Arjun Reddy: A youthful masterpiece

Arjun Reddy depicts the meteoric rise and fall of a surgeon
Arjun Reddy: A youthful masterpiece

Vijay Devarakonda's Arjun Reddy is a perhaps one of the best films in recent times and it breaks the conventional barriers of Telugu cinema. There is no second thought that the youth will love this film, which is dubbed as a return to form of Vijay Devarakonda after the disastrous Dwaraka.

Cast: Vijay Devarakonda, Shalini Pandey, Rahul Ramakrishna
Direction: Sandeep Reddy Vanga 

An unfettered and unconventional medico -- Arjun Reddy (Vijay Devarakonda) is the topper of his college and university. His explosive nature and temperament lead to unusual banters and his confrontational attitude is feared by his college mates. Arjun develops feelings for his junior Preethi (Shalini Pandey) and within no time, she reciprocates his love for her. At a time when everything is going right, one bad hair day leads to their break up and since then, a dejected Arjun Reddy loses the battle with his heart and head, deteriorates into alcohol and drug abuse, unable to come to terms with the loss even after weeks and months. However, he doesn’t give up on the professional front and works as a surgeon at a corporate hospital. Despite his addiction to alcohol, incompetence to deal with anger management issues and his obsession to win his love back, Arjun possesses an immaculate record as a doctor until an unfortunate incident which puts his career at stake. Will he come out of the morass and get his love back is what Arjun Reddy is all about.

The film is drawn from real-life incidents and it seems director Sandeep Reddy might have lived around or faced such characters in his life. He has shown everything by his gut feelings and the film gives the impact of reading a captivating biography. The story builds tension as you keep guessing what will happen in the next frame. Its unpredictability makes things interesting for the first hour. Those who come expecting to watch a youthful entertainer will get disappointed (to an extent) in the second hour as the narrative meanders with some boring moments and stretched emotional scenes which become a serious flaw post intermission. The director could have done with some snipping in this hour. The lead couple kisses endlessly as if there’s no tomorrow and at one point it seems like this is all the film would offer.  The protagonist curses the leading lady to marry a Tulu guy. If caste is being attributed as one of the primary reasons for their break up, one wonders why it was tagged with the film's title?

Vijay shines in his role with amazing attitude and he brilliantly depicts the defiant mix of anger and pain. He definitely knows how to ace the game. Shalini delivers a measured performance with the right amount of subtlety. Rahul Ramakrishna is likable with his witty one-liners. The music and background score are poignant and vibrant.

Overall, Arjun Reddy has elements that give you an adrenaline rush. It’s a diary of thoughts depicting the life and times of a loving and free-spirited youngster. Vijay Devarakonda reinvents himself with Arjun Reddy and it doesn't happen without director Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Go watch this youthful masterpiece.

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