictable or underwhelming. It’s the kind of moment where you go, “Oh… that’s it?”
Take, for instance, the scene where the brothers smuggle gold from the Navy. The setup feels too convenient. You’re left wondering, “Wait, was it really that easy?”Instead of clever plotting or tension, it comes across like the writer just went with the first idea that popped up.
I felt the film missed a major opportunity. If they had brought in a more impactful star or given Satyadev’s character (Siva) a stronger arc—maybe even played it like a subtle Godfather-style rise—the story could’ve had more gravity. It had the core ingredients, but it needed a little more time to simmer.
Even the villain angle, with a gang operating out of Sri Lanka, feels like a recycled subplot from a dozen action films. Some tension is there. But no freshness. You stay watching because the visuals are neat and the actors are giving it their all — but the writing doesn’t support them with the best.
A Scene from Kingdom 2025
Second Half: Better, But Still Familiar
The second half picks up a little, especially once Satyadev’s character gets more screen time. There’s one Gory scene that works better than expected. And the moment Satyadev got elevation in that scene. Pure Goosebumps guaranteed from then on. For a moment, it feels like the film’s about to enter beast mode.
And if you haven’t seen international cult films like City of God (The idea of “escaping the system” but still being trapped by it),Incendies, or Nolan’s Batman series — Kingdom might surprise you more. Some sequences, especially the prison fight and emotional twists, carry strong inspiration. For casual viewers, these moments land hard. For filmiholics, though, they’ll feel familiar — maybe too familiar.
The climax, though, sticks the landing. Neatly designed and emotionally tighter than the rest of the film. You finally feel that rush the genre promised.
Final Thoughts
Kingdom is a massy action flick, but not with the emotional depth or innovative thoughts that the story demands. It’s held together by two strong performances, first-rate visuals, Anirudh music and occasional goosebump moments.
Gowtam Tinnanuri keeps the core story focused, but the emotional payoffs don’t really hit like his previous film Jersey did.
Still, the sincerity shows. There’s no overstuffing; I can see that they trimmed down Bhagyashri’s scenes, love track, etc. Just a stylish attempt at telling a cliched story sprinkled with Myth, Crime & Guilt. You won’t feel bored, I believe.
Kingdom (2025) Review Rating: 3/5 Watch if you enjoy stylish dramas with moments that echo bigger films — even if they don’t go as deep.
Before jumping to how to rank in ChatGPT search or RRF, let me share a scenario. Imagine you’re selling water purifiers. You rank on Google for “best water purifier in India.” Sounds good, right?
But when someone asks ChatGPT, “Which water purifier should I buy?” — your page might not even show up.
Why?
Because ChatGPT doesn’t use search the way we think. It doesn’t rely on one keyword. It runs many related searches and then combines those results. The method it uses is called Reciprocal Rank Fusion, or RRF.
What is RRF (Reciprocal Rank Fusion)?
Think of RRF like a school exam where your final score doesn’t depend on one subject. It depends on how well you did in all subjects — math, science, history and English — and each subject gives you a small part of your total marks.
Now, replace “subjects” with “search queries.”
When you ask ChatGPT, “What’s the best budget laptop?”, it doesn’t search that one query. Instead, it sends out 5–10 versions of the same question:
“Best laptops under 50k”
“Top affordable laptops 2024”
“Laptop for students India”
“Budget laptops with SSD”
“HP vs Dell for home use”
Then, it takes the top results from each query and gives each result a score based on its rank. That score is calculated using this formula:
RRF score = 1 / (60 + rank position)
Let’s say your website shows up:
Rank #2 in query 1 → score = 1 / (60+2) = 0.0161
Rank #4 in query 2 → score = 1 / (60+4) = 0.0156
Rank #1 in query 3 → score = 1 / (60+1) = 0.0164
Now add them up: total RRF = 0.0481
RRF Calculation
So even if you’re not rank #1 for any one keyword, if you show up multiple times in top 10 across variations, your total RRF score adds up — and ChatGPT might feature your site in its answer.
Why RRF Matters for SEO
Let’s say you want to be known as a good guitar teacher.
Option A: You teach just one student really well. Option B: You teach 10 students decently — and all of them talk about you.
Whose name will spread faster?
Option B — because reach and repetition matter more than one perfect review.
That’s how RRF sees your site. It rewards consistent presence across many related topics.
If you’re only trying to rank for one high-volume keyword, you’re missing the future of search rankings. That worked when the search was simple.
But now, LLMs (like ChatGPT or Google SGE) think more like people. They look at clusters of meaning. The more queries your site appears in — even if it’s not always at the top — the better your visibility becomes.
You don’t need to chase “rank 1.”
You need to show up everywhere your topic lives.
A Case Study That Proves This Works
When I wanted Mapsted to show up in ChatGPT’s answers, I didn’t aim for one high-ranking article. Instead, I listed out 50+ real questions someone might ask about hospital navigation, RTLS, or asset tracking in India.
I started by writing simple, clear blogs on Medium, answering practical queries on Reddit, and sharing useful posts on LinkedIn. These weren’t written to impress Google — they were meant to exist where ChatGPT pulls its knowledge from. I made sure every piece addressed a different angle, using everyday language, avoiding jargon.
Once that base was in place, I moved to platforms with stronger authority. I pitched guest posts to B2B healthtech blogs and reached out to journalists for news coverage in trusted portals.
Slowly, Mapsted started appearing in GPT responses — not because we ranked #1 for any single keyword, but because we were present across many related searches.That’s exactly how RRF works: it doesn’t reward perfection in one place; it rewards relevance across the board.
How to See If Your Content Is Gaining Weight in Hybrid Search
After I rolled out keyword clusters and content for Mapsted, I wanted to understand something deeper:
Was the visibility boost real — or just wishful thinking?
Here’s an example of hybrid query that returns subscores in debug mode:
An Example to understand “search score debug feature”
Let’s say you run a hotel and you want to know why a guest picked your place over others.
Now imagine the guest says:
“Well, it was near restaurants (keyword), the photos looked good (semantic), and it felt right based on my past stays (vector).”
That’s kind of how modern AI search engines like ChatGPT or Azure rank content. They don’t just look at exact words you use (keywords), but also:
How your content feels similar to the question (vector match)
How your sentences mean the same thing, even if different words are used (semantic match)
Now, if you use Azure’s debug mode, it shows you exactly how much each of these factors mattered — like a scorecard:
Did you rank well because your keyword matched?
Or because your content’s meaning was close to the question?
Or because your content lives in the same context as other top answers?
This helps you understand why one blog shows up in ChatGPT, but another doesn’t — even if both have the same keyword.
In my case with Mapsted, this was useful to confirm that even if our content wasn’t top in Google, it was winning on meaning and context, which LLMs like ChatGPT care more about.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
You pass a hybrid query with the “debug” parameter set to “vector”, “semantic”, or “all”
Azure returns detailed subscores for each result — showing how keyword rank, semantic rank, and vector match contributed
What Are We Trying to Do?
