Miss You Review

N Rajasekhar's amnesia-themed romantic drama Miss You suffers the misfortune of an intriguing premise that is let down by trite execution. Seen in the most flattering light, Miss You examines a broken relationship through the lens of memory. But for much of the film, it is a frothy love story between the free-spirited, aspiring movie director Vasu (Siddharth) and the independent, strong-willed Subbalakshmi (Ashika Ranganath). It is a one-sided romance, though. When Vasu finally finds the nerve to propose to Subbalakshmi, she shuts him down with an uncharacteristically cold reply. The rejection is tied to Vasu's past, a past he can no longer access due to a car accident that leaves him with temporary amnesia, erasing all memories from the last two years.

Miss You has echoes of Hi Nanna, another film about a relationship in the context of an amnesic protagonist, but Miss You has none of that film's emotional heft. In large part, that is to do with its wandering focus. For example, a sub-plot about a murder in which Subbalakshmi was a primary witness, although a crucial event in her and Vasu's past, is explored at great length. It takes over the screen time with several tone-shifting, unnecessarily-elaborate scenes - the ins and outs of a police case against the killer who turns out to be politically connected, and the court hearing that follows.

Adding to its narrative failings is the overused trope of the "hero discussing life with his friends" scenes. In this case, Vasu gathers his three archetypal gang of three buddies - the funny one, the sensible one and the silly one - for lengthy, beer-fueled debates about his life choices. While such a device might seem necessary in a flashback-heavy story, its relentless repetition bogs the film down in endless chatter. These gab sessions also expose the film's tonal indecisiveness, shifting erratically between light-hearted humour and sombre introspective scenes without any clear justification.

There are flashes of originality, though. One genuine moment of comedy comes when the conservative Subbalakshmi finds herself allotted a seat beside Vasu on a bus and constantly complains to everyone on the phone about the injustice of sitting next to a man. Another inspired choice comes in an atypical "first look" scene where Vasu spots Subbalakshmi not in the natural habit of the stereotypical heroine, but loudly protesting on the side of the road, and later dressing down an authority figure. Her hair, quite literally, is not flying in that pseudo-sensual way of romantic meet-cutes, as she has it covered in a hijab to protest a hijab ban.

Siddharth and Ashika are at their best in their shared scenes, where their characters are often stuck in misunderstandings. Ashika, in particular, delivers a mature performance, her face capturing the turmoil and shock of a character grappling with the unraveling of a fractured relationship. It's in these moments that the film feels most alive, leaving you wishing it had devoted more time to exploring their conflicts and attempt at reconciliation, rather than diluting its focus across less compelling sub-plots.

Miss You plays it so safe that it takes a bit of digging to discover its true intentions. And when you do, you simple can't forgive its scatterbrain storytelling that squanders its ideas away.