Ola Driver's Photo
The Ola Driver's Photo
Setting: Ola app booking (Hyderabad / Telangana).
In English: The Ola Driver's Photo. A Lighted Tales original Telugu horror story, written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) with Telangana dialect.
The Ola Driver's Photo
2025 October 18 saturday raathri Hyderabad lo light varsham padindi, IKEA Hitec City pakkana ORR feeder road antha slow ga move avthu undinde. Naa office party Madhapur Inorbit Mall lo close ayindi 9:45 ki, naa team andariki cab pattukunaaru oka okkari ki. Naa daggara office team lo Anvitha Reddy, naa Wipro lo data science peer, aame Madhapur Inorbit nundi Banjara Hills inta ki Ola book chesindi. Naa cab okka 4 minutes ki vacchindi, aame cab okka 11 minutes ETA chupinchindi mundu. Aame waiting time lo naa daggara aame phone screen chuste, "Sai, ee driver photo lo ne nuvvu eela chuste? Ee photo manishi adhi okayva?" ane curious ga adigindhi. Naa kuda screen chusi, aa thing start ayindi.
Anvitha Reddy, age 28, Wipro Madhapur Building 4 lo data science role, single occupancy 2BHK "Saritha Towers Phase-2" Banjara Hills lo. Aame Khammam district nundi, parents Khammam town lo, retired bank officer father, mother homemaker, younger brother Karimnagar NIT lo MTech.
Aa raathri 9:48 ki aame Ola Sedan book chesindhi. Banjara Hills Road No. 3 destination. App ETA 11 minutes. Driver allocation immediate ga vacchindhi. App screen lo standard layout —
Tarakeswar P. Rating: 4.7 Trips: 2,841 Vehicle: Maruti Dzire, TS09 EJ 4127 ETA: 11 mins
Driver photo profile circle lo, naa pakkana Anvitha screen ki naa eyes velli. Aa photo lo okka manishi — pedda thick beard, salt-and-pepper, age 50 daggara, wide forehead, pedda peda eyes, oka vidham serious face. Photo lighting daylight ga, professional ga shot ainadham — Ola driver onboarding photo standard format.
Anvitha: "Sai, beard manishi face naaku familiar ga undi okka second ki, kaani recall avvadhe. Adhi off topic, naa cab eppudu vasthadi?"
Aame okay ga ne ne, naa cab okka 4 minutes ki vacchindhi, naa Madhapur ki velli unda. Anvitha ki text chesaanu "safe ga velli, msg cheyi house cherinaaka" ane standard care.
Anvitha aa cab ki ki bayata ki nilabadindhi mall pickup point ki. ETA okka 4 minutes ki dropped — driver close vasthunaaru, app indicator. Tarwata 2 minutes ki driver arrived notification. Aame rastha pakkana chuse, white Maruti Dzire okkati slow ga aame daggara stopped ayindi. Plate — TS09 EJ 4127. Match.
Aame back door open chesi inside seat tho.
Anvitha: "Hello, Banjara Hills Road No. 3 ki?"
Driver thala thirigi aame ki chusaaru. Aame breath okka chinna jolt tho aagindhi.
Aatani face — clean shaven. Beard zero. Age maybe 35-40, narrow forehead, narrow eyes, oka chinna clean shaven manishi. App screen lo unna Tarakeswar P. photo tho zero match.
Anvitha: "Sorry, ne Tarakeswar gaaru ena? Naa Ola booking app lo profile photo lo nuvvu different ga undinde."
Driver navvuthune cheppindi —
Tarakeswar: "Madam, ne ne Tarakeswar ne ne. Photo old daadhi, naa beard 2 years munduga shave chesinanu. App photo update cheyaledhu, lazy ga. Worry cheyaledhu, naa same driver, plate match check cheyandi."
Aame plate okka second time check chesindhi — TS09 EJ 4127. Match. Aame cab number app lo last 4 digits OTP entry standard,
OTP: 4892
Aatani enter cheste app ride starts. Aame seatbelt thaaki, hesitation tho, kaani aame office tired ga, gentle ga ne ne, naa amma always cheppinde "sandeham vasthe driver tho second-question cheyali, naa daughter" ane. Aame okka second-question cheppali ane.
