BOTTOM LINE
Nostalgia minus the 90s Magic
PLATFORM
AHA VIDEO
RUNTIME
140 minutes (5 episodes)
What Is the Show About?
Prasad, father to teenagers Jyothi and Srikanth, runs a small-time photo studio in a quaint town in Telangana, struggling to make ends meet. Yet, he does it all without complaints, helped significantly by his homemaker wife Devi. While Srikanth wants to work in films, Prasad is adamant about sending him to the US. In contrast, Jyothi wants to study further, but her parents try to get her married.
Performances
The casting, while familiar, still evokes some freshness with the pairing of Rajeev Kanakala and Jhansi. As expected of him, Rajeev Kanakala fits the part of the seemingly tough dad with a heart of gold and delivers a warm, affecting performance with a good sense of humour and use of body language. Jhansi is as expressive as ever, acing the Telangana slang like a queen without missing the core emotion of the character.
Also Read – Touch Me Not Review – Half-Baked Crime Thriller
Analysis
Also Read – Chhorii 2 Review: Underwhelming Sequel, Works in Parts
It’s always refreshing when a show arrives without expectations and takes audiences by storm. 90s, on ETV Win, trying to replicate the feel-good sit-com flavour of Amrutham was that storm in 2024. Despite having no notable faces beyond Sivaji and Vasuki, it tapped into a bygone era with fondness, capturing the bittersweet nothings in the lives of its characters with a liberal dose of humour.
Simply put, Hometown, directed by Srikanth Reddy Palle, coming from the makers of 90s themselves (backed by Naveen Medaram), is an attempt to create another clone of the latter for a different OTT platform. When the main effort is to ensure a replica (of a hit show) rather than striving to do anything original, it is only natural that it’ll yield mixed results. Hometown has different faces and a new backdrop, but the 90s hangover is too apparent to ignore.
Also Read – Adrishyam 2 Review: Basic But Engaging Espionage Drama
Cashing in on the fascination for the rural Telangana setting, Hometown tells the story of an ordinary family in a village, mirroring their dreams, mundanity, and how they rise above several constraints to lead happy lives. The show, told through the eyes of two teenagers on the cusp of adulthood, is set in the late 2000s, encapsulating everything from the rise of social media to their love for cinema, cricket, academic ambitions and trivial joys.
The son, Srikanth, is the happy-go-lucky sibling, good at heart but barely scraping past his exams, finding newer ways to get out of trouble. The sister Jyothi, also his classmate, is the more responsible child. Yet, the father’s priority is to get the daughter married and send the son to the US (without considering their likes/dislikes). Meanwhile, it also raises a toast to teenage crushes, wet dreams, unexpressed desires and middle-class struggles.
The show goes too far to establish the innocence of the characters, romanticising how ‘ignorance’ is indeed bliss and can result in unexpectedly pleasant memories. The episode about how Srikanth and his pals skip an entrance exam to visit Chiranjeevi in Hyderabad at a studio, claiming they’re his FB friends, stretches the elastic too much. The formulaic scenes on fake certificates and forged mark sheets create a similar effect.
Time and again, you’re reminded about the sacrifices the parents make to raise the children while giving up on their dreams and little luxuries. Though the intentions are noble and the performances are quite good, Hometown treads a familiar territory and lacks freshness beyond a point. It becomes so convenient for directors to seek refuge in nostalgia that they forget to give it a new spin according to changing times.
While the subplot about Srikanth’s crush Sameera is lazily written, the last episode, in particular, is impressive, where every character gets their closure, and there’s adequate focus on intergenerational clashes (how sometimes parents take their children for granted). It showcases why ‘Hometown’ is an emotion of a kind, as youngsters chase greener pastures and move to different cities and countries in pursuit of livelihood.
Hometown is an easy watch but you’ll like it better only if you have not watched 90s.
Performances by Others Actors
The all grown up Annie, who made a mark with Rajanna, essays the submissive yet ambitious daughter in the family with ease. One wishes her role was fleshed out even better. Prajwal Yadma is certainly the find of the show, cast as the goofy son with a boundless love for films. He has a sharp screen presence and shares a playful camaraderie with his on-screen friends U Sai Ram and Anirudh Bhaskar.
Music and Other Departments?
Suresh Bobbili is at home in a space (rural Telangana) quite familiar to him, and his music has just enough freshness to match the vibrancy of the characters and the feel-good tone of the show. Devdeep Gandhi’s cinematography, though nothing out of the blue or innovative, fits the bill for Hometown with earthy visuals. Srikanth Reddy Palle, the director, fares better than the writer in him. Art director Gandhi Nadikudikar and costume designer do enough to maintain the authenticity in the setting.
Highlights?
Breezy viewing, easy watch
Good performances
Relatable, nostalgic and funny
Drawbacks?
Offers nothing new
Patchy writing
Desperate replica of 90s
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
If you don’t mind anything on the lines of the 90s
Home Town Telugu Series Review by M9
