love story movie review telugu

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Love Story Review: Matured Narration

Movie: Love Story Rating: 3/5 Banner: Sree Venkateswara Cinemas Cast: Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, Easwari Rao, Devyani, Rajeev Kanakala, Uttej, and others Cinematography: Vijay C Kumar Music: Pawan CH Producers: Narayan Das K Narang Puskar Ram Mohan Rao Written and directed by: Sekhar Kammula  Release Date: Sep 24, 2021

One film that has occupied media space for a long time is Sekhar Kammula’s “Love Story”, one of the most-anticipated Telugu films. He teams up with Naga Chaitanya for the first. It also marks his second combination with Sai Pallavi after Fidaa (2017).

Amidst the hype, the film hit theaters today. Let’s analyze.

Story: Revanth (Naga Chaitanya), a youngster with ambitions to achieve something in life, runs a Zumba center in Hyderabad. He hails from Armoor in Telangana and is a Christian.

Mounika (Sai Pallavi), an engineering graduate, comes from the same village to Hyderabad to find a job. Her room is adjacent to Revanth’s Zumba center.

She is also from Armoor but they have not met before as she is from a higher community and rich. Her uncle Narasimham (Rajeev Kanakala) holds a tight grip on their family and financial matters. 

Seeking freedom from the clutches of her uncle, she decides to stay in Hyderabad and joins as a partner in Revanth’s Zumba center. They begin to fall in love with each other.

What will happen if her uncle gets to know her love story?

Artistes’ Performances: For the first time in his career, Naga Chaitanya has portrayed a role with so much conviction. As a lower-caste Telangana youngster, he has done a remarkable job. His sincere efforts in getting the dialect can be noticed. This is his career-best performance.

Sai Pallavi once again excels in the role of Mounika. With her impeccable dance skills and nuanced performance, she steals the hearts. Sai Pallavi gets a complex and emotionally charged character and she doesn’t falter a moment. She holds the scenes. 

Senior actress Eeswari Rao as Chaitanya’s mother is excellent. Devyani, Rajeev Kanakala, and Uttej also leave a strong mark.

Technical Excellence: There is no need to mention that the songs have already chartbusters. Newcomer Pawan’s music is the main pillar of this film. The background score is also terrific.

Cinematographer Vijay C Kumar captures the moments neatly. The production design is apt.  

Highlights: Naga Chaitanya’s performance Sai Pallavi’s magic Emotional moments Music

Drawback: Hurried climax Slow-pace

Analysis Addressing caste discrimination has become a regular feature in Tollywood lately. Not completely moving away from his style of presenting sensible love stories, director Sekhar Kammula touches upon two important issues – caste discrimination and sexual abuse.

“Love Story”, starring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi, as the title says, is a love story but is not a chirpy drama as Kammula’s previous film “Fidaa” was. It is more of a serious film, with a realistic approach. 

“Love Story” begins on a somber note. It takes a while to get into the groove. The film picks up when Sai Pallavi grooves to the song “Evo Evo Kalale..Tara Ram Pam” in a gay abandon. Sai Pallavi mesmerizes with her dance steps in this song. Even from the narrative point, it sets the tone for the rest of the romance.

Their romantic thread cutting from Hyderabad to Armoor engages us. There are simple, yet beautiful moments here. 

After engaging in romantic drama in the first, the film comes to the core point of the issue. The class differences come to the fore, and the movie turns into a serious drama. However, in a sudden jolt, the penultimate portion deals with another issue (sexual abuse).

While the climax makes our hearts heavy, it also gives the feeling that the director has suddenly changed the tone. The climax portion makes different from the other regular movies that have dealt with caste issues like ‘Uppena’, ‘Sridevi Soda Center, etc. But care should have been taken for better results. There is a hurried feeling.

The second issue that is dealt with in the film may not be palatable to a section of the audience. However, Kammula took a risk. 

Sekhar Kammula’s films always suffer from bloating. Sharp editing has never been his strength. “Love Story” also does have this drawback. This is the reason why the film loses grip in the middle portion.

But Sekhar leaves his mark with some terrific scenes – like Sai Pallavi slipping her tongue about Chaitanya’s caste and her love proposal, sanitary pad episode, sequences with Easwari and Naga Chaitanya stand out.

All in all, despite slow narration, “Love Story” scores high on excellent performances from the lead pair, music, and some emotional sequences. But if you are looking for a cheerful romantic comedy, you might be disappointed. It is a sensible romantic drama with two important issues. Watch it for music, and the lead pair. 

Bottom line: Captivating music and Sai Pallavi's magic

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Love Story review: Naga Chaitanya captivates in Sekhar Kammula’s best film yet

Love story movie review: sekhar kammula delivers an entertainer with naga chaitanya and sai pallavi that also touches your heart..

If director Sekhar Kammula’s Love Story was meant to revive the faith of Telugu filmmakers in theatrical releases, the film has more than done its job. An industry that was reeling under the pandemic-induced losses needed a film that reinvigorates the box office business by offering entertainment to the people. Love Story with Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in the lead does that, and more. With its foot-tapping music, captivating dance moves and engaging script, it gives you bang for your buck and then delivers a social commentary that you take home with you.

Chaitanya and Sai dance their heart out but Love Story really catches you in its silent moments. The film has a sense of urgency and relevance as Sekhar examines the issues of caste and sexual violence in our society. Love Story is easily Sekhar’s most powerful and intense film yet.

Revanth (Naga Chaitanya) and Mouni (Sai Pallavi) hail from the same village but they are separated by their caste identities. Their ambition to escape from the shackles of society brings them to Hyderabad . While Revanth wants to make it big as a Zumba dance instructor, Mouni wants to secure a well-paying corporate job, which would allow her to get away from her abusive uncle. Revanth and Mouni, who are neighbours in Hyderabad, gradually fall in love with each other over their shared passion for dance. The all-pervasive caste distinctions, however, eventually catch up with them, shattering their dreams.

