‘Bubblegum’ movie review: An imperfect but interesting film about young love and aspirations

Roshan Kanakala and Maanasa Chaudhary in director Ravikanth Perepu’s Telugu film ‘Bubblegum’

The Telugu film Bubblegum opens with its male protagonist using his bike on a flyover within the newer a part of Hyderabad; he’s shirtless and his physique language displays ache and rage. Yet one other portrayal of masculine aggression and a romance narrated with a male gaze? Writer and director Ravikanth Perepu refrains from strolling that straightforward path. Instead, he narrates a narrative of young city love that tries to chop throughout class variations, aspirations and insecurities and questions if love alone is sufficient to bridge the hole. The title is just not a sign of candyfloss romance. It stands for a way romance, candy at first, can get sticky like a bubblegum, robust to get rid off even if you wish to.

The great thing about Hyderabad lies within the many worlds it encompasses — the heritage-steeped Old City in distinction to the upscale new parts of town with its MNCs, gated communities and nightclubs. Ravikanth’s protagonists hail from these polar reverse corners of town. 

There is a lived-in heat with which Sai Aditya aka Adi (debutant Roshan Kanakala)’s decrease middleclass setting within the Old City space is portrayed. His father (Jayram Eeshwar) has a hen stall and mom (Bindu Chandramouli) is a homemaker. Growing up in a Dakhni-speaking family, Adi is a DJ who desires of acting at Tomorrowland. When Adi’s path crosses that of Jhanvi (Maanasa Chaudhary) whose conversations with buddies are about the crepes she had at Prague and the watery beer at Germany’s Oktoberfest, each their worlds flip the other way up.

While Adi’s aspirations, humiliation and the proverbial rising from the ashes is the spine of the story, appreciably Bubblegum doesn’t villainise the feminine protagonist. The narrative displays each their insecurities and outlook in direction of life. It understands that each of them are 22, on the brink of exploring a complete new world. 

The conversations Adi has together with his buddies from his neighbourhood exhibits they’re conscious of their limitations and that they might not get too fortunate in love. Jhanvi’s good friend, in distinction, asks her if she is looking out for an additional ‘boy toy’ when she takes a liking to Adi. Their meals selections additionally delineate their privilege. While he devours mutton and hen biryani, she is vegan! Sricharan Pakala makes use of an operatic rating when the couple devours vegan risotto.

The preliminary conferences and romance are depicted with a burst of colors in each body, as if extrapolating the psychedelic lights on the nightclubs. Suresh Ragutu’s visible palette is exuberant for many a part of the film, in tune with young romance. Sricharan’s background rating is joyous, nearly giddy, treating the romance like a musical. There can be a beneficiant sprint of humour, notably via the character of Jayram Eshwar. He is a welcome addition to on-screen fathers in Telugu cinema and the enjoyable strains between him and Adi hold the drama in a cheery zone. Beneath that humour can be a mild, effectively that means  father-son relationship. 

When we get to know extra of Adi and Jhanvi’s worlds, and what has formed their way of living, we all know the indicators of attainable discord. Privilege, for Jahnvi, comes not solely from her monetary scenario but additionally from her mother and father’ (Harshavardhan and Anu Hasan) outlook in direction of partnership and marriage. Ravikanth exhibits how each the units of oldsters, divided by their monetary equations, are very a lot benevolent in direction of their kids’s selections.

Hence, the eventual friction between Adi and Jhanvi arises primarily from their very own misgivings. Bubblegum doesn’t maintain again from exploring the tough zones in a relationship.

The film is an interesting exploration of young city romance with all its fallacies. We see him making an attempt to suit into her world and later, the tables are turned. The drama in direction of the later parts is overdrawn and a few of the conflicts appear repetitive, although they serve to deal with the query of whether or not love alone is sufficient. The character transformations in direction of the top additionally really feel rushed. However, a number of smaller segments add vibrancy to the narrative. Take as an example how Adi’s deft strikes on the DJ console are contrasted by his nifty actions on the butcher’s desk, chopping meat.

Apart from the writing and the music, the performances work within the film’s favour. Roshan Kanakala is a cocktail of confidence and vulnerability in his debut outing. He has a boy subsequent door manner and holds promise. Maanasa is convincing in her portrayal of privilege but additionally brings within the required sensitivity within the later parts. Harshavardhan, Anu Hasan, Bindu Chandramouli, and a few of the actors within the components of buddies additionally match the invoice.

Bubblegum is much from excellent, but it has sparks of individuality that makes it stand out from the litter.

Bubblegum is at present operating in theatres