Had Potential

CriticGirl91

This film is confused in itself as it struggles between a love story and a story of emotional abuse. I understand the director's attempt to depict how Aakaash's love inspires Vani to want to live life to the fullest, but the execution fails on this prime point. It makes me wish that the film had been entirely about the second issue.

Beginning with the story, the first half is a typical love story that annoys with random double edged diaglogues. The songs are not memorable, and I guess this part stretches for a boring forty minutes until Vani's life changes dramatically. It is easy to be sorry for Vani here, seeing her helplessness as she witnesses the pain of her father. Full credit to Kiran Kumar here for his very realistic portrayal. The movie then goes to narrate the plight of a woman married to a very cold and abusive man who never physically assaults, but matches the damage with his nastiness. He treats his wife as nothing but an object to be ill treated. This is where the movie could have taken a new level, but unfortunately, it is either the budget or the editing that fails here. The narrative never moves outside Vani's apartment, and the audience would have definitely liked to explore this traumatic relationship at different scenarios. In terms of time, Akash returns soon and we have a love story presented to us again. An issue of great importance being sandwiched between a cliché love tale cannot make it's mark.

For the performances, I never really liked Karthik Aryan with his goofy smile in his first film. But here, it was worse perhaps because he was required to present a sensitive and inspiring character. All that came across was a superficial, wannabe cutesy protagonist. Nusrat had a great opportunity too. She's nice on several counts. She's non-irritating, looks pained when required and shows hers fearlessness well. Unfortunately though, she is quite melancholic and this does not work for 60% of the film which is about her love affair with Aakaash. The other actors are wasted, at best.

Luv Ranjan's heart is at the right place with the film. When Vani says she fought her way out for herself and not for Aakaash, I just wish the film had actually made it look so.

score 4/10

CriticGirl91 24 April 2016

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3457645/