You’re asking Azure:
“Give me the top 10 results for ‘hospital indoor navigation India’, but also tell me why each result ranked — based on keywords, semantic meaning, and vector similarity.
This is useful for debugging how search systems like ChatGPT or Bing pick content. This understanding will help you rank in chatGPT search or even other AI engines.
5 Steps to Make Your Content Visible Across AI Search Engines
Let’s break this into steps. Here’s how to optimise your content for RRF-style search:
Step 1: Build a Query Set
Don’t stop at one keyword. For “best water purifier,” make a list of nearby topics:
“RO vs UV water filter”
“Water purifier for borewell water”
“Top purifiers under ₹10,000”
“Water filters for small families”
These are not LSI keywords. They are real, user-like queries.
Step 2: Check Where You Rank
Use tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs. Even ranking at #8 matters. Every spot in the top 10 gives you a small RRF score.
Step 3: Build Clustered Pages
Create content that connects — not one giant blog, but a network of pages:
One hub article (main keyword)
5–6 spokes (related queries)
Interlink all of them
Step 4: Track “Visibility Breadth”
Instead of checking how well you rank for just one keyword, look at how many different queries you show up in. The wider your net, the better your chance to appear in ChatGPT answers.
Step 5: Expand Monthly
Every new supporting article can slightly raise your RRF score. That’s the compound effect. Over 3 months, your entire topic authority goes up — not just for one post.
In Summary
This is not a trend. It’s the way search is shifting — from keyword matching to meaning mapping. This is how we get rank in ChatGPT search and other AI agents.
If you want to win in ChatGPT, Gemini, or Bing CoPilot, don’t just ask: “Where do I rank for X?”
Ask:
“How often do I appear across all the questions people ask around X?”
That’s what RRF rewards.
And once you understand that, your content strategy won’t just aim for rank.
If your brain feels fried after finishing Mandala Murders, you’re not alone. But what makes us interested in this series is the Myth and Crime. The core concept is brilliant, unfortunately not the execution. So here I will explain what happened in Mandala Murders (2025).
We remember unfinished tasks more than completed ones. When shows leave questions dangling — “Who is Yasth?”, “What’s the real motive?” — our brain loops it until we find closure.
So here’s the explanation, what happened in Charandaspur? Who are Ayasthis? Are they real or fiction?
The World of Mandala Murders – Ayasthis, Energy, and the Cult of Yasth
Let’s start from the very beginning.
There’s a small, eerie town called Charandaspur — the kind of place where people still whisper about curses and disappearances. Somewhere deep in the Varuna forest nearby, a secretive group of women called the Ayasthis live in hiding. Locals see them as witches. But they see themselves as something else — the chosen ones of a mysterious energy god named Yasth.
Now here’s where it gets mad interesting.
The Ayasthis believe that energy can’t be created or destroyed, only redirected. So if someone dies… maybe their life energy can be pulled back. Revived. Rechanneled. They’ve built a strange machine that can supposedly do that — bring the dead back to life. Why they built it? Who Built that? We need to wait till Episode 7.
The Thumb Theory
Throughout the show, we see people placing their thumb on this mystical machine to ask for miracles. But here’s the catch:
Giving your thumb = asking Yasth for help. But Yasth doesn’t just help out of kindness. He takes something in return. Not from you directly — but someone close to you. A life. A body part. A price.
So if you asked for your son to return… maybe he ends up dead later. You asked for political power… someone loses their legs. You can’t track it logically — but someone, somewhere, pays.
Now imagine this happening for years. Quietly. One person at a time. Until suddenly — a pattern emerges.
That’s where the show begins.
In the Past: Ayasthis & Their End
75 years before the murders began, a woman named Nandini (a scientist) arrived in Charandaspur with her husband, Anant, a corporate man trying to set up a nuclear plant in the forest area. Locals were uneasy — the forest wasn’t just green land, it was sacred to the hidden group known as the Ayasthis. The place is Ayasthal, which Rukmini and her cult believe Yasth made it himself years ago.
Ayasthis believe, if something happen to Ayasthal, they should revive Yasth.
One night, Rukmini went to Nandini’s home and warned her about the consequences of destroying their place.
Why Nandini Built The Device
Rukmini wasn’t an ordinary cult head. She was calm, sharp, and spoke in riddles that made dangerous sense.
Rukmini told Nandini about Yasth, a powerful evil power. She showed her the Book of Prediction, and it was written by yasth during his first incarnation in the earth.
Then she dropped a chilling line:
“Book mentioned about Nandini”
If charandaspur seeks to destroy Ayast shrine, Yasth will be reincarnated, and Yast will be created by the very same woman who took part in destruction” of Ayast
Then came the real shocker.
Rukmini said Yasth also written, that woman has three traits, the traits are:
She will be an Engineer or a Scientist.
She will be pregnant.
She will be a widow.
Nandini laughed. “I’m not a widow.”
Moments later, someone rushed in — Anant had died in an accident.
Now rattled, Nandini turned to the Ayasthi ideology for answers. She agreed to build the device Rukmini described. She thought she was creating something for humanity — a scientific invention to bring people back from death.
But she didn’t know Rukmini had a hidden agenda.
Rukmini never wanted the device for people. She wanted to use it to bring back Yasth — and unleash destruction across the world.
By the time Nandini realised the truth, it was too late. The body — stitched from various parts — was almost complete. The device was working.
Nandini made one last move. She destroyed the body they had built. Burned it. Damaged the ritual. Then the villagers arrived, already stirred by fear and whispers of black magic. They torched the place, hoping to end it all.
But Rukmini escaped — and took the device with her.
The ritual failed. Yasth didn’t rise. But the blueprint survived.
Back to the Present – The Murders Begin
Now in the present day, ritualistic murders begin again in Charandaspur.
Bodies are turning up stitched, deformed, missing parts. First it’s Abhishek, a journalist. Then others — teachers, politicians, cult members. Each body seems to be missing something:
Torso
Hands
Legs
Head
CBI officer Rea Thomas is assigned to investigate. She’s sharp, emotionless on the outside, haunted by past trauma. But she has no idea she’s directly linked to everything.
Meanwhile, ex-cop Vikram Singh finds that his mother (Vasudha) and aunt (Urmila) disappeared years ago on the same night his brother Pawan died. All clues point back to Varuna Forest.
The Thumb Was Not The Price
As Rea and Vikram investigate, they uncover the miracle logic:
People used to visit Ayasthis and place their thumb on the machine, asking for miracles.
In return, someone close to them or themselves would suffer — die, disappear, lose something.
The thumb wasn’t the price. Life was.
For example:
Abhishek used the device to kill his mistress’s husband.
Birju asked for his lost son Awadesh to return.
Leela asked to save his sons — in return, a death followed.
Over time, a pattern forms. All current victims are linked to someone who made a wish in the past.
