Movies have a unique ability to attach themselves to memories of our lives. We remember not just the great performances or technical innovations, but also the little things like the theater we saw it in or how much we paid for tickets. Every movie becomes a footnote in a little phase of our lives. This is why we develop such fond memories of movie stars, who come to feel like extended family.
In the case of the last movie of celebrated actor ANR, going to the theater becomes a conscious act of taking a trip down memory lane one last time. The film, directed by Vikram Kumar, cleverly twists the old formula of children helping to bring their estranged parents back together by throwing in elements of destiny, romance, reincarnation, and humor.
The story follows Naga Chaitanya, who plays a college student with a crush on a girl, Samantha. Nagarjuna plays a thirty-something man who discovers his deceased parents have been reincarnated 30 years later. The interactions between Nag, Chaitanya, and ANR are the best parts of the movie. The background score and camerawork provide the right magical ambiance for the story.
While the performances are natural and the script is smart, the movie suffers from an over-simplistic climax that introduces Akhil Akkineni instead of delivering a theatrical finish. Despite this, the cumulative nostalgia and feel-good factor of the movie might paper over the structural issues, especially since it is ANR’s last film. Overall, it is definitely worth a watch.