Anvitha: "Aakaarinaaru, naa naa app lo mee photo full beard tho. Adhi 2 years munduga ane cheppadhamlo, kaani ne mee ki driver license verification photo eppudu update chesa Ola lo? Naa just sandeham, no offense."
Driver eyes rear-view mirror lo aame ki velli. Eyes okka second daka direct ga aame ki, navvu lekkalo.
Tarakeswar: "Madam, photo nenu ne ne ne ne. Update cheyaledhu, time lekkadu. Naa beard naa face ki returning vasthadi konni months ki, naadhi habit. Photo old kaadu, naa face current. Naa rating 4.7, trips 2,841, anni naa account ki. Worry cheyaledhu."
Aatani voice okay ga ne ne, kaani okka chinna pressure undi voice lo. Anvitha okay ga ne ne. Aame seatbelt lock chesi, "sare, velli" ane.
→ Idey theme lo inka oka katha: Nuvvu Removed Ayinavu
Cab Inorbit nundi Hitech City main road ki velli, ORR ki kaadhu, regular Banjara Hills route Jubilee Hills checkpost vaipu. Aame phone tho aame office WhatsApp group ki "home ki velli, 25 mins" ane standard message panpindhi. Naaku DM —
Anvitha: Sai, naa cab driver app photo tho match avvadhe. Beard manishi photo lo, clean shaven manishi cab lo. Atanu 'photo old' ane explanation ichaaru, kaani naaku okka chinna doubt undi.
Naa reply —
Sai: Anvitha, share live location naa daggara, naa Sanjana ki kuda chupistha. Worry cheyaledhu kaani vigilant ga undali. Plate check cheyi, OTP kuda confirm cheyi.
Aame share live location chesindhi. Naa Sanjana ki forwarded "naa office friend Anvitha cab tracking, security check ga" ane.
Cab Hitech City junction ki cherindi. Aa daggara red signal. Anvitha rear-view mirror lo driver ki silent ga chusaame, atanu phone tho navvuthu typing chesthu unde. Aame aatani profile photo phone lo open chesindhi, side-by-side compare cheste — face structure full ga different. Photo lo cheek bones wide, jaw line broad, eyes deep set. Real driver lo face thinner, cheek bones flat, jaw line narrow.
Aame okka different ga ne ne, photo manishi 50, real driver 35-40. Generation gap clearly visible.
Anvitha: "Aakaarinaaru, naa okka thing adugutha. Mee Ola id verify cheyali ki naa app lo show ainadham mee Aadhar photo ena, lekapote selfie photo ena, edi?"
Driver okka second silent. Tarwata cheppindi —
Tarakeswar: "Madam, Ola lo onboarding ki Aadhar photo upload chesinanu, tarwata selfie verification standard. Naa rendu okay ga match aythadi appudu. Naa beard appudu undinde. Ipoptu lekkadu. Adhi simple."
Anvitha: "Aakaarinaaru, photo lo manishi age okka 50, mee age okka 38 ga undi. Beard tho-without difference age ki maatrame kaadhu, face structure full ga different ga undi. Naa okka request, ne mee Aadhar verification okka second naa daggara show cheyali, naa peace kosam. Lekapote naa ee cab nundi okka secure place ki dropped ayyali ane."
Driver rear-view mirror lo eyes aame ki direct ga. Okka 5 seconds daka silent. Anvitha stomach lo cool sweat anipinchindhi.
Tarakeswar: "Madam, naa Aadhar mobile app lo lekkadu, naa wallet inta lo. Naa show cheyalemu ipoptu. Kaani naa ne ne ne ne, naa same driver. App ki match avvali, aatani ki driver name plate, OTP, rating anni cross-verified. Photo okka 'time-lapse' issue maatrame."
Aame rear-view mirror lo eyes aatani ki sthira ga, navvu lekkalo —
Anvitha: "Sare. Mundhu signal lo naa cab nundi dropped. Naa Ola support ki call chesi report chestha."
Tarakeswar: "Madam, ne nuvvu cab nundi mid-trip lo dropped aythe, naa rating drop aythadi, fare full charge aythadi mee account ki. Adhi ne ki manchidhi kaadu."
