BOTTOM LINE
Simple Story, Honest Feel
RATING
2.75/5
CENSOR
U/A, 1h 56m
What Is the Film About?
Ramesh (Thiruveer) is a photographer who runs a small all-purpose shop that works as a photo studio and Xerox copy centre right opposite a Gram Panchayat office. Hema is an officer working there and they love each other, but don’t express it.
While all the love shenanigans happen between Ramesh and Hema, a normal couple, Anand and Soundarya have their marriage locked. The couple picks Ramesh as the photographer and has a pre-wedding shoot. The movie is all about what happens when the chip containing their shoot videos and images goes missing.
Performances
Thiruveer is perfect for Ramesh’s character. The actor conveys the small-town feel and rootedness required for the part. He also moves easily from a shy romantic guy to a timid, fearful person. It helps one connect to the role and thereby engage with the narrative.
There are no big sweeping emotional moments here. By and large, we get the small, fun, and tense moments where Thiruveer easily shines and holds things together. The subtlety with which he goes about the things can’t be missed and that’s the best part here.
Teena Shravya is not your conventional beauty. It’s also good that it’s not a typical heroine part even though it’s a romantic interest kind of role. The actress shares neat chemistry without having any overboard moments. It works well for the narrative and makes the whole thing look grounded.
Analysis
Rahul Srinivas writes and directs The Great Pre-wedding Show. It’s a small town, rooted fun movie with a simple story.
The director takes time initially to set up the world. Once again we have a rural Uttar Andhra world here after Subham. However, the characters, story and setting are entirely different here.
A large portion of the first half is devoted to establishing the characters and small moments between them. The main lead track with the montage track or the subplot involving a couple soon to get married takes up most of the time.
The situations here aren’t anything new. The cute hero-heroine moments, or an arranged marriage sequence or the parents of the second pair and their dialogues, these things hold the interest even though nothing exceptional happens. The writing and the casting do the trick.
The actual story begins after the initial half an hour, and it leads neatly to the pre-interval and interval with small twists thrown in. One looks forward to the second half, but also gets a faint idea of what might happen in the second hour.
As expected, the post-intermission parts take a predictable path, but they are engaging nonetheless. The screenplay mirrors the events of the first, but in an opposite way. The way things progress clinically gives the impression of a film school graduate bringing the whole thing together following a formula. Still, it’s engaging and not a knock on the team.
The actual tension in the narrative arrives during the climax and it’s resolved neatly without going over the top. It keeps the feel-good factor intact and ends things on a happy note.
What The Great Pre-wedding Show does here is provide a simple and clutter-free narrative that delivers situational humour. It’s not the laugh out loud kind, but the type that brings chuckle and manages to have a consistent smile, for most of the time, despite a conflict that feels self-inflicted.
The story wouldn’t have continued the way it did if not for the convoluted decision. It feels like it was made to make the story progress instead of coming organically for the character.
Overall, The Great Pre-wedding Show is a simple yet charming small-town-based comedy. The basic hook and characters hold the interest despite the wafer-thin story on offer. If you like rooted fares with grounded fun and drama, do try it.
Performances by Others Actors
Apart from the main lead, another couple essaying Anand and Soundarya’s characters are the movie’s mainstay. They are also likeable and believable in their parts. It’s their emotions that actually drive the main plot in the second half. And then there are parents of these second lead pairs. They are also well cast and make their screen time count.
It’s this casting of the various supporting parts that makes the movie engaging. However, none particularly stand out for their performances, even though they are all good.
Music and Other Departments?
Suresh Bobbili’s music is a major asset to the film. The songs that go well with the movie’s flow, as well as the background score, neatly elevate the proceedings and provide the right vibe. The sound mixing too is good giving an additional rooted yet trendy feel.
K Soma Sekhar’s cinematography is neat and adequate. The visuals look clean and capture the small-town space well. Naresh Adupa’s editing adds to the simple tone. The scenes look crisp, sharp and also don’t feel rushed at times. The writing is fine and consistent throughout.
Highlights?
Casting
Music And BGM
Second Half
Drawbacks?
Thin Storyline
Wantedly Convoluted In Parts
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, The Characters and Milieu Bring A Freshness Even If It’s A Simple Story.
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, But Have The Simple Storyline in Mind and Not Expect A Crazy laugh-out-loud movie.
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The Great Pre-Wedding Show Telugu Movie Review by M9
