Avihitham

S. R. Praveen of The Hindu wrote a positive review, "In Avihitham, which does not have any big star and is propelled by the strength of its narrative, Hegde returns to his roots and sort of rediscovers his 'indie' mojo."^[13]

Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express rated the film 4/5 stars and wrote, "Intriguingly, the film even shifts into an edge-of-the-seat suspense drama at one point. Yet, director Senna Hegde ensures that the soul and core of Avihitham are never lost in the process."^[14]

Vivek Santhosh of The New Indian Express rated the film 3/5 stars and wrote, "In the end, Avihitham is a modest yet engaging satire that observes more than it surprises. It may lack the sparkle of Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam and tread familiar ground in its critique of male morality, but Senna’s control over tone and character keeps it steady and effective. With its dry humour and quiet irony, the film holds a mirror to small-town self-righteousness, showing how easily gossip turns into judgement in the hands of those least fit to make it."^[15]

Anjana George of The Times of India described the film as "a quirky, rustic comedy about voyeurism and secrets" and rated the film 3/5 stars. She wrote, "Avihitham is, at its core, a delightful peek into small-town voyeurism and moral theatre, a comedy of errors where curiosity becomes community entertainment. It’s rustic, witty, and brimming with unpolished charm."^[16]

Gayathri Krishna of OTTPlay rated the film 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "Senna Hegde's film is much more than just a story about an extramarital affair. Our patriarchal society, which still adheres to gender stereotypes, is closely examined but satirised."^[17]

Swathi P. Ajith of Onmanorama wrote a positive review, "Avihitham is a sharp, deceptively simple take on voyeurism and morality—a mirror held up to our collective hypocrisy, wrapped in pitch-perfect humour. Cleverly written, superbly acted, and endlessly entertaining, this is one film that absolutely deserves to be seen on the big screen."^[18]

Sajin Shrijith of The Week rated the film 4.5/5 stars and wrote, "Avihitham reminds us that some films are ill fit for big stars and that no matter how unfamiliar these actors may feel to us, if they can momentarily take us back to that time when we saw Priyadarshan's Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu or Sreenivasan's Vadakkunokkiyanthram for the first time, when we were kids and yet to familiarize ourselves with not just Mohanlal or Sreenivasan, but also the immensely gifted legendary comedians who acted alongside in supporting roles, I think their mission is successful. If you, like me, hail from Kerala's Malabar region, you're most likely going to get more fun out of this than the others.^[19]

Vishal Menon of The Hollywood Reporter India described the film as "several LOL moments" and wrote, "Everything fits into place in Avihitham as it speaks about feminism and the dangers of moral policing without even trying to take a moral high ground. It is what it is, and it's not too surprising to notice how we, too, become part of these men, curious to find out who this woman could be."^[20]

• Avihitham at IMDb