Ekkadiki Poathav Chinnavada movie review: Definitely worth a watch
Cast: Nikhil Siddharth, Hebah Patel, Nandita Shweta, Vennela Kishore, Satya, Tanikella and others
Director: VI Anand
Ekkadiki Pothav Chinnavada released on Friday with Nikhil Siddharth, Hebah Patel and Nandita Shweta in the lead. Arjun (Nikhil Siddharth), a student, is left high and dry by his lover Ayesha at the marriage registrar’s office. Four years later, he still hasn’t got over her. His friend (Vennela Kishore) is suffering from a psychological problem and asks him to accompany him to a temple in a forest in Kerala, which is known to treat such sort of problems. There Arjun meets Amala (Hebah) from Vijayawada who has come for her sister’s treatment. Their friendship becomes strong and he wants to propose her, but the next morning she leaves.
A disappointed Arjun returns to Hyderabad where he sees her while driving. He immediately meets her but she says her name is Nitya and not Amala. Nitya’s sister then says that Amala had died long back and her spirit had entered Nitya’s body and that’s why they had gone to Kerala. But meanwhile Arjun gets a call from Amala (Nandita Shweta) and she is on his way to meet him. So who is Amala and why is she haunting Arjun? Director V.I. Anand has done great work with the screenplay and has cleverly mixed a supernatural theme with a love story. It’s actually a thriller comedy.
Though the film starts on a dull note, once the story shifts to Kerala, it gains momentum. And the director maintains the suspense until the very end. There are several twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Nikhil fits the character of Arjun brilliantly. He looks good as a student and as a professional later in life. Hebah Patel has done a decent job and acts naturally. But the highlight of the film is Nandita Shweta who is making her Telugu debut with the film. She steals the show with her superb performance, especially during the second half.
Vennela Kishore, Satya and Praveen provide the entertainment with their comic efforts and Avika Gor appears in a cameo. Sekhar Chandra’s music and songs are good, and the background music is extraordinary and remains the soul of the film. Cinematography by Sai Sriram is neat and he has captured the hills beautifully. Abburi Ravi should be mentioned for his neat dialogues. In a couple of dialogues he has given the latest currency ban a comic twist. But the climax is terrible and is not convincing at all. There are a few dull episodes too in between and should be trimmed. However, director Anand has shown his command over all the three departments – story, screenplay and comedy – and has narrated the story well. Overall then, it’s definitely a one-time watch film.
