Category: Recent Posts

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Call My Agent: A Satire Which Needed More Bite

For those who are not aware Shaad Ali’s Call My Agent is a remake of a French show with the same name. Since I haven’t seen the French one I will be looking at the Bollywood version as a standalone one. Call My Agent is a series which had the potential to be a solid satire on how the Filmy universe of Bollywood works. However, what we get instead is a half baked product which never becomes more than the sum of its parts. The series also ends with a hint of season 2 coming, but the makers need to come up with a tighter script next time around.

The Bollywood version of Call My Agent revolves a company called ART and the team of agents headed by Soumyajit Dasgupta (Tinu Anand). Rajat Kapoor plays the senior most agent in the company. He is a hustler by nature; He has a daughter from an undisclosed family in Goa. The daughter is played by Radhika Seth. Soni Razdan is the second senior most agent. Aahana Kumara plays a volatile woman with a colorful love life. Ayush Mehra plays the other important member of ART. There are also a host of cameos from Dia Mirza, Jackie Shroff, Akshara Hasan, Sarika, Nandita Das etc.

The most interesting bits of Call My Agent are the long list of cameos from the stars. My most favorite one is that of Dia Mirza. She plays an actor in 40’s who faces the tough choice of getting cosmetic surgery or losing a Hollywood role. In that episode Shaad Ali covers topics like ageism in the industry. In a non preachy manner the director addresses some important issues.

Another interesting cameo is the one of Lara Dutta. In this episode we see Lara Dutta being in a fix about starring in a multiplex film that requires her to be on the set of the ravines of Chambal.

The chief reasons why these cameos work is because they seemed to have enjoyed playing these parts.

Out of the agents only Ayush Mehra and Aahana Kumara work well in their parts. The chemistry between these two characters is far more believable than Aahana Kumara’s lesbian track. Her lesbian affair with Jasleen ( Anuschka Sawhney) is more awkward than enjoyable.

The biggest flaw of Call My Agent are the characters of Rajat Kapoor and Soni Razdan. Rajat Kapoor is sorely miscast and his body language isn’t appropriate for the role of master negotiator he is supposed to play. Soni Razdan is supposed to be a veteran in the company but we never see her handling any stars. She is mostly restricted to observing and giving advice.

Another problem with Call My Agent is that it stays superficial and never digs deep. You get a huge hangover of Madhur Bhandarkar recent films and that is never a good sign.

In a nutshell Call My Agent is a case of looking glossy from outside but shallow from inside.

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Jai Bhim: A Hard-Hitting Drama that Holds A Mirror To Society

Before dissecting Jai Bhim it is necessary to give a huge round of applause to the pair of Surya and Jyotika for producing a film of this sort. Director T.S Gnanvel uses Surya’s role of a firebrand lawyer to talk about the horrors of custodial torture and the deep- seated rot in our criminal system. The role of Surya is based on the real life lawyer Chandru who fought for the downtrodden. The director makes sure that the actor’s star power doesn’t over power the narrative. It also helps that Surya blends in with the narrative. He delivers his lines with absolute conviction and makes you believe that he really believes in them.  The breakthrough performance though comes from Lijo Mol Jose as Sengani.

The film begins off in the year 1994. You have a couple who belong to a tribal community called Irulas, it is a tribal community in Chennai. They are living a life of dignity and have dreams of a successful future. One day theft happens in the president’s house and Sengani’s husband Rajkannu (Manikandan) is framed as a thief. From here on we see the open showcase of police brutality, atrocities and the game of power that crushes the marginalized. The scenes of the police atrocities are blood-curdling but they still need to be watched for the way it showcases the reality. The other important members of the cast include Prakash Raj and Rao Ramesh. Prakash Raj on one hand is the righteous police officer who becomes an ally for Surya later on; Rao Ramesh on the other hand is the lawyer who will go to any lengths to protect the evil police officers.

The best part of Jai Bhim is how the director builds up the characters of the couple. There is no big rush to introduce the character of Surya. As a result you journey with these characters and when tragedy strikes your heart goes out for them. However, the issue here is not confined to the couple only. The bigger picture is how so many men and women of that community are subjected to all this. Their only fault being born as Irulas.

