‘Love Story’ movie review: Sense and sensibility
The Hindu
Beneath the entertaining veneer, Sekhar Kammula addresses pertinent issues with sensitivity and draws winsome performances from Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi
How does one define honour? Does it lie in adhering to caste norms, or does it lie in creating a safe environment and instilling confidence in a child to speak up when things go awry? Director Sekhar Kammula uses the platform of a mainstream entertainer to make family audiences introspect.
Love Story has all the trappings of a Kammula film. The music (debut composer Pawan Ch) can sweep us off our feet, the strong-willed leading lady dances like a dream and the hero is a thorough gentleman. Romance blossoms on the terraces of middle-class homes in Padmarao Nagar, Secunderabad. As the film unfolds in modest settings, without larger-than-life frills, it shows how absorbing a film can be when there’s a good script.
In Armoor, Telangana, Revanth (Naga Chaitanya) grows up listening to his mother (Easwari Rao) reiterate the importance of earning and living with dignity. She tells him that it’s better to be in a position where you can give financial assistance than having to receive it. Revanth’s is a success story; he runs a small Zumba centre in the big city. There are challenges, but he is in a position where he can employ someone.