BOTTOM LINE
Decent Intentions Goes Wayward
RATING
2/5
CENSOR
U/A Certified, 2h 19m.
What Is the Film About?
Alekya is a minor college-going girl who is attracted to Arjun as he helps her learn to ride a scooter. The attraction leads to infatuation and soon they are caught in a compromising situation.
What happens when Alekya elopes with Arjun, afraid of her parents’ reaction? How does Alekya and Arjun’s love story end? The movie’s overall story is about what the father does amidst all these happenings?
Performances
Arjun and Alekya are well-suited for their respective parts. The pair gives a tender cum cringe vibe which is expected from characters of that age.
Arjun is okay from the start, playing a straight-up, lovely guy who wants to take care of the girl he loves. The minor variations in character are neatly done when necessary.
Alekya, on the other hand, is more in the zone. Maybe it’s her looks, the dubbing, or simply the presence, but she looks the part more comfortably. The dubbing feels out of sync at times, but besides that the act is alright. She gets the innocence mixed with callousness right. Nothing exceptional here, but whatever is done is fine.
Analysis
JSS Vardhan directs the movie while also providing the dialogues and additional screenplay. RV Subramanyamm provides the story, and screenplay. Beauty is a typical teen infatuation-gone-wrong kind of story which comes from time to time.
The movie opens on a very ordinary and predictable note. The world establishment is done in a very routine way. It makes one restless as to when the movie will get to the point.
But, whole things are frustrating, some simple issues set in motion are fine, which leads to relatable drama later.
The lead pair track also lacks the impact that we usually see in films of this style. The writing and situations are the main culprits here. One gets the point, but they are neither immersed nor connected in any way. Everything keeps digressing towards that key moment that is likely to change the order of things and bring drama into okay.
Well, the expected begins to happen around the pre-interval mark. Things are on expected lines given what’s been set up before, but when it actually happens, there is a palpable tension. It makes one engrossed, at least momentarily.
The pre-interval and interval are fine. There is nothing out of the world here, but within the established world, the stakes feel high and one looks forward to what happens next.
Unfortunately, post intermission, the narrative lacks the organic flow of the first half. The former, even in the first half, doesn’t give the impression that things are happening just for the sake of creating a story. That’s not the case in the second half.
Right from the phone call to the arrest to the subsequent sequences everything feels designed to lead to particular moments. The corrupt police officer is a decent idea, but the way it’s placed in the narrative misses the impact. Same with the father in search of his daughter which should have had more depth.
The plot points are present, but the drama of getting to them is hackneyed and convenient to let the story flow. The entire stretch of the lead pair roaming in Hyderabad is too far a stretch. At least in the way it’s presented.
After all these humdrum moments, there is a twist in the tale around pre pre-climax which spins the whole story in a new direction. Again, the idea is fine, but the execution and setting under which it happens and is then resolved are far from satisfactory.
While the end, in general, owing to the father-daughter sentiment and the twists feel fine, the feel of a proper culmination is missing due to the execution and the screenplay.
Overall, Beauty has a decent premise that could attract the teen crowd like few films in its space, but barring a few blocks the rest lacks the punch and impact. The second half, especially, derails and doesn’t leave one with any hope. Beauty has its moments, but it fails big time in execution.
Performances by Others Actors
Naresh, and Vasuki are the major supporting players in the movie. Both are excellent in their respective parts. The latter goes missing in the second half, but the former stays in the role and is formidable in the father’s shoes throughout. His desperation and desire to make daughter happy and save her, connect.
Among the rest, Muralidhar Gaud is decent, while Nanda Gopal is wasted. Nithin Prasanna and Prasad Behra are okay. The remaining have very little to do.
Music and Other Departments?
Vijay Bulganin provides the music and background score. Both are forgettable despite having a decent sound. The predictable is the key issue here as both the songs and BGM offer nothing new or memorable in the terrain. The cinematography gives it a short film vibe. The editing is decent. The writing is weak and it’s one area that heavily brings the movie’s impact down.
Highlights?
Pre Interval
Interval
Pre Climax
Drawbacks?
First Hour
Second Half (Until Pre Climax)
Writing
Direction
No Emotional Connection
Forced Narrative
Did I Enjoy It?
No, Barring a Few Parts
Will You Recommend It?
No, Unless One Doesn’t Mind A Lot That’s Happening For a Few Segments
Beauty Telugu Movie Review by M9