There are many scenes in the film which shake your conscience. A scene which deserves a particular mention is the opening act. You see the police officers literally segregating people based on caste. This scene sets the tone for what is to follow.

Sean Roldan’s music tells a story of its own. The songs are not mere fillers but they move the story forward. The best example of this is the song which is used to establish what the character of Surya stands for.

Jai Bhim has also got some subtle humor. Most of this comes from MS Bhaskar who plays a Brahmin lawyer. His character is of someone who subscribes only to faith and has no ideology. We mostly see him pass comments on the proceedings. Some of his comments raise chuckles.

The cinematographer SR Karthir also deserves appreciation for the way he captures the atmospherics of both the court scenes and also the Irula village.

The biggest achievement of Jai Bhim is how T.J Gnanavel is successful in achieving the balancing act. He is able to do equal justice to the characters of both Sengani and Chandru.

Out of the rest Rao Ramesh makes a meal out of his negative role. He is successful in making you hate him. His scenes with Surya elevate the courtroom proceedings.

By the end of Jai Bhim you will clap for the real life Chandru and want to find out more about him.

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Sardar Udham Singh: A Slow Burner But Completely Worth Your Time

Shoojit Sarcar is one of those directors who has always had a distinct style in the way he narrates his stories. In his career so far Shoojit has explored many interesting subjects and has been mostly successful barring last year’s Gulaboo Sitaboo. With Sardar Udham Singh the director takes the life of a freedom fighter without succumbing to the usual trope of hyper nationalism that we generally associate with films of this genre. Shoojit presents a layered biopic which strikes a chord with the audiences. Sure the pace is slow and the initial portions are a bit hazy but the eventual product more than makes up for it. It also helps that Vicky Kaushal is in terrific form as Sardar Udham Singh. 

The film opens in a jail in Punjab in 1931 where a freedom fighter is just released. From then the story is split into two timelines for a while. One part of it is the interactions between him and Bhagat Singh (Amol Parashar). The other part is Udham fleeing from Punjab police and his early days as revolutionary. This spilt narrative returns back after Udham has killed Dwyer (Shaun Scoot). Here Shoojit juggles between the present day interrogations by a Scotland Yard officer, Swain (Stephen Hogan) and the other one is the journey of the freedom fighter in UK from 1930 to 1940. In between there is also the heartrending Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the deep impact it had on Udham Singh.

The biggest strength of the film is its writing. There are many powerful moments that make you applaud the writers. One of my favorite scenes is when Bhagat Singh explains his socialist commitment, he says the following words. “A revolutionary has to follow certain principles. You can’t be prejudiced, communal or casteist. There can be no social or economic difference. The only truth is equality.” There is another hugely impactful scene where Swain tries to break Uddam Singh’s silence by saying that you must really hate the British. Udham Singh replies back with a calm smile on his face, he says the following words: “No, I’ve many British friends. I don’t hate you either. You are just doing your Job.”

Lastly there is also a moment in a factory where Udham Singh is working at a factory floor in London. Udham gets enraged by a British supervisor who insults his friend. However, Udham’s anger doesn’t come from nationalistic sentiments alone, he tells everyone to stop working and these include a few British employees too.

The British characters don’t come across as your usual stereotypes and as a result Shaun Scott and also Hogan shine in their limited parts. The changing equation between Uddam and Swain is well developed. Towards the end you feel the detective having a sense of admiration towards Udham.

By the very nature of its story the light scenes are far and few, however the ones between Udham and Bhagat Singh are sure to bring a smile to your face. You wish they had more scenes together.

The massacre of Jallianwala Bagh is something which doesn’t need a special introduction. It brings back many horrendous memories even to this date. Shoojit Sarcar’s recreation of the ghastly incident is successful in bringing out the required emotions.

Vicky Kaushal as I earlier said is terrific. He ably switches from being explosive to restraint as per the demand of the script. Amol Parashar is a great choice for the role of Bhagat Singh. The actor makes a huge impact in all the scenes that he is in.