Sekhar takes a familiar premise and effectively weaves together a memorable narrative, exploring the far-reaching effects of caste discrimination, gender bias, and sexual violence. The movie also calls out the hesitancy of the public in questioning society’s regressive thinking.

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Naga Chaitanya delivers his career-best performance in this film. Sai Pallavi’s performance and composer Pawan Ch’s score add value to the film.

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Love Story movie review: Naga Chaitanya’s film on forbidden romance is moving

Love story movie review: it dances around important ideas and lacks an impactful climax, but naga chaitanya and sai pallavi's performances elevate the film. .

Love Story Director - Sekhar Kammula Cast - Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, Rajeev Kanakala and Devyani

Sekhar Kammula is one of the most sensible mainstream filmmakers you can find in Telugu cinema today. With Love Story, his latest outing, he touches on themes like caste, class divide, middle class problems and sexual harassment in the most hard-hitting and moving fashion. In spite of the hurried climax and the predictable ending, the film works to a large extent because of its sensible treatment and earnest performances of Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi, who complement each other so well.

Naga Chaitanya plays Revanth, who is a Christian from a lower caste. All through his life, he has been looked down upon. But his strong-willed mother raises him to be independent, and he grows up to become a Zumba instructor. Life isn’t a cakewalk for Revanth, who struggles hard to even pay rent. Sai Pallavi plays Mounica (a Hindu from an upper caste), who moves to the city to prove herself to her family. Both Revanth and Mounica bond over dance and decide to set up a Zumba studio. In the process, they fall in love.

Watch the Love Story trailer here:

Love Story is breezy and it treads a very familiar path. But there’s a very disturbing sub-plot about sexual harassment within a family. Sekhar Kammula examines the definition of honour in such situations. The rushed climax is a bit of a letdown but despite that, Love Story is Sekhar Kammula’s most complete film yet.

Sai Pallavi is unbelievably effortless when she’s dancing like nothing else matters. She’s a treat to watch and this is one of her best performances in recent years. It’s no surprise that she’s good at dancing but she stuns you with her expressions, especially when she’s struggling to reveal a secret she’s been holding onto for years. Naga Chaitanya, on other hand, is equally good and is very earnest on screen. As a pair, they shine. Even in the dance scenes, it is refreshing to see Chaitanya match steps with Sai Pallavi and not the other way around. Rajeev Kanakala, who is usually sidelined in supporting roles, gets a very meaty part and he nails the character and his Telangana accent.

Also read: Sunny movie review: Jayasurya shines in one-man show about mental health

The ending of Love Story needed more heft. Also, for a film that talks about issues associated with caste-based discrimination, it’s a little disappointing that it rarely mentions the word caste and instead prefers using ‘us’ and ‘them’.

• Akkineni Naga Chaitanya
• Naga Chaitanya Akkineni
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Love Story Telugu movie review

Much to love about this story

Film: Love Story Cast : Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, Rajeev Kanakala, Eeswari and others Director : Sekhar Kammula Rating : 3

Plot: What happens when two youngsters with big dreams relocate to the city? Can they take on the prevailing social system? Would they defy the odds?

Love Story movie review: Audiences who’ve watched director Sekhar Kammula’s earlier films, with their rustic settings and campus love stories, would find Love Story a surprise. More so because the romantic drama touches upon two prevailing social issues.

Love Story is not a formulaic story neither is it preachy about caste discrimination in our society. But Sekhar manages to strike a fine balance between his thoughts on the issue while chronicling an emotional love story.

Both Revanth (Naga Chaitanya), who runs a Zumba training centre in the city, and Mouni (Sai Pallavi), who moves to the city seeking a job, hail from Armoor in Nizamabad.

While Revanth has grown up facing class disparities in his village, Mouni who hails from the upper caste in the same village, escapes to the city for good after her BTech. In the city, Revanth, who happens to be her neighbour, offers Mouni to join his centre to train his students until she finds a job. Soon, love blossoms!

The plot unravels nicely as Revanth and Mouni fall in love. Sekhar’s writing once again holds the key to the film. Time and again, the ‘caste system’ mentions resonate through the film, even in the protagonists’ romantic track. Perhaps that’s Sekhar’s way of narrating a love story without deviating from the core conflict point — the caste system — something he establishes right at the start of the film.

Another of Sekhar’s strengths lies in capturing little moments of life. In Love Story , he’s designed the characters of two aspiring teens grippingly, with care to how they react in various moments etc. The entire romantic track between Revanth and Mouni is also engagingly written. The duo has their share of laughter and dull moments, like every young couple do — helping and fighting each other.

The film is narrated realistically and dealt with great care. While it starts off on a light note, it gets progressively serious. Through the film, Sekhar also addresses another burning problem many girls silently suffer — it’s the biggest reveal in the film, comes around the film’s pre-climax.

And yet, Love Story is a familiar tale, the pace of the film, slow — even testing your patience at times — with a climax that looks a little hurried!

Performance-wise, however, Naga Chaitanya delivers his career’s best; he’s brilliant as a guy constantly facing caste discrimination yet moving on. Kudos to him for taking up this role; many star kids may not have accepted it. Indeed, he had to unlearn much for the role, which is evident in his performance.

Sai Pallavi, with her uncanny knack of impressing the audience in any role she takes on, is outstanding and natural in Love Story too. Her dance moves especially are gracious and stunning all at once.

Love Story movie illustrates the prevalent caste discrimination amid a love story, and director Sekhar Kammula gets it right for most part, balancing the two aspects of the film.