Anvitha: "Adhi okay. Naa fare full charge ki ready. Naa peace mukhyam."
Driver okay ga ne ne, mid-signal lo cab pulled side ki. Aame back door open chesi cab nundi bayata.
Aa daggara Hitech City junction, opposite ki "Mango Coffee Roasters" shop, well-lit ga undinde. Aame aa shop lo velli, naaku call chesindhi —
Anvitha: "Sai, naa cab nundi dropped. Driver photo app lo full beard manishi, real driver clean shaven. Plate match, OTP match, kaani face zero match. Atanu 'photo old' explanation tho. Naa peace kaadhu. Mango Coffee Hitech City lo undi, naa daggara safe."
[SAI KIRAN] "Anvitha, ne nuvvu manchidhi chesinaaru. Naa Ola support ki naa side nundi parallel report cheyali. Mee app lo trip cancellation chesava? 'Driver verification mismatch' ane category lo report."
Aame app lo trip cancel chesindhi. Cancellation reason dropdown lo "Driver does not match profile" ane option exist chesinde, aame select chesindhi. Cancellation fee ₹0 charged ayindi (aa option ki Ola full waive policy unde).
Aame Mango Coffee lo coffee teesukoni, naa video call ki vacchindhi. Naa daggara aame app screenshot share chesindhi — driver profile photo, full beard manishi, naa eyes lo aa face ki zoom in. Aatani face — okka second naaku familiar ga ne ne, kaani specific ga gurthu raavadham ledu.
Anvitha: "Sai, naa heart lo aa photo manishi face aa beard tho ne ne ne, naa life lo eppudo eppudo nenu chusinanu. Recall avvadhe."
Aame brain ki light raalledu. Naa kuda search chesi, aame Khammam family photos lo eppudaina photo manishi vacchaaru ane okay ga, aame phone gallery ki velli, "Khammam family" ane folder lo old photos scroll cheste. 10 minutes scroll tarwata, 2018 December folder lo, Anvitha thatha 75-year birthday celebration Khammam family inta lo. Aame thatha pakkana, oka pedda manishi, salt-and-pepper beard tho, wide forehead, pedda eyes — Anvitha okka chinna shock tho phone naa daggara petti.
Anvitha: "Sai, ee photo lo naa thatha pakkana okka manishi, Tarakeswar tha-thaiya. Atanu naa thatha very close friend, Khammam village lo, 2020 December lo poyiyaaru, age 67. Heart attack, sudden ga. Aatani face naa Ola driver app profile photo lo. Exact ga match."
Naa stomach lo cool sweat anipinchindhi.
→ Pakkana ee story kuda chadavandi: Uber Ride Cost ₹7
Anvitha: "Sai, naa Tarakeswar tha-thaiya pelli ki nenu velli ravvaledhu 2019 lo, atani peda granddaughter wedding ki naa office 'product launch' ane reason ichanu skipped. Aatani 1-year remembrance Khammam lo 2021 lo, naa Goa solo trip lo, 'family far ki connection lekkadu' ane vidham lo dismissed. 5-year remembrance 2025 December ki vasthe, 2 months lo. Naa ipoptu okay ane vasthane plan chesinanu kaani heart lo 'maybe skip cheste' ane internal voice undinde."
Naa silent ga aame ki listen chestu undi.
Anvitha: "Sai, naa Ola driver photo aatani face. App lo aatani name 'Tarakeswar P.'. Naa thatha-friend tho exact match. Real driver, clean shaven, different person. Kaani app system aatani photo, aatani name pull chesi naa cab ki assign chesindhi. Adhi ela?"
Naa naaku ardham kaani.
Naa office Wipro lo data engineering team lo, Ola support escalation contact (oka colleague friend) tho parallel ga reach chesaanu Sunday morning ki. Aame Anvitha account login history pull chesi check cheste, Tarakeswar P. ane name daggara Ola system lo zero matches — aa name, aa rating, aa trips count, anni system lo lekkadu. Real driver ki aa cab assigned aainde — atani name "Manjunath G., rating 4.5, trips 1,247" ane. Kaani Anvitha screen lo display ainde "Tarakeswar P., 4.7, 2,841".
