Love Reddy Review

Love Reddy sees someone attempt to create a romance even more tragic than Maro Charitra, on a shoestring budget. It's more heart-wrenching because the lovers in this film can't even express their feelings to each other until the devastating end, right at the final moment. However, the real tragedy lies in the film's execution. Interestingly, unlike most Telugu films where the second half unravels with loose ends, here it's the first half that's poorly crafted - a refreshing change of pace, in a way.

30-year-old bachelor Narayana Reddy (Anjan Ramachandra) lives near the Andhra-Karnataka border and works as a manager in a garment manufacturing company in Bengaluru. Both his family and he are worried about his single status. His younger brother (D S Ganesh), who is in a serious relationship, can't marry because tradition dictates the elder sibling must marry first. Despite numerous matchmaking attempts, Narayana struggles to find a suitable partner.

His life takes a turn when he meets Divya (Shravani Krishnaveni), a government employee at the Food Corporation of India, also in Bengaluru. He tries to express his feelings during their daily commute, but he never quite manages to. However, Divya seems to understand and reciprocate his feelings. Just when things seem promising, and Narayana is about to propose, everything begins to fall apart, leading to a tragic twist.

Love Reddy opens with the line "Based on a True Story", and for the most part, stays true to its roots. The director, Smaran Reddy, chose two debutants - Anjan Ramachandra and Shravani Krishnaveni - who, though lacking conventional good looks and star power, bring authenticity to their roles. Their average appearance and grounded performances fit the story perfectly. They don't look glossy or artificial, which is a credit to the director - or perhaps the casting director, if there was one.

One standout aspect of the movie is how it realistically portrays the challenges some couples face in gaining parental approval for marriage, even when they share the same caste, background and social standing. Often, the reasons for denial are petty and irrational - yet, it's still a reality today.

The film also benefits from authentic, real-time locations that bring out the vibrant colours, warmth and culture of a typical Andhra village bordering Karnataka, with no props but plenty of natural presence.

The first half, however, is riddled with issues - not just the screenplay, but the dialogues as well. The movie's obsession with the "Reddy" surname becomes overwhelming, to the point of nausea. The characters, even the family members, repeatedly address each other using their full names (with Reddy surnames), and this feels forced, especially for someone like me who lives in a Reddy-dominated village.

With a runtime of around two hours and 20 minutes, the film drags due to its slow pacing and unnecessary comedy sequences. A tighter edit could have greatly improved it. It's baffling why Telugu cinema can't produce a sleek, sub-90-minute film - cutting out much of the unnecessary fluff in the first half would have helped immensely. The second half, especially the last 30 minutes, elevates the movie. The pacing, screenplay and performances are gripping, but by then the damage is done, and most audiences have lost interest.

Love Reddy will be remembered for the performances of Anjan and Shravani. Both undergo significant character development, particularly excelling in the emotional scenes during the latter part of the film. They show a commendable ease in dialogue delivery, highlighting the importance of casting native Telugu actors in Telugu cinema. N T Ramaswamy, playing the heroine's possessive and prejudiced father, is another standout, adding complexity to the final twists with his portrayal of a man who sees his daughter as an object rather than a person with free will.

The film doesn't aim to be a technical marvel. With its very low budget, it relies on simple, humble camerawork. Forget choreography, action design, elaborate sets or any fancy post-production effects.

The movie is worth a watch, if only for Anjan's and Shravani's performances.