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A love story of a boy and girl who move to the city from their village to pursue their dreams. A love story of a boy and girl who move to the city from their village to pursue their dreams. A love story of a boy and girl who move to the city from their village to pursue their dreams.

• Sekhar Kammula
• Naga Chaitanya Akkineni
• Sai Pallavi
• Rajeev Kanakala
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• 2 wins & 12 nominations

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Release Date : September 24,2021

123telugu.com Rating : 3.25/5

Starring: Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, Easwari Rao, Rajiv Kanakala, Uttej, Devayani Director: Sekhar Kammula Producer: Narayan Das K. Narang , Puskur Ram Mohan Rao Music Director: Pawan Ch Cinematography : Vijay C. Kumar Editor: Marthand K. Venkatesh

Love Story is a film that was delayed for over a year and a half. After a long wait, this much-hyped romantic drama is finally out on the big screens, and let’s see how it is.

Revanth(Chay Akkineni) is from a lower caste whose only aim is to set up a Zumba academy in Hyderabad. On the other hand, Mounika (Sai Pallavi) is from an upper caste and is trying hard to get a job in Hyderabad. Left with no choice, she joins Revanth’s dance class as a teacher. Sparks fly and the couple falls in love. The rest of the story is as to how the couple faces many issues in their relationship and comes out successfully.

Plus Points:

One of the biggest assets of the film is the maturity in the love story. This film is not a regular boy meets girl romance and touches upon some of the darkest issues like caste, gender inequality, and rape.

Sai Pallavi gets a new dimension in her role and is superb as Mounika. The manner in which she goes through turmoil and how it affects the love story is showcased so well by the noted actress. Eshwari Rao is also amazing as Chay’s mother and elevates the proceedings.

Rajeev Kanakala gets a solid negative role and proves his talent big time. Though he does not have many dialogues, he emotes so well with his expressions. Ananda Chakrapani is neat in his brief role. Uttej gets a key character and does well.

Last but not the least, Chay Akkineni is the biggest highlight of the film. He as Revanth gives an award-winning performance and wins your heart with his role. Chay’s transformation as a hard-working youth guy is just terrific and the way he showcases the subtle emotions is amazing. Watch out for Chay’s outburst in the climax.

Minus Points:

The entire first half is used to establish the characters and this takes a lot of time. Though the proceedings are breezy, nothing much happens in the love story.

There is a child rape angle in the film and it is addressed only in the last half an hour. If things would have been told from at least the middle of the second half, the drama would have been even better.

The pre-climax is intense but the climax is wrapped up abruptly which gives a mixed feeling. The so-called romantic moments one expects from Shekhar Kammula’s films are slightly missing here.

Technical Aspects:

The music by Pawan CH is amazing and his BGM was even more haunting. The songs drive the narrative and are placed perfectly in the second half. Choreography for Saranga Dariya is just amazing. The production values of the film are very good and the camera work showcases the simple setup in a very good way. Dialogues are amazing and a special mention for the amazing production design.

Coming to the director Sekhar Kammula, he has done a very good job with his romantic drama. His films are light on drama but here, he gives more preference to it and elevates proceedings from the beginning itself. The maturity he showcases in the romance is also quite endearing. Sekhar extracts solid performance from Chay and also addresses key issues of society in a perfect manner, though the climax was rushed.

On the whole, Love Story is a mature romantic drama that addresses key issues like the caste system and gender inequality. Chay Akkineni is the biggest highlight of this film and the dramatic narration makes things interesting. Barring the slow pace, this film has all the trappings to work at the box office and is a sensible film to watch out for.

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Version

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What’s it about?

Revanth (Naga Chaitanya) belongs to a lower caste in Armoor in Telangana. He has the ambition of starting a business of his own, but he lacks financial resources due to his humble background. With the help of his mother (Easwari Rao), he starts a Zumba center in Hyderabad.

Mounika (Sai Pallavi), a higher caste girl from the same village, completes Engineering studies. 

Suffocated by her uncle Narasimham’s (Rajeev Kanakala) attitude at their home, she comes to Hyderabad in search of a job. Mounika and Revanth meet, and they slowly begin to like each other. Revanth hesitates of proposing to her after learning that she is the daughter of his village’s Patel. But it is Mounika who takes the charge, and their journey begins. 

As in his every love story, they have to face obstacles. What are the issues Revanth and Mounika will have to battle with?

By now, we have all well-versed with the style and treatment of Sekhar Kammula’s love dramas (from ‘Anand’ to ‘Fidaa’). Three years after the sensational blockbuster ‘Fidaa’, he returns to his favorite genre with ‘Love Story’ starring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi as young lovers. But he goes beyond his regular style. 

Like in ‘Fidaa’, a part of the story is set in the Nizamabad region (Armoor) in Telangana. Unlike ‘Fidaa’, this is not a straight forward upbeat romantic drama. The conflict in the story is not ‘ego’ or misunderstanding, it deals with two issues that many turn a blind eye to them. 

Director Sekhar Kammula establishes the main points in the very early stage – that he is from a lower community and she is from the upper class. She loathes her uncle and gets fainted frequently. We get to know the real reason for this later. 

While the film talks about class differences, caste discrimination right from the beginning, ‘Love Story is not about the formulaic caste issue. It also addresses an issue that many women silently suffer. Not many films have touched upon the subject of sexual abuse. Many feel uncomfortable even talking about it. Kammula dares to bring the issue into mainstream cinema. 

Presenting as a story of two diverse people attracting each other, Sekhar Kammula gives some enjoyable moments in the first act. The initial romantic portion shot on Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi is fun. The songs are magical. I loved and enjoyed the picturization of “Evo Evo Kalalu”. The dance performance of Sai Pallavi in this song is a revelation. The chemistry between them is scorching. 

