TELUGU CINEMASS

Sep 10, 2008

Telugu Movie Ankit, Pallavi And Friends Review

Ankit, Pallavi And Friends Review - Friends No Fun

Cast: Nikhil, Megha Burman, Venu, Santosh Pawan, Naresh, Seetha and Others.
Art: Ramana Vanka.
Cinematography: Malini Dasari.
Editing: Marthand K. Venkatesh.
Lyrics: Sirivennela.
Music: Vinu Thomas.
Story, Screenplay, Dialogues & Direction : Hari Yelleti.
Producer(s): Kishore Ganji-Raghu.
Banner: Innovision Cinema.
Release Date: 05th September, 2008.

Ankit, Pallavi and Friends is one of the many small to medium budget, mostly debutante movies, perhaps a 'different' storyline movies of this season. In short, this one is like an ameaturish short flick, except it's not short. It has a storyline that's not new or fresh, but the perspective could have been fresh and contemporary. But it just becomes old wine in a new and unexpertly crafted bottle.

Nikhil and Megha BurmanPlot Ankit wants to be a composer, and is looking for a break. He works part time as a waiter, smokes, hangs out with friends and refuses to compromise or copy tunes. Pallavi is an all-round top ranker, now a software professional at a coveted company, dining with her corporate crowd at the restaurant Ankit works. Obviously, this leads to embaressment and insecurity of the future. The 'Friends' are three close childhood pals one of whom wants to go to the US, one who wants to start a business and one who wants to the social work. What happens with the couple and their friends is the plot.

Story, Screenplay and Direction We've seen it in Cramer Vs Cramer and its Indian counterpart Akele Hum Akele Tum and in many other less famous movies containing one of the many tracks in the movie. Ankit's character and Gopi's (the US aspirant) role is better devised amongst the lot. The MBA cum social worker track is so clichéd and boring, it makes the audience visibly groan. It's so predictable it's upsetting, especially in this 'new' age cinema everyone is so looking forward to. Not happening. Okay, get this-this guy 'saves' a girl's reputation by marrying her since her boyfriend ditches her and she's pregnant. 1960? Correct.

Actually the theme is pretty poignant, and all these clichés and repeats could have been avoided by maintaining a single perspective. The idea is good, the development is not. The story could have still worked, but the direction is too amateurish right now. Since only 3 roles are handled well, only 2 of the group are okay-Ankit and Gopi. Megha Burman, the lead along with all the other friends just cannot work with their given roles-whether the actors themselves are to blame or the writing and direction, only their other movies can tell.

There are some good moments in the movie. One scene where everyone Ankit meets asks him what his career status is provides real-life humour. Rest of the humour is so stale, a grimace instead of a grin is seen in the audiences. The movie starts off pretty shaky, both direction and the writing, but picks up slowly towards the break. The second half again starts off and continues in a disinterested manner, as if the makers expect the audience to return 20 minutes after the break ends. Then towards the end it again picks up. Not bad for first timers, but when they play their movie in you tube for free. And not the best deal out there.

NikhilPerformances Ankit and Gopi are better as mentioned before, than the rest of them. Sunil is okay. Megha Burman is pretty and needs acting lessons.

Music and Dance Vinu Thomas gives catchy music and one of the few pluses of the movie. Choreography is mostly Happy Days rehash and doesn't impress.

Last Word It's overall an amateurish attempt of what could have been a promising theme but gives way to too many clichés. Music is decent; performances and direction don't stand out.

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