Movie : Kushi
Run Time : 2 Hours 45 Minutes
Starring : Vijay Deverakonda, Samantha, Jayaram, Sachin Khedakar, Murali Sharma, Lakshmi, Ali, Rohini Molleti, Vennela Kishore, Rahul Ramakrishna, Srikanth Iyenger, Saranya Pradeep
Director : Shiva Nirvana
Producers : Naveen Yerneni, Ravi Shankar
Music Director : Hesham Abdul Wahab
Cinematographer : G. Murali
Editor : Prawin Pudi
In recent times, Kushi is one film that has garnered tremendous hype with its songs. This Vijay Deverakonda and Samantha starrer was well-promoted. Shiva Nirvana, who delivered adorable films like Majili and Ninnu Kori, directed this rom-com. The film has hit the screens today, and let’s see how it is.
Story :
Viplav (Vijay Deverakonda), who works at BSNL, falls for Aaradhya (Samantha) the moment he sees her. But Aaradhya pretends to be a Pakistani Muslim to avoid Viplav. Eventually, Aaradhya falls for Viplav, and the former reveals to the latter that she is from a conservative Brahmin family. But little do Viplav and Aaradhya know that their fathers, Lenin Satyam (Sachin Khedekar) and Chadarangam Srinivasa Rao (Murali Sharma), are at loggerheads. Viplav and Aaradhya marry against their parents’ wishes, and soon they encounter unexpected issues in their married life. How they sort them out forms the crux of the story.
Plus Points :
The film doesn’t deal with any out-of-the-box concept, but it is about the common and petty issues faced by people in their relationships. This has been showcased in a light-hearted manner in the second half. The conflict point is nicely complemented by good music and rich visuals.
All the scenes that come between the lead pair in the latter hour will go well with family audiences and this is where the film shines. The scenes aren’t new, but they are presented in a convincing manner. Vijay Deverakonda is simply superb as Viplav. The actor sheds his mass image and does what his character exactly demands. He looked uber cool throughout the film. Vijay’s comedy timing and his performance in crucial scenes are adorable.
Star actress Samantha is lovely in Kushi. She looked super cute and performed with finesse. Her chemistry with Vijay Deverakonda is good, and she is effortless in the emotional sequences, too. The fun is decent, and the emotions in the latter hour came out well. Sharanya, Murali Sharma, Rohini, Sharanya Pradeep, Sachin Khedekar, and Rahul Ramakrishna pass muster.
Minus Points :
The movie becomes quite predictable after a point in time, and this bogs down the impact to an extent. As one can guess what would happen next, the movie becomes slightly underwhelming at times. The Kerala episode could have been executed in a better manner.
The movie is lengthy, and the editing team could have trimmed down a few sequences. Especially the Kashmir portions are a bit prolonged, and this could have been taken care of. The momentum is not that great in the first half, and the film gets into the right track from the pre- interval scene. During the promotions, director Shiva Nirvana mentioned that the film deals with a sensitive issue, but this aspect isn’t new and reminds us of a few films.
Technical Aspects :
Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music is the second hero of Kushi. The songs are superb, and they are also shot captivatingly by cinematographer Murali. The rich visuals enhance the viewing experience. Mythri Movie Makers didn’t compromise on the production values. The editing could have been a lot better.
Coming to the director, Shiva Nirvana, he did a decent job with Kushi. Shiva Nirvana chose a simple concept that resonates with the married people and delivered it in his style. All the director’s films deal with simple life issues, and Kushi too falls in the same category. The casting was very good, and also the director got a solid technical team.
Verdict :
On the whole, Kushi is a likeable rom-com with a neat second half. The main point of the film unfolds in the latter hour, which is packed with good drama and emotions. Vijay Deverakonda and Samantha are adorable, and they are well-supported by other artists. But as mentioned earlier, the initial portions of the film aren’t great. Also, Kushi could have done with a shorter runtime for better impact. Nonetheless, Shiva Nirvana delivers a film that is relatable to family audiences. Hence, Kushi ends up being a good watch this weekend.
Rating : 3.25/5
