Epic Movie Review:
Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya, the lead pair of the successful Baby, have reunited for Epic - First Semester. Aditya Hasan, who became the talk of the town after his web series 90s - A Middle Class Biopic became a huge success, is now making his big-screen debut with this film. Naturally, the expectations are high.
The director and makers have projected the film as being close to Aditya Hasan’s real-life experiences, as he went to the UK for his studies and faced several incidents there. Even Anand Deverakonda’s character, Aditya, has been carried forward from the web series, where the younger son grows up, dreams of becoming a director and eventually lands in the UK.
Many Indians travel abroad every year, and Aditya is one of them. He meets a girl, and the two start living together. The story revolves around their conversations, experiences and relationship. However, in the name of showcasing Gen Z life, director Aditya talks extensively about sex, periods and several other topics. While some may connect with this approach, others may not. Here is how the film fares.
Director: Aditya Hasan
Cast: Anand Deverakonda, Vaishnavi Chaitanya, Sivaji, Vasuki, Gavireddy, Kalyan and others.
The story begins in Wanaparthy, where 90s - A Middle Class Biopic ended. The younger son, Aditya (Anand Deverakonda), has grown up and dreams of becoming a director. However, his parents (Sivaji and Vasuki) want him to go to the UK, settle down and build a career. With no other option, Aditya leaves for the UK.
On his first day at university, he meets Kadali (Vaishnavi Chaitanya). Aditya is an innocent and shy youngster, while Kadali is completely different from him. She immediately proposes that they share a room and live together. Kadali is clear that she wants a physical relationship without any strings attached and does not want any emotional involvement.
Initially, Aditya goes along with it, but things become complicated when he starts thinking about settling down in life, especially under pressure from his parents. Will they leave their dreams behind and take their relationship seriously, or will they treat it casually and eventually go their separate ways to chase their dreams?
Director Aditya Hasan already made his mark with 90s - A Middle Class Biopic, and now he has made his big-screen debut with Epic - First Semester. There were expectations on the film, but the trailer itself gave a clear indication of what kind of story he was attempting to tell.
Aditya tries to present the lifestyle, struggles, pressures and middle-class mentality of the present generation, while also touching upon caste and relationships. The story begins in Wanaparthy, where the earlier web series ended. The younger son, an innocent boy who spends time with his friends in the small town, dreams of becoming a director. But his parents force him to go to the UK, and that is where his new journey begins.
The director narrates this portion with plenty of fun and then introduces Kadali, played by Vaishnavi Chaitanya. From here, the film focuses on the thoughts and experiences of the present generation, particularly their dilemma between love and sex.
Kadali is shown as a more aggressive and independent character, while Aditya is the innocent one. She is very clear that she only wants a physical relationship and does not want any emotional attachment. She even tells him that he should not message her once their relationship ends.
The two characters then spend a lot of time talking about sex, periods and other aspects of relationships. It is certainly a bold attempt by Aditya Hasan to show how some youngsters talk and behave today. There may be truth in some of the situations he presents, but when it comes to the big screen, they do not always translate into an engaging story.
The film spends too much time on the discussions about sex and periods, and some portions feel unnecessarily stretched. There are no twists and turns as the story moves smoothly, sometimes spending too much time with these two characters inside a small room.
In between, Aditya talks to his parents and feels the pressure of paying the EMIs his father took for his UK trip. Kadali also faces pressure from her parents, who want her to consider marriage and settle down.
One of the biggest positives of the film is the dialogue writing. Aditya Hasan has written dialogues that are very much in tune with the present generation. Since he himself went to the UK for his Masters, some of the situations appear to come from his own experiences.
However, the biggest problem is that the story does not really move forward. It remains largely confined to the relationship between Aditya and Kadali. Aditya repeatedly calls his friend in India for advice, and these sequences go on for too long. After a point, they become repetitive and affect the pace.
The film also has very few characters — Aditya, his parents, Kadali and Aditya’s two friends, one in the UK and the other in India. The friend in India keeps advising Aditya whenever he faces a problem.
The first half moves like a breezy entertainer with plenty of fun moments. However, a few situations make you wonder about their believability. Aditya lands in the UK without even knowing what subject he has enrolled in, while a girl he meets on his very first day asks him to share his room. From the very next day, they enter into a physical relationship and begin living together. One wonders whether such situations are really that common among Gen Z youngsters, especially when the two barely know each other.
Kadali is very clear that she does not want an emotional attachment, but she keeps changing her mind as the story progresses. Another strong point of director Aditya Hasan is the emotional connection he creates in the scenes between Aditya and his parents. Those portions work well and connect with the audience, and the director handles them effectively.
The story is also incomplete, as the director has indicated that there will be a sequel titled Epic - Final Semester. So, this film does not offer a complete ending. Aditya’s web series 90s - A Middle Class Biopic was a family drama packed with emotions and could be watched by audiences of all age groups, including kids. Epic - First Semester is quite the opposite. With its mature conversations and themes, this film is certainly not for everyone. Now, the question is whether Aditya will take the story forward with Final Semester.
When it comes to performances, the lead pair gives their best throughout the film. Anand Deverakonda plays the innocent youngster Aditya perfectly. He looks the part and delivers a very natural performance, particularly as the shy and confused young man. Vaishnavi Chaitanya is equally impressive as Kadali, a strong and independent woman. Compared to her earlier films, this is probably her boldest role, and she handles the character very well. Her expressions and the way she brings Kadali’s attitude to life are simply superb. The chemistry between Anand and Vaishnavi works well and comes across naturally on screen. Sivaji continues his role from the web series and delivers another commendable performance as Aditya’s father. Vasuki is adequate as his mother and continues the same character from the series. Gavireddy is good as Aditya’s friend. Kalyan, of MAD fame, plays another friend who constantly advises Aditya and does well in the role.
Technically, the film is good, with decent visuals and nice music by Hesham Abdul Wahab. The song Sancharame is definitely one of the highlights of the film. A special mention must be made of Aditya Hasan’s writing, particularly the dialogues. In one scene, Aditya says that 'at the age of 24, people ask a girl about marriage, while they ask a boy, what are you doing?' There are several such relatable dialogues throughout the film.
Epic - First Semester is a bold attempt by director Aditya Hasan, and the film feels natural in several places. However, the story does not move beyond Aditya and Kadali’s relationship, while the narration is slowed down by lengthy conversations and repetitive scenes. The Gen Z conversations and mature themes may connect with younger audiences, but the film is certainly not for everyone. The excessive dragging is a major hurdle to the film’s flow. Still, credit to Aditya Hasan for attempting something different and coming up with a bold subject for his big-screen debut.
