Manasantha Nuvve Review

The more you think about it, the more it appears that it can't be real cool being Lord Hanuman, even if it is in Araku valley. We mean, think about it - first you have 2 kids 8 and 10 years old concentrating more on each other than on Cartoon Network, mud castles, Telugu movies, George Bush and all the other things that the Lord so painstakingly invented for kids. Then, they make His front yard the global headquarters for their feelings, giving the entire world and its audiences the impression that He endorses it. And He can't even tell them to quit playing grownup - it's tough to talk when you're all metal. And to top it all, they come back 12 years later to Global Headquarters asking Him to take things to their logical conclusion since it was He who started it all in the first place. Can you beat that?

Fortunately, Lord Hanuman has Telugu film dialogue-writers to take the focus off his travails. Manasantha Nuvve is set in the pages of Swathi magazine, and yet manages to come across as a tale for non-Swathi browsers as well, thanks primarily to some good comedy and a good lead actress. The film also has a surprise editor in the form of S V Krishna Reddy. We don't wish to comment on how the mighty have gone all the wrong places, for the film is perhaps as slick as its tale will allow it. Oh yes, the tale.

Venu (Uday Kiran) and Anu (Reema Sen) are neighbours in their childhood at picturesque Araku. Well, neighbours in a manner of speaking that Anu's dad (Tanikella Bharani) will have you tossed in a riverful of piranhas for - Venu is a slum dweller next to Anu's house. At 10 and 8 respectively, they fall in love in a manner that makes you reflect upon how remarkably childish you were not to have attempted anything like that at that age.

Anu has to suddenly move away as dad gets transferred, but not before she and Venu exchange vows to meet on her birthday every year at the Hanuman temple on the hillside. Venu is providentially adopted by Mohan Rao (Chandramohan), a video shop owner, and grows up. Anu is in the meantime at Malaysia, growing up with relatives.

The film takes its time developing the characters of the protagonists, and one of the highlights of the movie that significantly contributes to its watchability is the comedy - plenty of it by Sunil. You actually discover you're laughing every once in a while, and that takes some of the bore off a rather drawling first half where all that happens is that Anu reaches India and starts a search for Venu through a process that needs her to survive all the quirks of Telugu film plot-writers. Purely cinematic coincidences haunt you as they keep missing each other, and you're wondering where the Good Lord is hiding.

It's Anu who first discovers Venu, and also that he's still madly in love with her and waiting for her. And she starts a process of playfully getting close to him without revealing her identity. The second half of the film gets quite engaging with this, and you stay engrossed nearly continuously. There are subtle scenes that reflect good thinking and good editing, and the song "Prema Prema" is one of the classier depictions to come out of Tollywood.

Reema Sen is the best part of the film - she displays the maturity demanded by her role, and makes you wish you were the lad in Araku. Sunil plays no minor role, and while not in the league of a Brahmanandam yet, will still make his own place. All the supporting cast is good - especially, of course, Chandramohan. Together they all manage to cover up the inadequacies of another 'actor', whose spell of luck has lasted long enough now to continue to last really long. So who said talent matters? We still pray Lord Hanuman gives him some, since we'll be seeing a lot more of him.

The music is above average, and in summary so's the film, despite a plot that you thought went out of style with monarchy.