There are also some tender moments and heart-touching sequences. Sekhar Kammula’s strength lies in capturing little moments of joy. The character of Mounika (played by Sai Pallavi) faces constant internal battle due to abuse in her childhood. Her characterization is designed with so much maturity. The character arc of her role is perfect. 

The scene of Naga Chaitanya breaking down when Sai Pallavi also brings up his caste is another example of fine writing. The hero faces discrimination from childhood, but when she also mentions it in a fit of anger, he feels it was the ultimate humiliation he faced. 

Kammula’s deft handling and his touch are visible in such scenes.

He also plants ‘clues’ very early about the climax. He prepares us to face that heavy twist in the end. But still, the final scenes leave us not fully satisfied. As much as the twist makes our hearts heavy, it also gives a rushed feeling. 

‘Love Story is not a regular love story, though much of it treads on a familiar path. It is high on emotions. It tackles serious issues. Lengthy runtime and uneven narrative work against it.

Despite these problems, Sekhar Kammula holds our interest. Plus, the strong performances and music outweigh all other issues.

Naga Chaitanya is excellent. Surrendering to director Kammula’s style, he has played the role of a small-town boy convincingly. His act gives depth and feeling to the character. Sai Pallavi steals the show again. She is the pivot around the story runs. Sai Pallavi mesmerizes in many sequences. The chemistry between Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi has made a lot of difference as well. 

Another highlight of the film is commendable performances from the ensemble cast – Easwari Rao as Naga Chaitanya’s mother is terrific. Devyaani leaves her mark in the climax sequence. Rajeev Kanakala in the role of a pervert gives better performance. Uttej is appreciable.

Of the technicians, newcomer Pawan scores top marks. His musical score is among the best works we have seen in recent times. The music has enhanced the impact of the film. ‘Saranga Dariya’ is already a rage that has garnered millions of views, and it is equally effective on the screens. But it is ‘Evo Evo Kalale’ stands out on the screen.

Cameraman Vijay C Kumar has also given the best output on this film. The production design is appealing. The film, however, needs sharp editing.

Director Sekhar Kammula strikes the right balance between a love story and social issue, but along the way, he also loses grip on the narrative.

Bottom line:  ‘Love Story’ is a sensible drama that talks about important issues. Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi’s performances, terrific music, and emotional scenes outweigh the bloated narrative. Do not look for ‘peppy’ romance, it is an emotional love story told realistically.

Rating: 3/5

By: Jalapathy Gudelli

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Love Story Review

What's Behind

When Naga Chaitanya and Sekhar Kammula teamed for the first time and Sai Pallavi entered the scene, everyone expected magic. Riding high on Fidaa's success, Sekhar Kammula named the film Love Story. Its progress has been followed closely by movie lovers and the promotions generated immense interest. The song Saranga Dariya rose the expectations to another level. With the likes of Chiranjeevi, Aamir Khan, Mahesh Babu, and Prabhas promoting the film, movie lovers thronged theatres on the day of Love Story release today. Let us see whether Love Story lived up to the expectations and what magic it created.

Story Review

Revanth (Naga Chaitanya) who is raised by his mother (Easwaru Rao) to attain success so that they won't be discriminated against due to their sect and caste, runs a Zumba Centre in Hyderabad. He has big plans to develop the center and applies for a loan. At the same time, Monica (Sai Pallavi), hailing from a rich and affluent family in Armur, comes to Hyderabad to search for a software job. Monica however couldn't get a job due to her anxiety problems. Revanth and Monica have the common talent to turn Zumba center into a successful one. To find out whether they join hands, where their journey leads to, what obstacles they face, and how police officer (Uttej), Monica's uncle ( Rajeev Kanakala), her mother (Devayani) are connected, enjoy Love Story in the theatres.

Artists, Technicians Review

Sekhar Kammula is known for his youthful, Genex, feel-good, sensitive, and though proving entertainers. He tried to touch all of them in his Love Story showcasing Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi and the entire cast in completely different roles. He starts the narration in a smooth manner showing the childhood of Naga Chaitanya and how his mother raised him establishing his character strongly. Right after that he established the character of Monica as a girl who wishes to achieve something in life (become a software engineer) but suffers from anxiety issues. He connected the dots very well and left no loose ends.

The first half has all the youthful elements and sails off smoothly. At the same time, Sekhar kammula subtly prepared the viewers what he wanted to discuss as the main theme. The first half ends on an entertaining note with songs, dances, youthful elements, and the beautiful chemistry between Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, and the family sentiments of Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi. The Interval twist is ok. The second half turns a bit serious with more focus on Rajeev Kanakala and the caste and religion elements coming to the forefront. The entertainment element is reduced but pre-climax generates interest. The climax ends in a powerful manner.

Sekhar Kammula has taken his own sweet time to narrate the entire Love Story. The pace of the film is the same throughout but with entertainment taking the forefront in the first half, viewers do not feel the drag but with seriousness creeping in in the second half, they feel restless in the second half. Sekhar Kammula deftly touched upon the caste differences, low and high class, and also brought in the religious angle. Apart from that the highlighted child molestation and rape case. Though he touched upon so many aspects, nowhere did he turn preachy. He highlighted all of them in a powerful manner. However with him highlighting them only at the pre-climax of the film, one may feel they are forced upon. Had he touched upon them subtly here and there from the start, it would have been even more interesting. Sekhar Kammula's story is ok and the screenplay and direction are good.