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Sex Education Season 3: A Super Follow-up To The First Two Seasons

There is a major reason why Sex Education is a popular web series and is awaited by many. It is a series which juggled many delicate issues like teen sexuality, gender identity etc, and these things are dealt in such a way that you never feel like being lectured. Season 3 not only builds on the aspects of the first two ones but it goes even further. In a nutshell Sex Education 3 is a stimulating season that will meet the expectations of all the fans.

For those who haven’t seen season 1 and 2 the series primarily followed the journey of Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield). He is a student at Moordale Secondary school. Otis is slightly ambivalent towards sex. The major reason for that is his divorced mother Jean (Gillian Anderson). She is a sex therapist who has frequent affairs but is unable to maintain relationships. Otis best friend is Eric (Ncuti Gatwa). Eric is a gay son of Ghanaian- Nigerian immigrants. Over the course of the first season Otis becomes close with Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey). She is a confidence student but her high intelligence is overshadowed by her troubled past.

Other important characters at Moordale include Adam Groff (Connor Swindells). He is the headmaster’s son who develops a bullying nature out of his own insecurity. Other important ones are a widowed plumber (Mikeal Persbrandt). Jakob and Jean start dating and that creates tensions in Otis life. Otis sets up a sex therapy business with Maeve in order to help their fellow students who have sexual problems. Their business becomes a success but conflict arises when Otis starts getting attracted to Maeve.

Apart from the romance aspect the second season had a number of new students at Moordale that challenged the status quo. You also had an outbreak called Chlamydia that caused students to question and struggle with topical issues. Also jean became pregnant with Jakob’s baby. Another important thing which happens in the second season was the Eric and Adam relationship.

Season 3 begins off with Adam Groff’s father Micheal Groff being replaced. The reason being Moordale has developed the reputation of being a sex school under his leadership. There is a new person leading the school and she is Hope Haddon. Hope Haddon is someone who takes the approach of Dolores Umbrige from book five of Harry Potter. She is someone who believes in lecturing and those who question her are punished. She enforces strict regulations. Some of these regulations are endorsing abstinence as a deterrent for unwanted pregnancies. Through all these methods Haddon is dismantling the social order of the school. The biggest highlight of Season 3 just like the first two seasons is how it deals with the female characters. There are written with lot of insight. This insight can be particularly seen with the characters of Maeve and also the pregnancy of Otis mother Jean Melbourn. The process of Jean and Jakob staying in one house and trying to make things work has been delicately handled by creator Laurie Nunn. There is also a book that Jean Melbourn is writing on sex education but at no point it comes across as uncomfortable. The journey of Maeve is another strong point. Maeve is someone who is battling issues both romantically and also otherwise. But at no point we see her complaining, there is a grace with which she handles things that is missing in Otis. Lastly the arc of Hope Haddon is also something that engages you. The character could have easily become a uni- dimensional antagonist but it isn’t. You get a sense of her battling her own demons. Through her character we see how success at her age comes with its own share of setbacks particularly if you are a woman.

With these three female characters points are made about women’s rights, patriarchy and loving oneself. An overreaching theme of Season 3 is the theme of friendship. This can be majorly seen in the bond between Otis and Erick, Aimee and Maeve. Through the bond of Eric and Otis the creators give a different spin on how male friendships are viewed in pop culture. There is a saying about how men don’t generally talk about their sexual feelings about their significant ones but here both Otis and Eric never hide their feelings from each other and that is super endearing. Similarly the way Aimee and Maeve overcome their issues and hold each other is also nice to watch. The performances of the major characters are spot on as usual but my favourite ones are Emma Mackey, Gillian Anderson and Ncuti Gatwa.

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Kondapolam: Another Feather In Krish’s Filmography

Sannapureddy Venkatarami Reddy’s novel Konda Polam is a hugely acclaimed novel for many reasons. It addressed many significant topics, one of which is the need for coexistence between man and nature. It was also about the protagonist getting rid of his inner demons and facing life with confidence.

Director Krish retains the spirit of the novel and adds his own touch to it. At the same time he removes certain unnecessary chapters from the novel like the smuggling one. Krish’s touch can be seen in the way he builds up the love story between Vaishnav Tej’s Ravi and Rakul Preet Singh’s Obu. The character of Obulamma is a creation of the director but it never feels unnecessary or unwanted. Through the characters of both Rakul Preet Singh and Hema Krish gives a feministic touch.

