"Ekkadiki Pothavu Chinna Vaada" (Telugu Film Review)

There is a new whizkid in Tollywood and his name is VI Anand. The film “Ekkadiki Pothaavu Chinnavaada” is one of the most-watchable films of this season. In just under 129 minutes, the film takes you on an exciting story that has an undercurrent of supernatural thrill while giving a four-course menu satiation of your entertainment needs. Of course, the treatment is clean and the narrative crisp. Nikhil is a guy in love who is about to marry his lover but the girl couldn’t make it to the time of wedding at Registrar’s office. What conspires then is a cinematic twist where he is forced to accompany a friend who needs special treatment by some occultists in Kerala who exorcise ghosts. That experience brings sunshine into Nikhil’s life but later turns his life upside down in a series of bizarre twists. And the twists continue until the climax. What really happened to the lover who didn’t turn up? Who is the new love of his life? Whom does he marry? What are the twists in his life? In a spectacular spread doused in quintals of laughter, director Anand blends tension, comedy and cute romantic tracks with Nikhil and three women who enter his life in different ways. The result is a satisfying film which doesn’t leave one boring frame but regales all the way. If the script finds its way into other languages, this must be the most-remade film of the next year in the same fashion as “Chandramukhi” did in the year of its release. If you ignore the clever cinematic liberty the director takes in the ghost exorcism bit in Kerala, the film is fire-brand entertainment yet made in classy style without umbraging anyone. Nikhil must be complimented for selecting another audacious plot with near-perfect execution. If this is what one year of break can do to rev up his career, most aspiring actors should take such breaks instead of bombarding the movie-goers with hackneyed scripts and formulaic plots. Avika Gour shows her class while Hebal Patel oozes glamor even if she has no acting talent. Debutant Nandini Sweta gives a rarified performance. All comedians regale because the script gives wide scope for timing in comedy. Music by Sekhar Chandra uplifts the film to a different level – he has shown more range than what his earlier films with Ramoji Rao proved. Musically, this is the album of the season. A worthy watch to what is going to be the blockbuster of the last part of 2016. Don’t miss it and you can watch it with kids too.

My rating: 3.25/5