Starring Anaswara Rajan and Anish in the lead roles, Itlu Arjuna is directed by Mahesh Uppala and arrived in theaters on November 13. There was quite a bit of curiosity around the film even before its release, especially since this marks Anish Reddy’s debut as a lead actor and Akkineni Nagarjuna is presenting it. The support from big stars like NTR, Akhil and Ram Charan also helped the film get noticed. Add to that the team’s unusual promotional campaigns, and Itlu Arjuna certainly had a fair amount of attention coming its way. But does the film live up to all that pre-release buzz? And how does Anish fare in his first outing? Here’s what works and what doesn’t.
Story: Arjun (Anish) has been unable to speak since birth. As a child, he gets involved in petty thefts alongside his father and ends up in jail at a young age. Even while serving his sentence, he manages to complete his education. Once released, he takes up work as a Rapido driver, making a living with the limited opportunities available to him. But there is something else that has been part of his life for years. He has loved Keerthi (Anaswara Rajan), who lives on the floor above his apartment, since they were children. The problem is that expressing those feelings is not easy for him.
Just when Arjun is trying to find a way to tell Keerthi how he feels, he gets caught up in a much bigger problem involving a pen drive reportedly worth Rs. 1,000 crore. What does the device contain? How does Arjun get dragged into this mess? And can he finally make Keerthi understand how much he loves her, even without being able to speak? The answers unfold as the story progresses.
Analysis: Mahesh Uppala tries something a little different here by bringing together a love story about a speech-impaired young man and a thriller involving a high-value pen drive. There is romance, comedy, family emotion and a fair amount of suspense, with the director trying to give each element its own space. The twists do help keep things interesting, although the storytelling loses some pace in a few stretches.
The first half is largely carried by Arjun and Keerthi’s relationship. Their romantic scenes are among the film’s better moments, particularly because Arjun has to communicate through his expressions and gestures rather than words. Watching him struggle to express something as simple as love gives the romance a different feel from the usual screen love stories. The film handles these moments quite nicely, and Anish’s performance helps them land.
Vennela Kishore’s entry gives the first half another boost. His comedy brings some much-needed fun, and his timing gets several laughs. The combination of romance and humour keeps the proceedings fairly engaging, even if the story takes its time getting to the main conflict.
The second half shifts more towards the Rs. 1,000-crore pen drive and the trouble surrounding it. This is where the thriller element comes into play, with a series of twists and difficult situations pushing Arjun into a corner. The director doesn’t completely abandon the emotional side of the story, though. Arjun’s attempts to express his feelings without speaking continue to be an important part of the narrative, and some of these scenes work well. The screenplay does drag in places, but the major turns in the story help hold attention through the climax.
Cast Performances: For a debut, Anish Reddy makes a promising impression as Arjun. Playing a character who cannot speak is not easy, particularly when so much of the film depends on communicating emotions without dialogue. He handles this through his facial expressions and body language, and there are several moments where his performance speaks louder than words. It’s a good first outing, and he shows that he can carry a role with a fair amount of emotional weight.
Anaswara Rajan is a good fit for Keerthi. Her performance feels natural, and she brings the right amount of warmth to the character. Vennela Kishore is one of the film’s biggest entertainment factors, delivering laughs with his familiar comic timing. Child artist Rohan also does well, while Brahmaji, Mukesh Rishi and the other supporting actors make their presence felt.
On the technical side, the film is fairly solid. Thaman’s music works in its favour, with the songs and background score adding to several important scenes. The emotional portions, in particular, benefit from his score. The cinematography is good, and the production values are also up to the mark.
Mahesh Uppala deserves credit for attempting a different kind of love story and bringing a thriller into the mix without losing sight of the central relationship. The film isn’t without its slow patches, and the screenplay could have been tighter in certain portions. Still, Anish’s sincere performance, Anaswara’s natural screen presence, Vennela Kishore’s comedy and a handful of interesting twists give Itlu Arjuna enough to keep audiences engaged.