THE BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT OF KRISH IS HOW HE SETS UP THE TALE WITH THE HELP OF A FANTASTIC TECHNICAL TEAM.

The movie begins off with Ravi attending an interview at the UPSC board. His aim is to become a forest officer. Though he is fluent in English he requests Nassar along with the other officers to conduct the interview in Telugu, highlighting the right to speak in one’s own mother tongue. From there we move to a flashback that tells you about the journey of the protagonist from Nallamala forest to this current interview.

The biggest achievement of Krish is how he sets up the tale with the help of a fantastic technical team. Gnana Sekhar’s cinematography beautifully captures the locales. Although the film was shot in Vikarabad forests and Anantagiri, it has the authentic feel of Nallamala forests. They are a treat to watch. The art direction is another department that deserves full marks. Rajkumar Gibson creates an authentic milieu that has a lived in feel. You never feel any sense of artificiality.

ANOTHER THING THAT KRISH GETS RIGHT IS THE CHARACTER GROWTH OF RAVI.

Another thing that Krish gets right is the character growth of Ravi. Initially we see him in a perpetual state of fear whether it is in the boardroom or back home in village. He is jerky whenever he is asked why he hasn’t got a job yet. The transformative journey begins when he is sent by his grandfather to Konda Polam. If his biggest fear in forest is tiger, his biggest fear in life is not getting a job. Krish combines both these aspects and shows how Ravi overcomes both.

Rakul Preet Singh’s Obulamma is a character that will be remembered for a long time just like Samantha’s role in Rangasthalam. While Ravi might look more knowledgeable in the outside world, but it is Obulamma who is superior to him in terms of sheep rearing and the ways of the forest. She turns into a guru for Ravi and teaches him the ropes of the forest. The way the love story has been weaved into the bigger picture is very appreciable.

RAKUL PREET SINGH IS A REVELATION IN HER PART. SHE PORTRAYS THE DE-GLAM ROLE WITH ABSOLUTE CONVICTION.

Rakul Preet Singh is a revelation in her part. She portrays the de-glam role with absolute conviction.  Vaishnav Tej is earnest and delivers a sincere performance.

One of my other favorite characters is of Ravi Prakash. There is a brilliant monologue scene where he speaks to his wife over the phone and breaks down. It is a highly emotional scene that moves us to tears. Ravi Prakash is absolutely brilliant. Sai Chand also deserves appreciation for his wonderful acting. After Uppena it is the second time that Vaishnav Tej and Sai Chand are acting together as father and son and the comfort level shows. Kota Srinivasa Rao has a small role but the veteran actor is a delight to watch.

AFTER UPPENA IT IS THE SECOND TIME THAT VAISHNAV TEJ AND SAI CHAND ARE ACTING TOGETHER AS FATHER AND SON AND THE COMFORT LEVEL SHOWS.

The use of Rayalaseema dialect is also pretty impressive. The accent never comes across as odd. However there are certain heavy dialogues by some characters that seem strange given their background.

The songs and the background score by Keeravani is definitely a minus. Except for the Obulamma song nothing really works. Couple of romantic songs also act as speed breakers. The background score is too loud and it distracts you somewhat from the watching experience.

Watch Konda Polam for the authentic performances and the realistic background.

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Lady Doctors: Stories Of Unsung Women

‘Lady Doctors’ written by Kavita Rao is much more than just a book about six lady doctors. Above everything else she brings how these women had to struggle to carve out their careers irrespective of where they came from. Upper or lower caste doesn’t really matter. This particularly comes out in the case of Kadambini Ganguly, who is a Bengali Brahmin. In spite of decent support from husband and society she still had her fair share of struggles.

‘Lady Doctors’ begins off with the story of Anandibai Joshi. She is also a Bramhin who became the first Indian woman to cross the seas and travel to Philadelphia to study medicine. Her life was cut short by illness, malnutrition and lack of adequate health care. Her life ended before she could practice medicine but Anandibai still remains an inspiration.

Some of the other important women include Rukhmabai Raut. Rukhmabai is born in a Suthar (viswakarma community) caste in Bombay. She was the first to try and legally break her marriage. In her lifetime Rukhmabai smashed every rule of Hindu society. She also faced the wrath of activists like Bala Gangadhar Tilak. In spite of him being a freedom fighter he was not able to accept women’s equality.

