When I sat down to watch the Telugu romantic comedy Bhale Unnade, which was released in theaters on September 13, 2024 and is streaming on ETV Win from October 3, 2024, there was some buzz due to Raj Tarun's fresh role and Maruti brand. Directed by J. Sivasai Vardhan, the film, starring Raj Tarun, Manisha Kandkur, and Abhirami in the lead roles, is a love story revolving around a non-traditional character. How much did this story of Raj Tarun as a sari draper, defying societal norms, impress me? Did this film win my heart, or did it disappoint? Let me tell you about my feelings, the film's highlights, and some of its shortcomings in this review!
What is the story?
Radha (Raj Tarun) is a middle-class young man who works as a sari draper in Visakhapatnam. His mother Gauri (Abhirami) is his world. He has this strange habit of being afraid to touch women even when he is around them, which makes society doubt his masculinity. Krishna (Manisha Kandkur) from the bank where Gauri works initially hates Radha, but falls in love with him after learning that he is her secret lover. The two get ready to get engaged, but something Krishna's friend says raises suspicions about Radha's personality. Why does Radha keep a distance from women? Will Krishna leave him? What is Radha's secret, and how will his mother react to it? The film answers these questions. Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, Leela Samson appear in cameos, Hyper Aadi, VTV Ganesh, and Raccha Ravi appear in supporting roles.
My Feelings: First Half Fun, Second Half Stretchy
Shortly after the movie started, Raj Tarun's fresh look and quirky behavior as Radha caught my attention. Seeing his neat look and soft mannerisms as a sari draper, I felt, "Oh, this guy has tried something different!" In the first half, the Radha-Krishna love story, their chemistry through letters, Hyper Aadi, VTV Ganesh's comedy scenes made me laugh. The cameos of the singer Srinivasa Rao and Leela Samson gave a spiritual touch to the Radha-Krishna love, and watching those scenes felt comforting to the heart. Nagesh Banella's cinematography with blue and white colors against the backdrop of Visakhapatnam and Araku is a feast for the eyes.
But, in the second half, the story became stretched. Although the twist before the interval seemed interesting, the director faltered in developing it. The ashram scenes and the arak song seemed like forced comedy and unnecessary. The scenes revealing Krishna's suspicions and Radha's secret went on as expected, lacking in novelty. The lack of deep exploration of Radha's character and the superficial touching on sensitive issues of the society disappointed me. Although the emotional scenes in the climax were a bit heart-wrenching, they also seemed a bit unnatural.
Technical aspects, acting
Nagesh Banella's cinematography is a big asset to the film. He captures the Visakhapatnam and Araku locations wonderfully with vibrant colors. Sekhar Chandra's music is a mixed bag—though songs like 'Adollakii Amada Yaadum' are catchy, the background score does not give much impact. Srikanth Patnaik's editing is tight in the first half, but it would have been better if he had cut the long scenes in the second half. The production values are decent, and the film has a polished look.
Raj Tarun played the role of Radha very subtly and sensitively. His clean shaven look and soft expressions suited the role well. Although he seemed a little unnatural in some emotional scenes, he was overall impressive. Manisha Kandkur looked beautiful in her debut role and showed good chemistry with Raj. Her performance in some emotional scenes was impressive. Abhirami played the role of mother Gauri wonderfully, her screen presence was the strength of the film. The cameos of Singeet Srinivasa Rao and Leela Samson touched the heart, but their impact was limited. Hyper Aadi, VTV Ganesh, Raccha Ravi's comedy scenes, while funny at times, felt stale and forced.
Likes and Disappointments
Likes:
Raj Tarun's fresh, sensitive performance—He impressed in the role of a saree draper.
First half—Impressed with love, comedy, and light emotions.
Abhirami's performance—Touched the heart in the role of a mother.
Cinematography—Visakhapatnam, Araku visuals are a feast for the eyes.
Touching sensitive issues—A small discussion on social norms.
Disappointments:
Second half stretched—Draggled scenes, forced comedy.
Predictable plot—Unreliable screenplay.
Radha's character lacks depth—sensitive issues are touched on superficially.
Stale comedy—hyper Aadi, VTV Ganesh scenes failed to make us laugh many times.
Background score—didn't give impact to emotional scenes.
Who can watch it?
A decent watch for those who like romantic comedies and light-hearted dramas. Raj Tarun fans can watch it for his fresh role and Manisha Kandkur's chemistry. With a UA rating, it will suit the youth and family audience due to some comedy scenes and sensitive topics. But, this movie may disappoint those who expect a strong story and deep emotions. Since it is streaming on ETV Win, those who missed the theater can try it on OTT.
Rating: 2.5/5
Bhale Unnade is a light-hearted romantic comedy. Raj Tarun's fresh performance, Abhirami's acting, and Visakhapatnam visuals impressed. I liked the love, comedy, and light emotions in the first half. But, the second half's stretch, predictable plot, and forced comedy brought the film down. The lack of deep exploration of sensitive issues is a minus. Those who want light entertainment on the weekend can binge on ETV Win, but don't have high expectations!
Release Date: September 13, 2024 (Theaters)
Streaming: ETV Win (from October 3, 2024)
Director: J. Sivasai Vardhan
Cast: Raj Tarun, Manisha Kandkur, Abhirami, Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, Leela Samson
Music: Shekhar Chandra