Sujay, Vijay, and Ananya’s Politics
Two gangsters, Sujay and Vijay, were suspected of killing Abhishek. But they’re being framed by their political rival Ananya Bhardwaj — Vikram’s sister-in-law, wife of the bedridden leader Jayaraj.
Turns out, Ananya is slowly clearing her path to power:
She frames Sujay and Vijay.
Hires a nurse to act as his mistress and gets Jayaraj paralysed with poison.
Removes all political threats in her way.
But behind her ambition is something much older and darker.
Kalindi, Jimmy Khan, and the Ritual Puzzle
Rea and Vikram uncover the truth about Kalindi, the murdered teacher — she was once close to the Ayasthi cult.
Kalindi wasn’t just the wife of a teacher — she had deep ties with the Ayasthi cult. Long ago, she was connected to Rukmini and the original belief system. She wasn’t a believer exactly, but she knew how the system worked. She knew the rituals, the symbols, the sacrifices.
Kalinidi and her assistant, Maithili, trapped all these people in Aysthi’s sacrifice. Ananya’s PA Vyankat, is Maithili’s adopted son, and Maithili helped him to survive.
Vyankat escaped from Killer by sacrificing Awadesh, Birju’s son.
In the end, Kalindi herself sacrificed her head for Yasth.
And before she died, Kalindi left behind clues.
A set of eight metal circles — each representing a different part of the Mandala.
These weren’t just decoration. They were keys.
Hidden inside her wardrobe, each piece would later be used to unlock the Yasthal, the sanctum where Yasth could be resurrected.
Along with Jimmy Khan, a folklore researcher, they begin decoding the Mandala symbols found at every murder site.
Each murder Ayasthi cult is doing for a body part:
Head of a teacher (Kalindi)
Hands of sinners (Vijay – Sujay)
Legs of Servant’s Child (Awadesh – Son of Birju)
Face of a princess (Kavitha , wife of Vikram)
Torso of a voyeur (Abhishek, Cosuin of Vikram)
Blood of someone who escaped death (Vikram)
One by one, these pieces are being collected to recreate Yasth, just like before.
Jimmy’s grandfather, decades ago, had figured this out and led the mob attack on Ayasthis. That’s what we saw in Episode 1.
The Jimmy Khan Connection
Enter Jimmy Khan — a history researcher, symbol decoder, and grandson of the man who led the mob attack on Ayasthis 75 years ago.
Jimmy steps in to help Rea and Vikram understand what these symbols actually mean. He figures out:
The symbols aren’t random — they form a Mandala of Sacrifice.
Each murder is connected to a specific body part — and a specific sin or sacrifice tied to the Ayasthi machine.
His grandfather tried to stop this ritual decades ago, but it was never fully destroyed.
Rea’s True Identity
Rea begins having dreams — a mysterious woman, always repeating, “Save my son’s life.”
She later learns: That woman isn’t her imagination. It’s her grandmother. Nandini.
Yes — Rea is Nandini’s granddaughter, she born after Nandini decided to help Rukmini.
Suddenly, everything makes sense.
The murders, the device, her connection to Charandaspur — this isn’t just a case. This is her family’s unfinished business.
Nandini was killed by Rukmini
Who is the Killer? Who is the New Rukmini?
In the final twist, it’s revealed that the new mastermind behind everything… is Ananya Bhardwaj.
Yes — the politician. She’s Rukmini’s granddaughter.
Ananya is not chasing power for elections. She’s finishing what Rukmini started: Resurrecting Yasth.
The killer — the one collecting the body parts — is Aaditi Pohankar, selected as the “ultimate warrior” of the Ayasthi legacy.
She passed Kalindi’s test and is now fulfilling the prophecy.
Final Showdown: Rea vs Killer
Ananya brings Vikram to Yasthal — the ancient sanctum — to complete the ritual. Vikram’s blood is the final ingredient: someone who escaped death.
But Rea arrives, guided by Nandini’s visions.
She fights the ultimate warrior. Destroys the ritual.
The Real Miracle: Vikram’s Mother and Her Missing Case
In the middle of all the murder boards, occult symbols, political plotting, and scientific devices, there’s one quiet voice that never left the forest:
“Save my son’s life…”
That voice was Vasudha — Vikram’s mother. A woman who once carried her dead son Pawan’s body into Varuna Forest, hoping for a miracle.
Let’s rewind.
The Night That Broke Her
20 years ago, Vikram’s younger brother Pawan died in a tragic accident. That same night, Vasudha, heartbroken and desperate, disappeared from home. She was last seen going into the forest with Pawan’s body.
And that was it. She was gone, along with Urmila (Vikram’s aunt)— no one knew where, or why.
But now, through Birju and Urmila’s memories, we learn the truth.
Vasudha reached the Ayasthi machine. She placed her thumb, asked to Yasth “Save my son” And the Ayasthi logic kicked in — a desire was registered.
But Yasth couldn’t bring back Pawan — because, according to Rukmini, once a soul leaves the body fully, it cannot return. The request was technically impossible.
But they couldn’t reject the wish either.
So instead… they kept Vasudha alive under custody.
She became a “frozen prayer” — a living vessel of an unfulfilled desire.
Her constant chant — “save my son’s life” — echoed inside the forest for two decades, like a glitch in the Ayasthi system.
Why the Ritual Couldn’t Be Completed in the End: Climax Explained
Now here’s the most important bit.
Rukmini’s ritual to bring back Yasth needed:
The correct body parts.
The correct blood.
And clean karmic pathways — meaning all past sacrifices and desires had to be fully processed.
But Vasudha’s wish was still hanging.
She asked for Pawan’s life, and Yasth didn’t deliver. So the cycle was incomplete. That one loose end — that unfulfilled request — became the error in the code.
And when Rea arrived, she unintentionally fulfilled Vasudha’s wish — not by reviving Pawan, but by saving Vikram’s life in the final battle.
Suddenly, the wish was no longer unfulfilled. The loop closed. The chant stopped. Yasth no longer had the justification to rise.
Nandini was killed by Rukmini. Now, Nandini’s granddaughter, Rea, killed Ananya (Rukmini’s granddaughter) and took revenge.
No more miracles. No more deaths. Just closure would have been better, they made a tailend showing Aditi Pohankar, that this might continue with a season 2.
So who is the killer in Mandala Murders?
It is Moksha (Ultimate Warrior from Ayasthi Community) played by Aditi Pohankar.
Who is that surprise Villain ?
That is Ananya Bharadwaj played Surveen Chawla
Is Varuna forest real? or Ayasthis real?
No, everything is fiction, and unfortunately couldn’t even build a great on screen world as well.
5 Must Watch Series If You Like the Mandala Murders Theme
The story of Mandala Murders — with its secret societies, mystical devices, body-part rituals, and hidden ancestry — may sound uniquely Indian. But this kind of genre-bending, brain-twisting, cult-infused mystery has global roots.
Mandala Murders follows the same global formula — but gives it an Indian spine, layered with energy theory, cult worship, thumb sacrifices, and generational guilt.
