Beauty - the beholder

Beauty

2025, Telugu 

Director: J S S Vardhan

Stars: Ankith Koyya, Nilakhi Patra, Naresh, Nithin Prasanna

Mohan's Measure ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

The eye of the beholder. A movie about young romance and coming of age is given an interesting twist when seen from the perspective of adults.

Naresh plays Narayana, a middle class Uber driver and doting father to his teenage daughter. He begs and borrows to keep her happy, at times even putting his reputation at stake. His wife supports him, but often with much chagrin. 

But, the bittersweet callings of youth make the daughter, Alekhya (Nilakhi Patra), show little in the way gratitude or respect.  So, when the time is ripe, she runs off with her beau, Arjun (Ankith Koyya), in search of a romantic pipedream in the Big City.

But, not all is wine and roses for the young couple nor we as an audience, as both are carefully and meticulously led into a dangerous world.

Mr. Koyya is in style in his role as Arjun, an bright eyed young man hopelessly in love with his pampered princess, and equally frustrated by the world as it is. 

But, there is an unexpected catch to it all, and the intensity of the acting and subtle clues make for a hard hitting conclusion.

For as the saying goes, having is never quite as pleasurable as wanting.