Telusu Kada film assessment: Siddhu, Raashii and Srinidhi lead a messy Telugu drama about tangled relationships

In an early scene from director Neerraja Kona’s Telugu romance drama Telusu Kada (loosely translated as You comprehend it, proper?), chef-restaurateur Varun (Siddhu Jonnalagadda) berates his workers for failing to satisfy his exacting requirements. His good friend and ethical compass (Harsha Chemmudu) reminds him to see issues extra virtually: for Varun, a loner, the restaurant is his world; for his workers, it’s only a job.

In one other second, Varun reprimands the home workers at his residence when issues usually are not spotless. His obsession with order and the luxurious areas he inhabits masks the chaos of his private life, significantly his difficult relationships with Raaga (Srinidhi Shetty) and Anjali (Raashii Khanna).

Costume designer-turned-director Neerraja Kona, making her writing and directorial debut, steers away from straightforward sentimentality. Telusu Kada is much from a feel-good romance — the purple flags are seen from the beginning, signalling a narrative that’s certain to divide opinion. While she receives robust assist from her manufacturing design workforce and cinematographer V.S. Gnanashekhar, the visible finesse can’t compensate for the gaps in writing.

When the movie opens with Varun ranting about being jilted in love and hoping for divine intervention, the angle from which Telusu Kada unfolds turns into clear. Given Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s earlier movies the place his characters have confronted heartbreak, significantly the Tillucollection, a few of the dialogues echo acquainted territory. Harsha’s character provides aid, typically voicing what the viewers is likely to be pondering. When he questions why Siddhu’s characters are at all times caught between girls and why he should witness it, the self-awareness attracts a smile.

The movie reveals its battle early. The mirrored dialogues between Varun and Anjali throughout their matrimonial assembly trace at what lies forward. Without giving an excessive amount of away, the drama centres on the concept of household and parenthood. Things don’t go as deliberate, and Varun’s lack of clear communication makes issues worse. His response to his associate’s medical state of affairs stems from self-pity slightly than empathy. By the movie’s finish, his backstory explains his emotional turbulence — a person masking worry with machismo. His repeated testosterone-versus-oestrogen analogy solely reinforces this insecurity.

For a narrative constructed round three characters, the writing feels skinny. Under the guise of cinematic liberty, Telusu Kada overlooks primary sensitivity, particularly whereas addressing surrogacy. The narrative stays surface-level in its portrayal of the ladies and their circumstances.

The focus stays on the male protagonist. Varun’s contradictions are written intimately, and Siddhu captures them successfully. Here, he isn’t the talkative lead of Tillu or the conflicted but likeable romantic of Krishna and His Leela, however a tough man to empathise with. His dialogues, at instances bordering on misogynistic, draw applause however expose the movie’s uneven gaze. While Siddhu’s efficiency holds the character collectively, the writing doesn’t justify the behaviour his associate endures.

Raashii Khanna’s character Anjali is the lone voice of purpose in Varun and Raaga’s world however stays underdeveloped. She performs the half with restraint and conviction, standing her floor when wanted. Srinidhi Shetty, in a morally ambiguous position, brings nuance and strikes away from the standard heroine mould, getting more room to carry out.

Despite robust performances, the story feels underwritten. Telusu Kada brushes previous the emotional complexity it units up. It critiques Varun’s alpha-male traits but permits him to dominate the narrative. The girls are shortchanged — one burdened by guilt for not wanting motherhood, one other pressured to compromise in marriage.

The movie ends on an ostensibly hopeful observe, however the emotional harm it portrays is unlikely to be so simply resolved. Telusu Kada raises questions on love, ego, and communication, however stops wanting answering them with the honesty it guarantees.