Naga Chaitanya took his acting to another level. Be it the Telangana accent or the body language as a struggling youngster from the low case, he showcased his feelings in an impactful manner. He made his presence felt on the screen with his impressive expressions and emotions and mostly carried the film on his shoulders. Sai Pallavi performed the role of a bubbly girl who silently suffers from mental trauma after she was forced upon in her childhood. She showed good expressions and emotions and her dances are dazzling. She danced like a dream and her chemistry with Naga Chaitanya is beautiful. The choreographer should be complimented for elevating her dances to another level. Rajeev Kanakala surprises with his power-packed performance. He showed different expressions and the surprise angle shocks all. Devayani as Sai Pallavi's mother is good. Easwari Rao as Naga Chaitanya's mother made her presence felt with her body language and dialogue delivery. Others performed according to their roles.

Pawan CH's music is beautiful, youthful, and foot-tapping. All the songs are beautifully filmed. Saranga Dariya song had a lot of expectations and one felt it could have been shot even better. The cinematography of Vijay J Kumar is beautiful. He used the camera angles to turn the film into a colorful one. He captured the scenic locations in a realistic and natural manner. Editing of Marthand K Venkatesh is good. He maintained the same tempo throughout the film. However had he trimmed it, it would have made a better impact. Production values are top class.

Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi's performance

Cinematography

Disadvantages

Rating Analysis

Sekhar Kammula's Love Story featuring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi released amidst huge expectations. Sekhar Kammula touched upon various issues like caste, religion, child rape, etc without crossing the thin redline but embedding them perfectly in a youthful love story. Except for the pace of the narration, Sekhar Kammula emerged successful in creating a magic attracting movie lovers with Love Story. Considering all these elements, CJ goes with a 3.0 rating for Love Story .

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‘ Love Story ‘ Review – A Sensible One !

Love Story Movie Review

Akkineni  Naga Chaitanya is all set to test his luck with ‘Love Story’, a romantic entertainer that is directed by Sekhar Kammula. Sai Pallavi is the leading lady and the film is said to have been inspired by a real-life incident that left the Telugu states in shock. The music album is on the top of the music charts and Pawan composed the music, background score. The single ‘Saarangadariya’ is a chartbuster all over. ‘Love Story is produced by Sree Venkateswara Cinemas LLP and it is having a record release all over. Here is  Review :

Telugu360 Rating 3/5:

Revanth and Mounika, from the village of Armoor (Nizamabad), live in Hyderabad chasing big dreams. Unable to find herself a break in the software industry, Mounika settles for a dance trainer job in Revanth’s Zumba dance academy. Predictably, they fall in love. Revanth, a Dalit Christian, and Mounika, a Patel, now face the age-old hurdles of being from different castes, shattering their dreams of getting married. More problems arise as dark events from the past are revealed. The movie takes us through this journey of star-crossed lovers as they try to eventually achieve their dreams.

Analysis: Sensible Director Sekhar Kammula picked a complex story this time, staying away from his usual appetites. The way he established the caste-based status differences in rural Telangana society is smart. He made some bold moves in this movie with the sensitive subjects while taking utmost care to not cross the lines of decency. Most Telugu movies stereotype certain castes with unpolished looks. None of that with Sekhar Kammula at the helm. The role of the self-confident, charming Revanth is played by Naga Chaitanya with ease. Sekhar’s critics who call out his favoring the female lead characterizations would be happy with Mounika – a well-balanced young woman who knows her mind and her vulnerabilities. Sai Pallavi is very bubbly and is the perfect fit for Mounika. Hero’s mother character played by Easwari Rao is another author-backed role in this film.

Love Story is not your regular run off the mill youthful, cheerful love story. Shades of darkness are introduced by halftime and turns darker as the movie progresses to pre-climax. The first half entertains adequately, some feel-good moments in the second half. The locations are authentic, production values are adequate. Monuika’s back-story is hard-hitting, can be heavy and uncomfortable to some audiences. No matter, it is one of society’s darker issues, the Love Story team deserves appreciation for having the guts to bring this up and weave it into the movie.

On the flip side, a few points seem redundant, and the film  loses momentum in a few places. Love Story scores low from the youth audience’s point of view. If not for Kammula’s presentation skills, this is could have dropped into the overly saturated caste vs love movie.

Performances: Chay did great as Revanth, carries the film on his shoulders. Sai Pallavi excelled as Mounika, a bubbly girl, a dreamer with trauma. She is a great asset to the film. Eeswari Rao, Devayani played mother characters and they did well. Rajiv Kanakala is just okay, Uttej played a crucial small role.

Songs: The already blockbuster audio songs are good on screen as well. Music Director Pawan has done a fabulous job. ‘Evo Evo Kalale’ stands out, ‘Winner Winner Bro’ is nice, ‘Nee Chitram Choosi ’ ‘Saaranga Dariya’ song-dance sequence could have been better. With the trailer such a hit, one would expect more in the full song, no luck there.

• Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi solid performances • Blockbuster songs, good picturization • Sekhar Kammula’s trademark sensible dialogues • Some entertaining moments • Clean film

Negatives: • Slow paced at times • Serious theme is difficult for the commercial audience

‘Love Story’ is entertaining in its first half, has few pleasant moments in the second half. The last 30 minutes get into a dark theme and are heavy on emotions. Youth viewers might find it a bit difficult because of the slow pace, but the good songs go a long way to compensate for this section of the audience. Overall, a good watch for a family audience and for Sekhar Kammula, Chay, and Sai Pallavi fans.

Telugu360 Rating 3/5

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Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, and Sekhar Kammula’s ‘Love Story’ has hit the silver screens today. The film registered excellent advance bookings in the domestic and the overseas market alike. Let us see what the film has in store for us.

Revanth (Naga Chaitanya) runs a Zumba training centre and one fine day, he meets Mounika (Sai Pallavi). The duo eventually develops feelings for each other. But just as they are about to take their relationship to the next level, the caste oppression angle sets in. How does the caste-centric mindset of others affect the ‘love story’ of the lead pair?

What about on-screen performances?