AfterAsur, Paatal Lok, and a dozen dark-toned “let’s-explain-symbolism-in-flashbacks” series,Mandala Murders created by Gopi Puthran is the new entry. Set in the fictional town of Charandaspur, we follow detectives Rea Thomas (Vaani Kapoor) and Vikram Singh (Vaibhav Raj Gupta) as they peel back layers of ritualistic killings, ancient secret societies, and Vikram’s mother’s 20 years old missing case.
Mandala Murders Poster
On paper, it sounds spicy: a mix of mythology, crime, and occult. But the real question is — does it land, or does it just pretend to be deep?
Direction, Tone, and Storytelling
Gopi Puthran (Mardaani 2) co-directs with Manan Rawat, and The concept is BRILLIANT. Ayasthis, Mandala sacrifices, energy-as-currency, and ancient tech to revive a god? That’s like Dan Brown meets Asur meets Sacred Games — with a female-led cult.
At first glance, Mandala Murders promises a unique blend: a serialkiller thriller wrapped inside a mythological conspiracy. The idea is bold, no doubt. But when it comes to execution—direction, scripting, and pacing—it often struggles to hold the weight of its own ambition.
You’ll keep waiting for that one twist that justifies the build-up — whether it arrives, we’ll see. In my opinion, there are many twists, but everything is predictable for someone who watches thrillers.
The tone sometimes gel with Asur’s vibe, but doesn’t fully commit. — technically correct, emotionally meh. What should feel like high-stakes investigation often ends up looking like disconnected scenes stitched together.
PerformancesReview: Mandala Murders
The cast does its job partially. Vaani Kapoor as Rea brings sincerity to a layered character, but the writing doesn’t offer enough depth. Eventually, her screen presence falls flat. At no point did I feel convinced she was a brilliant investigative officer.
Vaibhav Raj Gupta (Vikram)’s arc starts strong but ends up confused and falls flat.
Surveen Chawla as a cunning Lady Macbeth looks good on screen, but she couldn’t make an impact in the end.
Too many characters are introduced without space to breathe.
Shriya Pilgaonkar, dressed in a red sari and walking through flames, gets more emotion across in one still frame than some leads do in the whole episode.
Scene from Mandala Murders
The myth angle — Mandala, rituals, prophecies — is interesting if you like symbolic stories. But if you’re expecting a fast-paced crime thriller with sharp writing and clever twists, you might be disappointed. This isn’t that kind of show. It leans more on mystery and mood than tight investigation or smart reveals.
✅ What Works in Mandala Murders
The core idea of Ayasthis, rituals, and body-part-based resurrection is genuinely original.
There are occasional moments of brilliance—especially when the show reflects on grief, belief, and sacrifice.
The female-driven power structure in the cult is a refreshing take, rarely seen in Indian thrillers.
❌ What Doesn’t
World-building falls flat. The Ayasthi lore is interesting, but it’s not built with enough clarity. We’re told a lot, but shown very little. For example, how Jimmy decodes the Mandala symbols is never explained properly—it feels like magic, not intelligence.
No real investigative hook. This is supposed to be a murder mystery, but there’s no standout moment of detective brilliance. The CBI investigation moves more like a background commentary than the central driver.
Pacing is thin and stretched. Instead of unfolding gradually with suspense, the plot throws twist after twist—making it hard to stay emotionally connected. It often feels like a series of “what’s next” moments, not “why did this happen?”
Mandala Murders had the potential to be a genre-defining series—blending Indian myth with modern crime. But in trying to do too much, it ends up delivering less than it could. It’s not a bad show—it just needed sharper writing, better world-building, and a stronger spine to hold its wild ideas together.
After years of delays and a lot of expectations, Hari Hara Veera Mallu, starring Pawan Kalyan, finally hits theatres. Directed by Krish Jagarlamudi (with A. M. Jyothi Krishna completing the later portions), this period action-adventure tries to blend myth, rebellion, and heist — but ends up somewhere in the middle. In short, this is my review for Hari Hara Veera Mallu. No spoiler detailed review ahead.
Pawan Kalyan & Nidhi Agerwal during HHVM Promotions
First Half: A Glimpse of Promise
For those searching for a quick Hari Hara Veera Mallu plot summary — the film is about Veera Mallu, a Robin Hood-like figure tasked with stealing the Koh-i-Noor diamond from Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Sounds exciting, right? And for the first half, it is.
The first half carries the stamp of Krish Jagarlamudi’s storytelling. There’s decent world-building, with grand sets like the Kollur kingdom and Machilipatnam port. The Charminar fight sequence and other action set pieces hold up. MM Keeravani’s background score lifts several scenes, adding emotional weight even when the story itself takes its time to kick in.
Fans around me cheered ( even me 😉 ). There’s some pace, some mass moments and a lot of whistles— it works just enough.
Second Half: Where the Wheels Come Off
This is where the trouble begins — especially for those expecting consistent storytelling or strong visuals.
The VFX issues in Hari Hara Veera Mallu are hard to ignore. From visible green screens (even in hair strands!) to horse chases that look straight out of an old PC game — it’s rough. You can feel the change in direction too. The second half clearly shifts gears under A. M. Jyothi Krishna’s handling, and the patchwork shows.
The film begins to drag. Scenes feel like filler. Important dialogues feel rushed or oddly dubbed. Zero emotional pull. It’s mostly missing the aura of the first half.
HHVM movie Poster
Characters & TechnicalsReview: HHVM
Pawan Kalyan’s new movie is carried by… well, Pawan Kalyan. His screen presence does a lot of heavy lifting, even when the material is uneven.
Bobby Deol is strong in his limited screen time. But a lot more is saved for Part 2.
Nidhhi Agerwal’s Panchami starts off promising with her adorable screen presence, but fades into the background.
Cinematography by Gnana Sekhar VS and Manoj Paramahamsa adds period texture, especially in the first half. But again, the visual effects drag it down.
MM Keeravani’s score is one of the film’s consistent strengths, especially during action sequences.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a Pawan Kalyan fan, this film has moments. If you’re looking for a tight period action film with emotional depth, this won’t fully satisfy.Despite its strong cast and bold ambition, Hari Hara Veera Mallu ends up as a scattered epic — visually grand in parts, but emotionally underwhelming. And no, it didn’t really need a Part 2 for this pacing.
The best thing about Kerala Crime Files Season 2, written by Bahul Ramesh and directed by Ahammed Khabeer, is its subtle treatment. This blog breaks down the Kerala Crime Files Season 2 ending scene by scene and explains the climax sequence and the true motive behind Ambili’s missing case.
Unlike most detective thrillers that follow the clichéd template of a long lecture at the end by the detective (which often makes you feel like watching only the climax would’ve been enough), this series does the opposite. Watching just the final episode won’t help you understand the story or solution.
⚠️ If you haven’t seen the web series yet, please don’t continue reading.
