Needi Naadi Oke Katha movie review: Son's heart versus father's ego

Cast: Sree Vishnu, Santa Titus, Devi Prasad, Roopa and others
Director: Venu Udumula

In the last few years many young directors have made their debut and have come up with some innovative films. Venu Udumula makes his debut with Needi Naadi Oke Katha, starring Sree Vishnu in the lead. It’s a small-budget film with another actor, Nara Rohit, supporting it with his production house. Rudraraju Devi Prasad (Devi Prasad) is a teacher and four-time winner of the Best Teacher award. His son Saagar (Sree Vishnu) is very poor in studies and always fails his exams. But as his father puts him under pressure to get at least pass marks, Saagar decides to take the help of the intelligent Dharmika (Santa Titus), who is on the same course. He asks for some tips on how to study well and pass the exams. Dharmika gives him personality development books to read and takes him to a personality development expert (Posani Krishna Murali).

But in a few days Saagar gives up on the books and classes. Devi Prasad continues to push him to study harder and shouts and curses him every day. Finally Saagar tells his father that he can’t study as he wants to work and gives him a list of jobs he thinks he can do that include being a mechanic, running a paan shop, and being a driver. The father wants to see his son in a more “respectable” job, and doesn’t agree. So Saagar takes a bold decision one day and what it is and what his father’s reaction is forms the next part of the film’s storyline. Director Udumula has come up with a storyline that might resound with many parents and their children, with the former forcing their kids to study engineering or medicine and the latter having other interests.

Needi Naadi Oke Katha depicts a young man’s emotional journey and his struggle to decide whether he should follow his heart or satisfy his father’s ego. The performances are very natural, so most of the scenes come across as realistic and touch the heart. It is refreshing to see a new kind of film, and not the regular song and dance masala films. Sree Vishnu has proved that he is one of the better performers in Telugu cinema. His lively performance definitely takes him to new heights, speaking in the slang of Nellore throughout the film. Rudraraju Devi Prasad as the father is the backbone of the film. He has done an excellent job. Rupam Lakshmi is a good choice for the mother, looks fresh and performs well.

Santa Titus of Bicchagadu fame is the female lead and gives a good account of herself. Technically too the movie is good with excellent cinematography by Thota Rajesh, and good music by Suresh Bobbili, both songs and background score. These two people actually elevate the mood of the film. The dialogues are natural, realistic and some of them are thought-provoking too. Needi Naadi Oke Katha is a contemporary and refreshing subject and all credit goes to director Venu Udumula for coming up with a good film. Every year hundreds of films release, but only a few stay in one’s mind and this is one of them.