Display layer ki backend layer ki sync break ainadham. Profile photo, name, stats — anni okka different identity tho replaced. Real driver background lo run avthune. Real plate, real OTP. Kaani identity layer lo ghost data.
Naa colleague "adhi technical ga zero-probability scenario, image-asset pipeline lo random photo replacement happen avvadhu Ola production lo" ane confused.
Anvitha Sunday morning Khammam ki bus pattukoni, naa Wipro Monday WFH chesindhi. Aame Tarakeswar tha-thaiya 5-year remembrance ki munduga 2 months ainadham, kaani aame velli aatani photo daggara nilabadi, oka chinna deepam petti, oka silent moment tho —
Anvitha: "Tha-thaiya, naa pelli ki velli ravvaledhu 2019 lo, naa fake reason tho. Naa 1-year remembrance ki ravvaledhu, naa lazy reason tho. Naa heart lo aa connections distance ga ne ne ne treat chesinaanu. Naadhi nijam kaadhu. Mee 5-year remembrance ki naa proper ga vasthane December ki, naa parents tho, naa heart full ga. Naa late, kaani heart tho."
Aame mother silent ga aame head thaaki, "Anvitha, Tarakeswar tha-thaiya ki ne ki naa daughter ga peda affection unde. Aatani heart lo ne ki place undinde. Ne ipoptu ee call accept chesinaaru — manchidhi".
Real-world context: Wikipedia — Creepypasta tradition
Aame Hyderabad ki return Monday raathri. Aame Ola app open chesindhi, Tarakeswar P. ane driver name aame trip history lo zero entries — aa attempted ride record aame side full ga gone. Cancellation entry lekkadu, "Mismatch" ane reason lekkadu. Aatani name app cache nundi clean ga purged. Naa colleague side server logs lo kuda zero matches.
Aatani photo, aatani name, oka window kosam ne ne ne ne aame ki visible ainadham. Aame ki "velli okka call attend cheyali" ane reminder. Aame attend chesindhi.
Author's note
Naa Karimnagar lo naa thatha ki close friend okka Krishnaiah-thaata 2017 lo poyaaru, naa appudu Hyderabad first job lo, deadline tho velli ravvaledhu funeral ki. Aatani 1-year remembrance ki kuda velli ravvaledhu, naa Singapore office trip tho. Aatani 3-year-anniversary 2020 lockdown lo nenu Karimnagar lo, naa thatha tho velli aatani photo daggara silent ga nilabadi, oka chinna deepam petti, "Krishnaiah-thaata, naa late ga vacchaanu" ane. Naa thatha "Sai, late ga ne ne ne ne, kaani heart tho ne ne nuvvu vacchaaru — adhi nijamu" ane navvuthune cheppinde.
Ola driver profile photos — Meta-equivalent backend image pipeline lo standard Aadhar/selfie verification, periodic refresh okay ga ne ne ne ne. Photo-mismatch one-off cases 2024-2025 lo Bengaluru ride-share forums lo dorukutu undi, kaani aatani most cases lo "app cache stale" explanation tho aatani resolved aythadi 24 hours lo. Anvitha story lo aatani exact face match deceased family-friend ki — adhi statistical zero-probability.
Nijamu — naa heart-truth, naa gone elders ki naa connection sthapinchadham — adhi naa amma ki teach chesindi. Phones, apps, technology layer ki manakuni okka medium ga undi maatrame, kaani heart connection adhi ki venuka manaki responsibility.
Mee daggara Ola/Uber lo driver photo mismatch eppudaina chusava? Aatani familiar face eppudaina match ainadhamlo? Comments lo cheppandi.
— Sai Kiran · Lighted Tales
© 2026 Sai Kiran Pandrala / Lighted Tales · https://teluguhorrorstories.blogspot.com
Original Telugu horror fiction. Folk-source material where referenced is public domain.
Modern characters, apartments, companies, and phone numbers are fictional.
Any resemblance to real persons, businesses, or events is coincidental.
Audio version: youtube.com/@Lightedtales
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