Ambili is a CPO at a Trivandrum local station. He is a shady, corrupted police officer, but people respect him—mainly because he doesn’t accept bribes directly. Instead, he involves and supports criminals to avoid larger chaos. This is established in an early scene where he’s escorting an accused to court. The accused keeps abusing him on the way, but Ambili remains silent. Minutes later, a few goons enter the bus and assault the accused—showing Ambili’s quiet power.
Even Ambili paid the restaurant bill, showing his character integrity.
Indrans as CPO Ambili (Episode 1, character establishment scene)
Ayyappan is a thief who loves animals. In the past, he met Ambili, who helped clear his charges and got him a job at a government dog shelter. Ambili even made him marry his own ex-wife.
But Ambili is a dominant personality. Though he helps people, he keeps them indebted. Ayyappan eventually realises this, and he even says that Ambili treats him like a chained dog—only unchaining him when he needs something done.
The Crime That Triggered It All
Ayyappan once mediated a quarrel between Mithilaj and Aji over a quarry issue. Mithilaj felt betrayed in the compromise. Seeing this, to compensate for that, Ambili connected him with two criminals from Kasaragod for a forgery attempt in Bengaluru.
Mithilaj explaining to CI KUrian (Lal)
When Bengaluru police began their investigation, they traced the crime back to Kasaragod and arrested the two. They revealed Ambili’s and Mithilaj’s names. Now Ambili was trapped. The Bengaluru police demanded a ₹20 lakh bribe to remove their names from the records.
Ambili turned to Ayyappan for help.
The Dog, the Ring, and Jaismon’s Trauma
If you’re wondering who killed Ambili in Kerala Crime Files Season 2 and why the climax felt ambiguous, here’s a detailed scene-by-scene explanation.
Jaismon, the antagonist, appears properly only in episodes 1 and 6. In the rest, we see his childhood snippets.
Jaismon’s childhood
Jaismon’s father, a mentally unstable petty thief, was also an animal lover. He once brought home a black dog—this dog is shown in Jaismon’s childhood flashbacks. Jaismon formed a deep bond with it. In one instance, when his father was bitten by a snake and no one dared go near him, it was the dog that stayed by his side as he died. This emotional imprint shaped Jaismon’s attachment to dogs.
Jaismon’s pet dog
Years later, Jaismon becomes a dog trainer. In one episode, we see his dog, Terry, suffering from Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. During a museum inspection related to a robbery, Terry goes out of control, bites Jaismon, and accidentally swallows a pin and an antique ring.
Terry englufing a pin from the museum
The vet, suspicious, takes an X-ray and finds something odd alongside the pin. She checks the museum’s CCTV footage and begins to piece things together. Ayyappan, now working as the vet’s driver, assists her.
X Ray showing pin & ring
The vet decides not to operate due to the risk, leaving the ring inside Terry. But Ayyappan learns about the ring from the Vet doctor and informs Ambili.
What Was Ambili’s and Ayyappan’s Plan?
Ayyappan had already informed Ambili about Terry swallowing the ring. That’s why, in a key scene, when Ayyappan asks Ambili, “What should we do now?” Ambili responds, “You told me about it yourself.”It clearly shows that Ambili had already connected the dots and was counting on Ayyappan to do the job.
When Ayyappan mentions, “I have to go to Thrissur tomorrow,” Ambili immediately replies, “Exactly. Thrissur (Dog shelter) is where we need to do it.” — referring to the plan of killing Terry and retrieving the ring.
However, there’s a shift in Ayyappan’s tone. During their argument, Ayyappan says that everything he has done until now was out of will, but this time, he can’t — because he loves dogs.
This emotional hesitation is not random. Earlier, the director had already established Ayyappan’s bond with the animals in a sequence where he’s seen feeding dogs with visible affection and care.
The Betrayal
Desperate for the money, Ambili forces Ayyappan to kill the dog and retrieve the ring. Meanwhile, Jaismon gets approval to adopt Terry from the dog shelter. But the night before the adoption, Ayyappan kills the dog and takes the ring.
To cover it up, the authorities quietly bury the dog, listing it as a natural death. However, the vet reveals the truth to Jaismon.
Jaismon decides to take revenge.
The Disappearance and the Clues
Episode 6 opens with Aju Varghese (SI Manoj) narrating what happened next. Ayyappan sells the ring in Coimbatore and collects the money. On his way back to Kerala, he goes missing.
In Episode 1, Ambili’s visit to Kottarakara
Ambili’s cybercell friend reveals that Ayyappan’s phone was active in Ernakulam between the 19th and 21st. On the morning of the 21st, the number was traced in Trivandrum—exactly when Ambili was there. Later that day, both Ambili and the phone signal moved to Kottarakkara, where Ambili had gone to escort an accused to court. After returning to Trivandrum, the phone’s location also shifted back. This matching travel pattern suggests that the kidnapper was closely tailing Ambili.
Ayyappan likely revealed Ambili’s name under pressure. Jaismon, posing as a friend of Ayyappan, might have handed over the money to Ambili to make the revenge plan believable. Ambili then passed the money to the Karnataka police, and that’s the same money recovered by Aju Varghese later during a patrol.
And from the Karnataka Police, Aju Varghese unveiled the motive behind Ambili and Ayyappan.
The Shocking Truth
Jaismon killed both Ayyappan and Ambili and fed their bodies to stray dogs near Central Stadium. The case takes a turn when a dog vomits a human finger, leading the police to investigate the area.
This is foreshadowed in Episode 5, where Aju Varghese casually mentions to CI Kurian about cases where bodies were disposed of by feeding them to dogs.
DNA testing confirms that the flesh and blood samples belong to Ayyappan and Ambili.
From the vet doctor’s & Jeo Baby (Dog shelter in-charge) confession, police identified the missing piece, why Jaismon killed Ambili and Ayyappan.
Why Didn’t the Doctor Report the Ring to the Authorities After Her Research?
This is a common doubt, but the show actually addresses it subtly.
When CI Kurian (played by Lal) asks her about it, the vet clearly explains her reasoning. Her priority was the well-being of the dog, Terry. The dog was already in a fragile state, and performing surgery in that condition could have been life-threatening.
She feared that any official report might lead to the government approving euthanasia for the dog, considering its health and aggression issues. So, she chose silence — not out of negligence, but out of compassion.
Also, it’s important to clarify that neither Ayyappan nor Ambili were involved in the museum robbery itself. That incident was carried out by a Bihari gang.
Kerala Crime Files S2 Climax Explained
When the police reach Jaismon’s home, we can see that the power is gone; then they find him hanging from a ceiling fan, and the fan is static. It looks like suicide. But when the power returns, the fan starts rotating, revealing the body is still warm, and he could be alive.
SI Noble acts quickly and saves Jaismon.
Lacking solid evidence, the police later planted evidence at Jaismon’s home to close the case.
In the final moments, while police bring Jaismon to the stadium for evidence validation, the same stray dogs from the stadium area runs to him and shows clear affection. It’s a quiet but powerful visual cue—subtly confirming that Jaismon was indeed present there and had fed the bodies to the dogs. A show-don’t-tell approach, but enough to close the loop for attentive viewers.
