Padesave Review

Debutante director Chuniya chooses a now-dated genre (triangular love story), featuring new actors.  It's a gamble in our times to try to tell such a love story, at a time when the temperament of the audience is difficult to decipher, not to mention the lack of ability/willingness to appreciate anything that is not obvious.

Karthik (Karthik Raj) and Niharika (Nithya Shetty) are childhood friends.  Niharika was away for five years and spent her time fondly remembering her pleasant memories with Karthik.  They are neighbours again.  Karthik is a junk artist, who is constantly belittled by his father (played by senior Naresh).  Niharika has a friend who is next only to Karthik.  It's Swathi (Jaheeda Shyam), who herself has not been on talking terms with her actress-mother, played by yesteryear actress Raashi.  While Niharika is in love with Karthik, Karthik falls in love with Swathi at first sight.  Swathi is engaged to another guy, though.

Karthik, having no feelings for Niharika, becomes close to Swathi, nevertheless.   As a matured guy, he persuades Swathi to make up with her mother, who followed her own dreams.  Over the months, his love for her only grows stronger, whereas Niharika is under the illusion that he loves her, thanks to a gaffe committed by Vishwa Raj, Karthik's friend.

The film comes into its own only in the last 30 minutes.  To be fair to the debutante, she has dealt the subject well in these portions.  However, the audience would have run out of patience by then.  Coming as they do after scenes like gay comedy involving Ali, Vishwa in woman's avatar, and Krishnudu, the anti-climax and climax have the zing already taken out.

Beginning on a fresh note, the film induces a sense of deja vu with its shades of Nuvve Kavali.  (Make no mistakes, the reference is made lest you make it and mock the film).  The first half is breezy with the songs like Let's Sing, Idedho and Aye Aye entertaining.  Chitti Talli is a sentimental song that is heart-touching.  Itu Rava in the climax is another good song.

To be sure, the kiss of love in the climax is refreshing.  The dialogues are good, but the performances are not really up to the mark.  The art direction is not good (barring the scrap art, which is fabulous).  The cinematography is just about ok.

As for performances, Nithya Shetty gives the best one among the three.  Karthik Raj and Jaheeda Shyam need to work on their expression.  Vishwa is a disappointment and his comic timing needs a lot of improvement.

Verdict: A triangular love story comes with a dated narration.  It should not have been a film that falls for anything, that is, even gay comedy.  The last 30 minutes works

తెలుగు వెర్షన్ రివ్యూ