The stories of the other women also make for a fascinating read. These are Muthulakshmi Reddy and Mary Poonen Lukose. Muthulakshmi Reddy is an important personality for many reasons. Chief most reason being that she was the first member of the women’s Indian association. Muthulakshmi was a doctor and a feminist who battled against caste-based misogyny. Her mother was a devadasi called Chandrammal. Her father was ostracized from the family for marrying a devadasi. In her childhood she developed a close bond with the maternal side of her family. That closeness made her aware about the Devadasi community and their issues.

Mary Poonen Lukose is also an important personality as she was the first surgeon general of Tranvancore. The most admirable thing about her is the fact that she wanted to make a difference to the womenfolk of her land. After finishing medical education she decided to come to Travancore rather than pursuing a career in England.

A major highlight of the book is how Kavita Rao intertwines the politics of their times along with the stories of the women. For example in the introduction of Kadambini Ganguly there is a telling sentence. “In 1891, the conservative Bangabasi paper departed from its usual subjects to call Kadambini Ganguly – a matronly lady doctor- a whore.”

Out of the six stories some are taken from the briefest material available, others are backed by personal accounts. Out of the personal accounts the most heart rendering one is that of Haimabati Sen. This can be seen in the following words. “During the day, she and her husband’s daughters would play with dolls. At night, she would make excuses to avoid her husband’s advances. Haimabati would lie on the bed, silent and stiff as a piece of wood. When she fell asleep, someone would remove her clothes; she would wake up and wrap herself in a blanket.”

Kavita Rao also does a good job in binding all these stories together. Her excellence can be seen in the way that she places them in a context. Because of this you are able to appreciate the force of their will to succeed in their goals. In spite of the different backgrounds and methods the commonality is their desire to snip the patriarchal practices.

In a nutshell ‘Lady Doctors’ gives an important message about how the future generations should remember the efforts of our predecessors.

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Unheard

Aditya KV’s “Unheard” is a series which packs in a lot. It addresses many issues like the ideological standoffs between the revolutionaries, differences centred on the rule of Nizam, varied opinions on the British rule and Indians who supported them as well as the dichotomy of individuals who are against the mighty empire. It is a lot to focus on but to the credit of the director he goes a good job of keeping you invested.

The series starts off with an idealistic young Gandhian Padma (Chandini Chowdary). She seeks help for an injured comrade played by Priyadarshi. Padma takes the help of doctor Chalapati (Bala Aditya). The night passes with Padma and Chalpati debating the benefits and banes of Nizam rule along with the price of freedom. The next episode is about a heated argument between two revolutionaries with different ideologies. Apart from Priyadarshi this episode also features Ajay who plays a blacksmith called Mallesh. Both of them want freedom for the country but the approaches are different. The rest of the episodes mostly bring back the familiar characters. Through the six episodes you have six different themes being talked about.

The biggest USP of Unheard is the way it introduces the struggle in Hyderabad on the eve of Indian independence. The director refers to many aspects of that time which aren’t really talked about. For example you have the topic of Vetti Chakiri (bonded labour), a system which exploited the poor peasant. The angst in the populace comes out perfectly in a scene when Padma questions how the killing of an Archbishop in Europe concern India.

The history of Hyderabad is something which is important at this stage. The reason being the BJP are trying to make their way in the southern state with their own lopsided version of events. Unheard makes an honest attempt at presenting different points of view: This includes the aristocracy which wants the status quo and the young rebels demanding freedom.

The makers also deserve praise in the way they present the conversations. The series is heavy on dialogues as the characters are frequently in the midst of letting out their points of view. The dialogues by Aditya KV and Anirudh are powerful. These dialogues aid the performances of the actors and also the script.

All the cast members are in good form led by Baladitya. His character is the most interesting of the lot. Technically also Unheard is a pretty solid product with particular mention to the background score. The background score lends in the right amount of emotion.

Where the show suffers somewhat is the stage like atmosphere. It takes some time to get used to this kind of presentation. Also the handling of the diverse plotlines could have been better at some places.