After watching Season 1 of Kerala Crime Files, I wrote, “Written poor, but executed well.” Season 2 flips that statement. Read the Kerala Crime Files Season 2 review for more, No Major Spoilers ahead.
Trailer Kerala Crime Files Season 2
This time, Bahul Ramesh takes charge of the writing, and similar to Season 1, the story pulls you in from the very first episode. But not through flashy twists or over-the-top reveals—rather, through carefully crafted character layers, subtle cues, and emotional hooks. It’s no longer about “what happens next” but more about “who they are?”
Bahul who previously wrote Kishkindha Kaandam, doesn’t rush to shock you. He builds tension by slowly revealing the people behind the plot. Take Shyju Bhai, the police officer assisting SI Noble. He’s not loud or dramatic—his brilliance lies in small gestures and quiet observations. And it’s exactly this subtlety that makes the show more gripping than many fast-paced thrillers.
If you’ve seen Kishkindha Kaandam, you might’ve noticed—except Aparna Balamurali (who represents the viewer), every character is cryptic, with layers that slowly unfold. Bahul uses the same approach here.
Though it may look like an event-driven thriller on the surface, I found it to be more of a character-driven mystery. That’s rare in Indian web series. What Bahul has done here is borrow the stillness of indie crime films and blend it with procedural drama, adding emotional recall through visual and narrative cues.
CPO Ambili Raju (Indrans) and Ayyappan (Harisree Ashokan), though they don’t get much screen time, leave a lasting impact. Their characters are mysterious, quiet, and reveal themselves gradually with each episode.
Dogs, Details, and a Thematic Echo
If Kishkindha Kaandam used monkeys as a narrative metaphor, here Bahul uses dogs. They aren’t just background elements—they walk silently through every episode, tied to the story, the characters, and the trauma. There’s a murder, an investigation, and a childhood memory—all connected to a dog. Every thread feels intentional.
The way Bahul uses this thematic echo—repeating visuals of dogs, loyalty, bonds, and betrayal—to create emotional undercurrents is brilliant. It reminded me of The Banshees of Inisherin, where animals act as emotional mirrors. It also brought to mind Parinamam by M.P. Narayana Pillai, where dogs are used throughout the novel in a similar metaphorical way. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bahul has read that novel.
Another detail I appreciated: whenever a viewer might develop a doubt, the next scene often features a character voicing that very same question. It’s thoughtful writing that respects the intelligence of its audience.
Same Frame, Better Picture
Despite the change in writers, the overall structure of Season 2 mirrors that of Season 1: a murder, an investigation, and a reveal in the final episode.
Cast: Kerala Crime Files Season 2
In terms of execution, the framework isn’t radically different if you’re a fan of thrillers. Past and present intercut, truth revealed at the end—a Memento-style approach is present here, like Mystic River or our own Malayalam thriller Memories, where a past trauma anchors a current crime mystery.
Instead of revealing everything linearly, the plot is broken into modules—glimpses of childhood, the current investigation, and side character arcs (like Ayyappan, Ambili, and a few other characters). Each piece seems unrelated until the final episode, where they all snap together.
In Season 1, I felt the villain’s motive lacked depth. Here, the antagonist’s motive is much stronger, rooted in emotion and personal pain. By Episode 5, seasoned viewers might start solving the “why” and “how.” Episode 6 completes the puzzle by revealing the “who.”
Abdul Wahab’s music plays gently in the background but rises at the right moments—it complements the scenes rather than dominating them. Jithin Stanislaus’ cinematography, especially in the night sequences, adds mood and shadow to the mystery.
As for performances, Indrans and Harisree Ashokan deliver some of their best, despite their limited screen time. Aju Varghese and Lal maintain the same chemistry and tone from Season 1, adding consistency to the evolving story. Together, the team elevates this season beyond expectations.
Final Verdict
Kerala Crime Files Season 2is still a slow burn, but this time, the fire feels intentional. The emotional weight is stronger. The characters are deeper. The motive is real. And the writing? It finally respects the audience.
Are you still guessing what millennials want? Or are you reading the numbers the right way? Here are the shopping trends and insights for marketers in 2025. This post helps you understand the Millennial Shopping Trends 2025 and decodes what they mean for brands.
According to data from Capital One Shopping and CouponFollow, millennials (born 1981–1996) now account for 28.3% of U.S. retail spending, averaging $31,256 annually — that’s 6.16% above the national average.
On the surface, that sounds like a goldmine. But what’s behind these numbers? And what do they really mean for marketers?
Where the Money Goes: More than Housing and Transport
Millennials’ biggest expenses are:
Housing: 34.4%
Transportation: 17.2%
Food: 13.3%
Have you factored in Millennial Spending Habits 2025 to understand how your product or service can fit into their lifestyle?
What This Tells Us
Housing is eating up a third of their budget — so disposable income is tight. That means every dollar spent elsewhere needs to feel valuable, justified, and meaningful.
Hybrid Shopping: Not Just a Trend — A Shift in Trust
In 2022, just 21% of millennials preferred in-store shopping.
In 2025, it’s jumped to 43%. Yet 57% still lean on online/mobile.
This shift is a key part of Millennial Shopping Preferences — they want flexibility, convenience, and trust across both channels.
What This Tells Us
Millennials are looking for experiences that bridge the gap — things like click-and-collect, live chat support, virtual try-ons, or easy returns at a nearby partner store.
If you’re an online retailer, think about how to make buying (and returning) easy, reliable, and human.
If your brand can’t build trust and confidence through your online experience, you risk losing them to brands that can.
Tech Meets Wallet: The Crypto & AI Play
54% plan to use AI for shopping
53% own cryptocurrency
42% have already made purchases with crypto
55% use “Buy Now, Pay Later” (61% among younger millennials)
Curious how Millennial Online Shopping Statistics reveal a shift towards AI and crypto-driven payments?
What This Tells Us
Millennials aren’t just chasing trends — they’re reshaping how shopping works.
AI isn’t a gimmick; it’s an expectation: think personalised recommendations, faster customer service, and smart budgeting tools that help them spend better.
Crypto, too, is shifting from hype to habit. For many, it’s not about “getting rich quick” — it’s about more control over how, where, and when they pay.
And BNPL? It’s not just about convenience. It’s a way to manage rising living costs without giving up on lifestyle — but it’s also a warning sign: debt stress is real, and loyalty can be fragile.
If your brand isn’t ready to integrate AI, offer flexible payments, or speak the language of crypto-savvy shoppers, you risk getting left behind — not because they’re techy, but because they’re using every tool to stretch their spending power.
Values Matter: Beyond Price & Product
40% prioritise eco-friendly brands
38% rate social/environmental responsibility as “very important”
58% check brand trustworthiness
49% support diversity-focused companies
Are you aligning with Millennial Retail Trends that show a growing emphasis on sustainability and ethics?