Naga Chaitanya delivers his career-best performance in a seemingly complex role. He has improved a lot as an actor. He has put in extra efforts for the film as he plays a Zumba trainer and he has fine-tuned his dancing skills noticeably. Talented actress Sai Pallavi is at her usual best. She portrays a village belle who comes to Hyderabad in pursuit of her dreams. Eswari as Naga Chaitanya’s mother delivers a fine performance as well. The film is powered by excellent performances from the lead cast.

What about off-screen talents?

Sekhar Kammula is a master when it comes to handling sensible and light-hearted love stories. This time around he infuses social topics like gender inequality and caste discrimination into the core plotline. However, the narration is a bit too slow for the first two hours or so. And in the final 45 minutes, where the social awareness track sets in, things are rushed. The social awareness subplot plays an important role in the narrative but it is not presented well. Rajeev Kanakala is seen as a pedophile and this track forms the crux towards the end.

The film banks on a successful audio album. Debutante Pawan CH comes up with a winning album. All the songs are situational. His background score is good. The cinematography is adequate. Editing should have been better as there are not many compelling scenes in the opening half and the run-time is unnecessarily elongated.

Plus Points:

• Lead pair performance
• Couple of good songs
• Highlighting Social issues
• Entertainment at times

Minus Points:

• Slow narration for first 2 hrs
• Rushed and heavy climax

Verdict: Love Story is a love drama that touches a couple of social awareness topics, with the caste oppression angle being the more prevalent one. However, neither the love track nor the social awareness subplot is fully effective. The chemistry between the lead pair which is usually a mainstay in Sekhar Kammula’s films isn’t strong enough in Love Story. On the flip side, the lead pair deliver excellent performances and there are a few entertaining set of sequences here and there. Sekhar Kammula rolls out a partly gripping love drama.

Telugubulletin.com Rating: 2.75/5

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Jeevi rating: 3/5 Punchline : Emotional and Gutsy Love Story Genre: Romance Type: Straight Banner : Sree Venkateswara Cinemas & Amigos Creations Runtime: 158 minutes Release date : 23 September, 2021 Theatre watched: Screen 4, Prasads multiplex, Hyderabad Cast : Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, Rajeev Kanakala, Eeswari Rao, Uttej, Gangavva etc Music: Pawan Ch Cinematography: Vijay C kumar Editing: Marthand K Venkatesh Production design : Bhaskar Katakamsetty Co-writer: Pingali Chaitanya Story - dialogues - screenplay - Direction: Sekhar Kammula Producers: Narayan Das K Narang & Puskar Ram Mohan Rao

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Love Story Review – Socially Relevant

OUR RATING 2.5/5

CENSOR 2h 37m, ‘U/A’ Certified.

How do Revanth and Mounika meet each other? How did they fall in love? The conflict they face and the resolution forms the basic plot of the Love Story.

Performances Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi are the main leads in the movie. The entire film runs on their shoulders. Among the two, though, it is Naga Chaitanya who leads the way. It does not mean Sai Pallavi is less, but we have seen her do a similar bubbly and chirpy role with undercurrent emotions previously. When it comes to Naga Chaitanya, Love story is a total revelation.

Naga Chaitanya plays a lower class guy, a far cry from his rich kid parts. It is a grounded and well-rounded part. The Telangana accent (a lighter vein one) adds to the newness. On the other hand, Sai Pallavi is her usual self, exuding confidence and showing top-notch emotions. In short, Naga Chaitanya is the fresh package of Love Story and ends up delivering his best.

In a way, Love Story is similar to Life Is Beautiful. Both were follow-ups to his career-best blockbusters movies, Fidaa and Happy Days, respectively. Not only that, there is undercurrent elements of the class divide in them, as well. Sekhar Kammula has only grown bolder and clearer since then, and it reflects in Love Story.

But, first things firsts, Love Story, as the title suggest, begins as a love story. The fun and chemistry are placed in the first half of the movie. It is mixed with Zumba classes and the romantic tensions between the lead pair.

While the idea is correct, Sekhar Kammula fails to get the chemistry right in Love Story. There are occasional glimpses of the ‘vintage’ directorial touch, but that happens too little and too far away. A lot is happening; so much is packed within the first half itself. It makes it looks exhaustive and bloated. The much-expected magic never occurs.

Still, the first half gives a passable feeling due to its lighter tone. The second half takes a complete u-turn to a serious mode. It is okay if one wishes to tackle the subject seriously. Many successful films did the same and came out on top. But, Sekhar Kammula fails to give a fresh take on the serious issue he chooses to address. It is another matter that the ‘subject’ itself is hardly anything new.

The lack of freshness and the entirely serious tone with weak writing makes the second half tiring. The compelling drama is missing. What Love Story needed was more scenes like the one in the burial ground towards the end. The lack of such fresh perspective and presentation on a done to death subject is where Love Story fumbles.

Consider this, such is the serious tone that when the film’s most famous song ‘Saranga Dariya’ comes on screen, it feels misplaced from another movie. The fact that it doesn’t even feel like relief should tell the extent to which things have gone north.

However, all things said and done, the theme it tackles is serious whether it’s new or not. That it is highlighted in a big star-studded affair deserves applause.

Finally, after all the melodrama and emotional upheaval, the film ends abruptly and on a predictable note. It feels as if the director himself has had enough and wants to get done with the proceedings.

Overall, Love Story is a well-intentioned movie with good casting. The screenplay, and writing, however, makes the narrative dry and dull. We end up with a passable watch, and that too is mainly for the talent involved on and off the screen.

Easwari Rao is reliable as ever and serves the purpose of playing the mother of the hero. Rajeev Kanakala is a surprise package playing a character that one would hate. Uttej is always a welcome presence on screen, and that too when he gets something significant to do. Sai Chand shines in the brief moments he gets to enact. And last but not least, Devayani gets her time towards the end. The rest of the cast has very little to do and don’t particularly impress.

