AAY Movie Review, Rating: Few Funs, Few Flaws

Coinciding with Independence Day, NTR's brother-in-law Narne Nithin-starrer Aay hit the screens. It is competing with star-studded films like Ravi Teja's Mr Bachchan and Ram Pothineni's Double iSmart. With Mr Bachchan and Double iSmart garnering negative to mixed reviews, does small film Aay score better this I-Day? Let’s delve into the details.

Plot:

Karthik (Narne Nithin), a software engineer in Hyderabad, returns to his hometown, Pasarlapudilanka, to work remotely for a few months. During his stay, he falls for Pallavi (Nayan Sarika), a local girl. While Pallavi reciprocates his feelings, she withdraws when she learns they belong to different castes. The narrative then explores the reasons behind Pallavi's hesitation and whether they can overcome societal barriers to be together.

Performances:

Narne Nithin, in his second outing, seems to be playing it safe with yet another story focused on friendships. However, his performance falls short, especially in the emotional and romantic scenes, where he struggles to convey the necessary depth and conviction. Despite his dancing skills, his acting lacks the finesse needed to truly engage the audience. Nayan Sarika, while steady, delivers a performance that feels more like coasting through her role rather than making a lasting impact.

Rajkumar Kasireddy steals the show with his impeccable comedic timing, which adds much-needed energy to the film. Ankith Koyya also shines in his comedic moments, particularly in scenes with Rajkumar. However, Vinod Kumar's role, though impactful, is disappointingly limited and fails to fully utilize his talent. Mime Gopi, cast as Pallavi’s father, is another missed opportunity, as his poorly written character leaves little room for him to make a significant impression.

Technical Aspects:

The music by Ram Miriyala & Ajay Arasada stands out as one of the film’s few strong points, with songs that are both pleasing to the ear and visually captivating. The background score effectively enhances the film's mood. Cinematographer Sameer Kalyani deserves praise for beautifully capturing the scenic locations of the Godavari districts, particularly in the 'Sufiya' song. However, the film suffers from weak editing by Kodati Pavan Kalyan, especially in the second half, where the lack of a tighter narrative becomes glaringly obvious.

Analysis:

Director Anji K Maniputhra’s debut effort in Aay showcases his comedic sensibilities, but the heavy influence of Jathiratnalu is hard to ignore. The film’s core, which focuses on love and friendship between people from different castes, is a promising premise. However, the director's over-reliance on humor detracts from the serious and emotional undertones that such a story demands.

The first half of the film may be filled with laughs, but it falters as it approaches the interval, losing momentum and becoming bogged down by repetitive and dragged-out sequences. The narrative only regains some seriousness during the pre-climax and climax, but by then, the damage is done. The film, which had the potential to become a cult classic, instead ends up as a missed opportunity, failing to rise above the level of a decent entertainer.

Positives:

Comedy Sequences

Engaging Climax

Songs & Background Score

Negatives:

Lack of Seriousness in Key Moments

Weak Chemistry Between the Lead Pair

Pacing Issues in the Initial 45 Minutes of the Second Half

Verdict: Aay – A Film That Could Have Been So Much More