What This Tells Us
Millennials are voting with their wallets. They’re not just buying what’s cheapest — they’re buying what aligns with their beliefs. If your brand values aren’t crystal clear, you’re missing out.
Make your values visible and verifiable. Don’t just talk about sustainability — show it in your product pages, packaging, and social media.
Show proof — not just promises. Use certifications, transparent supply chain data, or even behind-the-scenes videos.
Embed values into the experience. Let customers filter products by eco-friendly tags, or feature real stories from your diverse workforce.
Social Media: The New Storefront
43% discover products via social
26% buy based on influencer recommendations
TikTok is now beating Instagram for women (26% vs. 22%)
Have you considered how Millennial Shopping Trends 2025 increasingly revolve around social discovery and influencer trust?
What This Tells Us
Social is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s the front door to your brand. If you’re not investing in TikTok and influencers, you’re stuck in 2019.
🚫 Boycotts: A Real Threat to Brands
42% of multinational corporations have faced boycotts — often linked to ethics, politics, or environmental issues.
Platforms like Twitter (500M daily tweets) can turn a spark into a wildfire overnight.
Boycotts don’t just hit sales — they erode long-term trust.
Hope you remember that Ola Electric’s shares dropped by 9% following a public dispute between the company’s founder and a comedian over service quality.
Want to learn more about how Millennial Consumer Behavior 2025 shapes brand loyalty — and brand risk?
What This Tells Us
Today’s brand reputation is built (or destroyed) in real-time. Millennials expect accountability. Ignore this, and your brand equity crumbles.
Stay Alert: Use social listening tools to monitor brand sentiment. Don’t wait for a trending hashtag to realise there’s a problem.
Be Ready to Respond: When controversy hits, respond fast, with transparency. A delayed response looks like avoidance.
Have a Crisis Plan: Prepare your brand to handle boycotts. Train your team on how to respond publicly and internally.
Learn from Others: Look at cases like MagicBricks and Ola Electric. Understand what they did wrong — and what they could’ve done better — so you’re not next in line.
Key Takeaways for Marketers
Think Hybrid: Don’t treat online and in-store as separate — they’re two sides of the same coin. ✅ Show Your Values: Sustainability and diversity aren’t just boxes to tick — they’re deal-breakers for millennials. Invest in Social Commerce: TikTok and influencers drive discovery and trust faster than any ad. ✅ Plan for Boycotts: Have a proactive CSR strategy. Stay transparent. Own your mistakes. Be Future-Ready: AI and crypto aren’t experiments anymore — they’re expectations.
The Bottom Line From Millennial Shopping Trends for 2025
Millennials aren’t just spending more — they’re spending smarter. They’re tech-driven, value-focused, and ready to walk away from brands that don’t get it.
If you’re still treating them like the old-school consumers of the 2000s, you’re already behind.
This is the new world of Millennial Shopping Trends 2025, and it’s time to level up.
When I first started using Google Ads, my biggest pain was attracting the wrong crowd.Are you feeling the same? You’re getting leads, but most of them are spam, job seekers, or people just fishing for prices. Not buyers. Not revenue. So, what’s going wrong? Why Google Ads Lead Quality going low?
This post will help you solve this, covering:
Why Lead Quality Matters in Google Ads
The 3-Step Framework for Better Lead Tracking
Essential Tools for Tracking Lead Quality
Optimizing Bidding Strategies for High-Quality Leads
Common Pitfalls & How to Fix Them
Beyond Search: YouTube & Performance Max for Lead Gen
The Future of Lead Tracking with AI & Automation
1. Why Lead Quality Matters in Google Ads
Google’s automated bidding systems (like Smart Bidding) rely on conversion data to optimise campaigns. If you’re feeding it junk leads—such as:
Spam calls (instant hang-ups, robocalls)
Job seekers (people applying for jobs, not buying)
Price shoppers (just asking for quotes with no intent to buy)
…then Google will keep delivering more of the same.
“If you don’t feed Google good data, it will optimise for garbage.”
Without proper lead tracking, you could be:
Wasting budget on irrelevant clicks.
Training Google’s algorithm to prioritise bad leads.
Missing real opportunities because your CRM is clogged with junk.
Garbage in = garbage out.
That’s how most ad budgets silently bleed.
2. The 5-Step Framework for Better Lead Tracking
Step 1: Run the Campaigns
Start with your usual Google Ads setup. Focus on your best-performing keywords and locations. Don’t over-automate too early.
Step 2: Track the Leads Properly
Call tracking: Only count calls longer than 60–90 seconds.
Form tracking: Use fields that qualify intent (e.g. budget, timeline).
Exclude soft conversions like “Contact Page Views” or “Get Directions.“
Step 3: Score the Leads
Inside your CRM or even a Google Sheet:
Mark every lead as hot, warm, or junk.
Use tags or notes (e.g. “job enquiry”, “price hunting”, “booked a demo”). This is the most skipped step — and the most important.
Step 4: Train Google with Quality Data
Only send back qualified leads using:
Offline Conversion Imports
Enhanced Conversions That’s how you stop Google from rewarding spam.
Step 5: Review, Optimise, Repeat
Check every week:
Where are good leads coming from?
Which keywords or placements are wasting budget? Use this insight to tweak bidding, targeting, and messaging.
3. Essential Tools for Tracking Lead Quality
📞 Call Tracking Tools
CallRail Easy-to-use call tracking with recordings, duration filters, and lead tagging. ✅ Great UI | ❌ A bit pricey for small teams
CallTrackingMetrics Advanced features with marketing + sales alignment tools. ✅ HIPAA-compliant | ❌ Slight learning curve
Google Call Reporting Free built-in call tracking in Google Ads. ✅ No extra cost | ❌ Limited filtering, no recordings
🧠 CRM & Lead Scoring Tools
HubSpot Popular CRM with automation and lead scoring built-in. ✅ Beginner-friendly | ❌ Gets expensive beyond free tier
Salesforce Enterprise-grade CRM with deep analytics and sales pipeline tracking. ✅ Scalable | ❌ Overkill for small teams
ActiveCampaign CRM + email marketing + automation in one place. ✅ Best for lean marketing teams | ❌ Not ideal for complex sales teams
🔄 Automation & Data Sync
Zapier Automate lead tagging, CRM updates, and push conversions to Google Ads. ✅ No-code integrations | ❌ Some limits on free plan
LeadsBridge Specialises in syncing CRM data back into ad platforms. ✅ Great for offline conversions | ❌ Limited CRM support on free plan
📊 Manual But Effective
Google Sheets + Tagging For small teams, just use a shared sheet with “Good / Bad” labels. ✅ Free, simple, fast | ❌ Needs discipline to maintain
Pro Tip: If you’re a small business, even a Google Sheet with ‘good’ or ‘bad’ labels can work.
4. Optimizing Bidding Strategies for High-Quality Leads
If you’re just starting out or spending under ₹2.5L ($3,000/month), don’t rush into Smart Bidding.
Google’s automated bidding needs around 30 real conversions per month to work properly.