Drawbacks? Screenplay Routine Content Missing Electrifying Chemistry Parts Of Second Half

Did I Enjoy It? Yes, In Parts

Will You Recommend It? Yes, But With Huge Reservations

Love Story Movie Review by Siddartha Toleti

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• Love story movie Review: Check out what Twitterati has to say about Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi's movie!

Love story movie Review: Check out what Twitterati has to say about Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi's movie!

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Linda Holmes

It is a happy coincidence that our "What makes a good sex scene?" episode came out in the same week as Challengers, a film about a romance triangle in the tennis world starring Josh O'Connor, Zendaya and (not pictured) Mike Faist. Niko Tavernise/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures hide caption

It is a happy coincidence that our "What makes a good sex scene?" episode came out in the same week as Challengers, a film about a romance triangle in the tennis world starring Josh O'Connor, Zendaya and (not pictured) Mike Faist.

What makes a good sex scene? It can be easier spot bad sex, but Aisha Harris, Christina Tucker, Ronald Young, Jr. and I tried to focus on the good this week on Pop Culture Happy Hour. You can listen to our full conversation here. (We didn't originally plan for this episode to run the same week as our episode about Challengers , which is out in theaters now, but it's a happy coincidence, since that film has gotten a lot of attention — probably too much, relative to its other merits — for the sex scenes involving its three leads. It's really very good .)

Movie Reviews

Watch a tense romantic triangle play out on the tennis court in 'challengers'.

It's often very obvious when a sex scene is bad, just like when a sex scene in a book is bad. It can get so uncomfortable to watch that you have to leave the room (and not in a way that feels true to the story). One of my personal tells for a bad sex scene is when all I can think about is how hard the actors are trying to persuade me that the characters are having a good time. For example, there has been much good discussion in recent years about Showgirls being a more interesting and competent project than it originally got credit for, but in that one pool scene (if you know it, you know it), all I can see is the effort.

Lauren Bacall And The 'Sex? What Sex?' Kind Of Movie Sex

It's not always as clear which scenes are good . That's partly because they serve so many different functions, all of which look different, and all of which can be effective. Furthermore, you don't want to confuse whether a sex scene is used well in a film with whether it's hot to you personally, despite the fact that there is overlap between those considerations.

In the 'Last Dance,' Magic Mike leaves his thong-and-dance routine behind

Here's what I mean: When Aisha talks about the sequence near the beginning of Magic Mike's Last Dance , it's not irrelevant that the scene is, to her (and to me), hot. But it also makes sense in the context of the film and the franchise, partly because of the way it sets up the power dynamic between Mike (Channing Tatum) and Max (Salma Hayek Pinault). Mike is older now, he knows more, and the way he approaches a lap dance is actually different than in earlier movies.

And not all good sex scenes are hot in the same ways. The one I mentioned in the episode, from the romantic drama Love & Basketball , is sexy, yes. But it's also a scene between young adults (the talented basketball players Monica and Quincy, played by Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps), and as such, it incorporates a tentativeness that's not present in Magic Mike's Last Dance , to say the least. As Ronald pointed out during our discussion, that sex scene is quite different from one that takes place later in Monica and Quincy's relationship, when they're older and know each other better. That certainly feels true to real life, but it's not always reflected in Hollywood films, where I would tentatively estimate that 90% of on-screen sex is more idealized and thus less intimate than real-life sex, in part because it isn't allowed to change over the course of a relationship.

Movie Interviews

'like it or not, we live in oppenheimer's world,' says director christopher nolan.

Even further from the hotness of the lap dance scene is Ronald's pick: the imagination of Kitty Oppenheimer (Emily Blunt) running wild in Oppenheimer. While her husband (Cillian Murphy) is being interrogated, she pictures him having sex with his mistress, Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh). It goes by quickly enough that it might seem like a Christopher Nolan flourish for flourish's sake, but it serves the purpose of letting you feel her pain over her husband's affair. Her relationship with Robert doesn't look especially romantic in the film, let alone sexually charged; she finds herself consumed by the idea that he was having hot sex with this other woman, and she locks eyes with her vision of a naked Tatlock and finds herself tormented. It's not really the intent of the scene to titillate the audience, just to give specificity to the shape of Kitty's preoccupation with the affair.

What makes a good sex scene?

Christina raised another really important point, which is that sex scenes also collide with viewers at very specific moments. Her example from Bound , and the scenes between Violet (Jennifer Tilly) and Corky (Gina Gershon), touches on (among other things) her own history. It's an underappreciated aspect of the sex-in-movies discourse: representation matters in these scenes as much as anywhere else. I always wish I saw more sex scenes in movies that featured a broader variety of body types; it's still really rare to see ones that feature anybody who is even average sized. This is one of the reasons I'm curious about the upcoming season of Bridgerton , which places its focus on the gorgeous and curvaceous Penelope (Nicola Coughlan).

Looking for 'nomance': Study finds teens want less sex in their TV and movies

Good sex scenes are like any other kind of good filmmaking, honestly: it comes down to execution with purpose and care, done relative to whatever the function of the scene might be.

Whether that's spiciness or conflict or relationship growth or (as in the case of Bound ) setting up a steamy neo-noir story that wouldn't be the same if it weren't hot as heck, form follows function, ideally.

This piece also appeared in NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter so you don't miss the next one, plus get weekly recommendations about what's making us happy.

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Home » Reviews » Telugu Movie Reviews

Razakar: The Silent Genocide Of Hyderabad Movie Review: No Holds-Barred Expose Of Masked History

This is a shocking expose of a gruesome reality behind a politically-motivated distortion of history, around the time of indian independence..