Unheard is a good watch particularly for those who are interested in history.

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Love Story: Naga Chaitanya Shines Bright In This Khichdi Of Highway And Sairat

Sekhar Kammula is a director who has created a niche for himself within a short span of time. Most of his movies have had a touch of feminist streak. For example in Anand, Kamalinee Mukherjee’s character Roopa is a woman with self respect, she is someone who places importance on her freedom and individuality. Roopa walks out of her marriage with a guy called Rahul when she realizes that her freedom and individuality are not being respected by him. In the film Godavari too the female character is a career oriented woman who is determined to become a successful business woman. The above mentioned films along with Fida dealt with these issues in a feel good manner and had immense repeat value. With Love story director Sekhar Kammula takes up a romantic film with serious undertones of caste and gender. While the film is a brave attempt within the format of a mainstream Telugu film but it had the potential to be better. Two things act as a huge deterrent. One is the length, at two hours and forty five minutes, the film feels too long. It could have been easily cut short by twenty to thirty minutes. Another issue is that the narration which reminds you of films like Highway and Sairat.

Sai Pallavi and Naga Chaitanya

The film begins off with the introduction of Naga Chaitanya’s Revanth, he comes from a lower caste in Armoor, Telangana. He has grown up listening to his mother about how it’s always better to be in a position where you can give financial assistance rather than having to receive it. Revanth is settled in Hyderabad, he runs a small Zumba centre. There are challenges but he is in a position where he can employ someone. Revanth has a dream of expanding the Zumba centre. Sai Pallavi’s Mounica on the other hand is a girl from an upper-caste family. Her family has acres of land but still she has to fight for her rights- financial and otherwise. Mounica finds her wings by partnering with Revanth but she is living in a constant fear, Mounica’s fear is regarding her family and what will they say if they find out about her work. She is particularly scared of her babai (uncle) played by Rajeev Kanakala. Mounica has a condition of trembling if anyone touches her. In fact her condition for joining with Revanth is that two feet distance must always be maintained. This problem has nothing to do with caste as we come to know later on.

Sekhar Kammula is most successful with how he develops the character of Revanth. It has been dealt with utmost sensitivity. Sekhar doesn’t resort to unnecessary commercial elements to prop up the character. Revanth is someone who tries to avoid conflicts as much as possible. He tries to solve problems through peace. There is only one scene towards the end where Revanth feels that enough is enough and decides to fight back. However this action scene works because of the context behind it. It is also refreshing to see Naga Chaintanya come out of his comfort zone playing a character like this. Naga Chaintanya delivers a career defining act. He gets the nuances of the role spot on starting from the accent.

The caste disparities have also been portrayed well. Although these scenes remind you of Sairat they still work. For example there is a scene where Revanth and her mother are looked down upon by the household of Mounica. Revanth is mocked by Mounica’s mother based on his attire and she doesn’t think twice before offering him second- hand shirts.

Sai Pallavi and Naga Chaitanya

Sekhar Kammula also does a good job in portraying Mounica’s psychological condition. The reason why she asks to maintain two feet distance has been well explained.

Lastly the scenes between Naga Chaitanya and Easwari Rao who plays the mother are a delight to watch. Her character is someone who is the moral centre of the film. Their relationship is one of the most satisfying aspects of the film. Eshwari Rao is very good in her role.

The biggest issue with Love Story is that Sekhar Kammula takes too much time in building up the love. There are too many Zumba dances which take half of the screen time. Too much time is also spent on the hero and hero’s introduction. As a result there are times when you feel that some scenes have been added without any purpose.

While Sai Pallavi is good in her role elements of Fida are very glaring. The Telangana accent and the dances are straight out of Fida. The crying scenes towards the end are too melodramatic and it acts as a hindrance for the audiences in completely sympathizing with the character.

Logically also there are some glaring loopholes. Uttej’s character is supposed to be an important role but he disappears when the hero needs him the most. The character of Sai Pallavi’s sister is also left midway. 

The hangover of Sairat and Highway also compound the issues. This hangover will be particularly felt for those who have seen the above mentioned ones.

Love Story isn’t a bad film but it doesn’t have the repeat value of Sekhar Kammula’s Anand, Godavari and Fida.