If you don’t have that yet, Smart Bidding will guess — and it often guesses wrong.
Start with manual bidding. It gives you more control while you train Google with quality conversion data.
Once you’ve got:
Proper lead tracking in place
Enough good conversions coming in
A clear idea of your cost per lead
…then you can switch to Smart Bidding with confidence.
Watch out for Google’s nudge — it might even suggest a Target CPA like ₹3,800 ($47) per lead. That’s a sign you’re ready.
Pro Tip: Switching too early is like giving a self-driving car the wheel… before teaching it where the road is.
5. Common Pitfalls & How to Fix Them
Problem 1: Bad Call Handling
Slow response times → Missed leads.
IVR menus → High drop-off rates.
Solution:
Use live answering services (even for small businesses).
Train staff to convert competitor calls (e.g., “We’re not [Competitor], but we can help!”).
Problem 2: Tracking Useless Conversions
“Contact Us page views” ≠ a lead.
“Get Directions” clicks ≠ a conversion.
Solution:
Only track meaningful actions (calls, form fills, demos).
Problem 3: Poor Lead Follow-Up
Overnight form submissions often go unanswered.
Delayed callbacks lose hot leads.
Solution:
Prioritize morning ad spend for urgent services (e.g., plumbing).
Automate lead responses (e.g., SMS confirmations).
6. Beyond Search: YouTube & Performance Max for Lead Gen
Once your Search campaigns are solid, it’s worth testing YouTube and Performance Max to expand reach — but don’t treat them the same.
YouTube Ads: Low Budget, Big Impact
You don’t need fancy productions. In fact, simple videos work better — think drone shots, walk-throughs, or a quick testimonial from the founder.
People watch longer when the ad feels authentic, not polished to death.
✅ Use YouTube to build trust and pre-qualify leads with storytelling.
PMAX: Handle With Care
Performance Max can flood you with leads — but many of them will be spam if you’re not careful.
Use strict filters.
Don’t track soft conversions like forms or page views.
Track only high-intent actions like phone calls or booked appointments.
Pro Tip:Start PMAX only after you’ve maxed out Search. Otherwise, you’re spreading thin and risking junk leads.
7. The Future of Lead Tracking: AI & Automation
AI isn’t just a buzzword — it’s quietly changing how we handle leads.
Today, you can:
Auto-tag leads based on call transcripts using tools like
Do you think marketing is more about creativity? In my experience, it’s Not. It’s about structure and marketing automation. You can have the best illustrations, a catchy headline, even a viral reel. But if you don’t have a system that consistently brings in leads, builds trust, and converts — it’s just noise. Then what marketing actually looks like!!
1. The Hidden Truth Nobody Tweets
Most marketers still believe clever taglines and viral reels are what we want. But in a survey63 % admit their landing pages convert below 10 %. Worse, the clicks that do arrive often vanish because there is no follow‑up system. But businesses that nurture prospects with automation see a 451 % jump in qualified leads .
So the point is — automation is the engine, while design or a clever ad copy is like the paint or headline. One grabs attention. The other keeps things moving.
2. Five Pillars That Turn Chaos into a Pipeline
2.1 Content calendars: Plan It Once, Show Up Every Week
Imagine creating a spreadsheet with 200 ideas mapped 90 days out. Boring task? But it is effective.
Blogs + SEO are the best in terms of ROI for B2B brands in 2024 (HubSpot).
Consistency is what matters. When you post regularly, people start to notice, and platforms push your content more. It’s like saving a little every day — small, but it adds up.
Open a sheet, list 200 pain‑point topics, lock slots for the next 90 days.
2.2 Automation: Let Marketing Automation Do the Boring Work for You
Robots do not replace marketers; they replace forgetfulness. It’s like a water pump with an automatic timer — you don’t need to switch it on every time.
Marketing Automation takes care of the boring stuff — posting, tagging, and follow-ups — so you can focus on real work. It’s like a machine that keeps running even when you’re not around.
76 % of firms see positive ROI from automation within year one (Firework).
Automation also lifts sales productivity by 14.5 % (Oracle)
Start small. Automate simple things first — like sending a thank-you message after form submission, adding leads to your CRM, or scheduling posts in advance. Use tools like Zapier, Make, Mailchimp, or WhatsApp Business API (sequencing via Meta Business Suite is so effective).
You don’t need to know coding — just set it once and let it run. Focus on building a system that works even when you’re not online.
2.3 Your Ads Should Bring Leads, Not Just Likes
It’s easy to get excited by likes, shares, and nice comments — the so-calledvanity metrics. But if your ad isn’t bringing in sign-ups, demo bookings, or real revenue — thesanity metrics — then it’s not doing its job.
Most brands run video ads hoping people will like, share, or maybe remember them. Headway, an EdTech company from Ukraine, did the opposite. They used AI to create many short video ads — but each one had a clear goal: get people to subscribe.
As a rule of thumb: If your ad report can’t tell you “₹1 in, ₹X out,” stop running it. Ads should be treated like investments, not billboards. Whether it’s Google, Meta, or YouTube — always ask: “What action do I want the viewer to take?”
But here’s the catch. Even if your ad is good, it’s your landing page that decides whether people will take that action.
👉 Want better results? Fix these four things on your landing page:
Headline: It should solve a real problem (e.g., “Get faster crop loans without paperwork” is better than “Welcome to AgriFinance”).
Proof: Show reviews, client logos, or a testimonial video — and place it right on top, not hidden below.
Form: Keep it short, and make sure it’s easy to fill on a mobile screen.
Speed: If your page loads in 1 second, it converts 3x better than one that takes 5 seconds. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to check.
2.5 CRM: Don’t Give Up on Cold Leads
Most people think a lead is lost once they go silent. But silence doesn’t always mean ‘not interested’ — sometimes it means ‘not now’, or ‘still unsure’. Many leads don’t need a reminder that you exist. They need a message that makes them feel like you understand where they are in their journey. That’s the real trigger — relevance, not presence.
That’s exactly what Porch Group Media did for a retail brand. They ran a simple win-back email campaign, not with discounts or pressure, but with friendly messages like “Still thinking about it?” or “Need help deciding?”
The result? 29% of inactive customers came back. That’s nearly 1 in 3 cold leads reactivated with just a few well-timed emails.
But here’s the smarter part — they didn’t send the same email to everyone. They used lead scoring.
👉 Here’s how it works:
Cold leads (no activity in 30–60 days): Nurture them with light, value-based emails
Warm leads (opened recent emails or clicked pricing): Invite them for a call or offer a limited-time deal
Hot leads (booked demo, replied, or asked questions): Pass them straight to sales
Once your CRM is set up to track and tag these behaviours, your team will stop wasting time on dead leads — and focus on the ones most likely to buy.
Creatio Dashboard for Marketing Automation
In fact, companies that properly use a CRM report 29% higher revenue on average.
So if you have 100 old leads sitting idle, don’t delete them. Just talk to them differently based on where they are. That’s how structure brings in sales — even from silence.