Star Cast: Bobby Simha, Tej Sapru, Makrand Deshpande, Raj Arjun, Annusriya Tripathi, Vedhika, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Thalaivasal Vijay, John Vijay

Director: Yata Satyanarayana

What’s Good: Tells us in a no-holds-barred manner about the way Hindus were tortured by a megalomaniac in the name of Islam. The film also has fabulous performances by Raj Arjun in particular as well as by Tej Sapru and Makrand Deshpande

What’s Bad: An avoidable ‘filmi’ touch merely to add masala entertainment elements, especially in the conception of songs and some clearly implausible stunts by the ‘good’ forces.

Loo Break: Not really

Watch or Not?: Yes, if you are a devotee of truth

Language: Telugu with Hindi dubbing

Available On: Theatrical release

Runtime: 166 Minutes

The real story is set around the time India got her Independence and some princely states had to be integrated into India. The Nizam then, Mir Osman Ali Khan ( Makrand Deshpande ) refuses to do so, preferring to keep Hyderabad intact and make it an Islamic state of his dreams. His militant and despotic lieutenant and general advisor, Kasim Rizvi (Raj Arjun), unleashes a frenzy of torture, brutality, murder, rape and conversions in different parts of the state against Hindus and against Marathi, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi as languages being taught—a genocide that few Indians today are even aware about.

As Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru keeps prevaricating, intoning about a treaty India has signed, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the original Iron Man of India and the Home Minister then, decides to take stringent action even as the Nizam plans to ally with Pakistan and other Islamic nations.

Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad Movie Review: Script Analysis

While the original Telugu script does not beat about the bush and shows the extreme levels of inhuman brutality shown by the militant ‘police’ (the Razakar), the Hindi lines also do complete justice to the saga of unbridled despotism out of religious fanaticism. Footage of sadism, unspeakable horrors and mayhem resorted to by the Razakar, again and again, take up most of the film’s long length while an ageing Nizam struggles to retain his royal status out of a misguided sense of power and authority.

The dialogues are chilling, and so are the situations. And the non-fanatic and righteously secular (a term not employed then!!) and nationalistic Muslims are also given the same treatment as the helpless and hapless Hindu folks by these fanatical forces.

Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad Movie Review: Star Performance

If there is one actor who dazzles here, it is Raj Arjun, a man who played the evil stepfather in Secret Superstar with the same ease and aplomb as his portrayal of Shirdi Sai Baba in the web series we saw some years ago. As Rizvi, he comes across as so malevolent and tyrannical that this must be one of the most horrendous of the real-life villains we have seen so far in Hindi cinema. I can only salute him for his expressions, the way he rages, roars and otherwise modulates his voice. And his expressions and the manic look in his eyes in close-ups are simply out of this world.

Tej Sapru is excellent as the determined Sardar Patel in a performance that is as much subdued as it is intense. Makrand Deshpande brings to life the erring Nizam, who sees the light too late but cannot be punished for the genocide he sanctioned. The character of K.M. Munshi, popularly known by his pen name Ghanshyam Vyas, an Indian independence movement activist, politician and writer from Gujarat and the founder of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, is evocatively brought out by veteran South actor Thalaivasal Vijay.

As the film is so stark and graphic about everything, the characters are all perfect for the parts, and among them, Annusriya Tripathi as one of Mir Osman Ali Khan’s wives, Vedhika as Shanthavva and Bobby Simha as Rajireddy stand out. The issue here is that all have got limited to even less (!) footage, but they all still shine in the roles given.

Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad Movie Review: Direction, Music

Director Yata Satyanarayana goes all out in his passionate zeal to expose (as in The Kashmir Files, The Kerala Story and Bastar: A Naxal Story) truths hidden from all or most of the nation out of vested interests. A present Censor rule is that whatever is depicted on screen must be backed by documented facts, and clearly the depiction must be authenticated. It is horrifying how the Indian powers then distorted even relatively contemporary history out of pure malicious intent.

The film is very candid in its exhibition of reality, and while the gore may put off a section of the audience (word-of-mouth is always vital for a film’s box-office standing), I must congratulate the director, who has also co-written the script, for showing things as they were.

That said, mention must be made of the needless dramatization that elongates the film, so to speak. The dance invoking the Goddess Durga and another rousing song not only slow down the pace but also seem clearly inspired by S.S. Rajamouli! One song, contextually, is very similar to the classic Kumuram Bheemodu from RRR! The background score is also an inspiration, as are the end-credits. Then there are some action sequences akin to normal films in which the lead actors take on multiple antagonists all at once! The director should have steered clear of such needless add-ons to a terrifying saga, which, unlike the fictional RRR or the Bahubali franchise, is totally real.

The music per se is alright, ditto the fitted Hindi lyrics.

Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad Movie Review: The Last Word

Such films, sadly, in our country, are labelled as ‘propaganda’ films, even more so as the election season is on. But the truth will always be the truth, and in any case, films always work because of their resonance with the viewer.

Three and a half stars!

Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad Trailer

Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad released on 26th April 2024.

Share with us your experience of watching Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad.

For more recommendations, read our Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Movie Review here .

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The author of this review himself gave away the purpose of this film. No matter what, it’s crystal clear that this is a propaganda movie releasing in the midst of elections and with ulterior motives. This movie is a fiction of BJP minded sadists imagination. Even if it was 1% true, it would have been highlighted a 1000 times by BJP in it’s 10 years rule.

Lol…so if Muslims are shown as Evil then its propoganda and if they shown as victims then its true. Doesn’t matter we will watch the movie and help BJP.

Bro, how is history a propaganda? Looking st your name I can understand that thus might be hard for you to digest.. but it’s history not myth.

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