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After a three-year hiatus, Nabha Natesh returns to the screen in Darling, starring alongside Priyadarshi. The film has hit theaters today. Dive into our review to see how it fares.

Story:

Raghav (Priyadarshi) dreams of a honeymoon in Paris with his wife, but his life is turned upside down when his bride elopes on their wedding day. Devastated, he contemplates suicide until he meets Anandhi (Nabha Natesh). After sharing his story, he proposes to her, and she agrees to marry him. However, things take a new turn when Raghav learns about Anandhi’s problem. Who is Anandhi? What happened to her? Did they part ways? What did Raghav do next? The answers are revealed in the movie.

Plus Points:

Nabha Natesh embraces a challenging role in this film. Her character demands a wide range of expressions and emotions, and she delivers a fine performance, particularly excelling in a few key scenes.

Priyadarshi shines with his dialogue and the portrayal of a struggling young married man. His nuanced performance stands out in several moments.

Supporting actors Muralidhar Goud, Sunitha Manohar, and others are competent in their roles.

Minus Points:

Despite being promoted as an out-and-out entertainer, the comedy in Darling often falls flat, leaving one wondering if it’s genuinely laugh-worthy.

The main issue lies in the story, which, despite having potential, falls short. The first half runs smoothly with a mix of comedic scenes, but the second half becomes tedious. The latter half is a disjointed mix of serious, comedic, and emotional scenes, lacking depth and revealing several plot holes.

The screenplay collapses in the latter half, and the director’s vision becomes unclear. Some scenes are excruciatingly dull and test the audience’s patience. The implausibility of a person marrying someone they’ve just met and forming an emotional bond so quickly strains credibility.

Though Nabha Natesh attempts a different role, her character’s portrayal of multiple personalities feels awkward and exhausting. Some scenes come off as artificial, lacking authenticity, with a climax that appears outdated.

As a director, Aswin Raam fails to leverage the comedic potential of Brahmanandam, Vishnu, and Krishna Tej. Cameos by Suhas and Niharika have minimal impact.

Technical Aspects:

Aswin Raam’s performance as a writer and director is subpar. A more inventive approach to storytelling and character development could have significantly improved the film. Only a very few dialogues by Sai Hemanth are noteworthy.

Production values are satisfactory, but Vivek Sagar’s music is surprisingly lackluster. The cinematography by Naresh Ramadurai is adequate, while the editing by Pradeep E. Ragav leaves much to be desired, with ample room for improvement.

Verdict:

On the whole, Darling fails to entertain and offers a dull experience. Despite Priyadarshi’s commendable performance and Nabha Natesh’s earnest efforts, the film suffers from a lack of a compelling narrative, failing to deliver as either a romantic comedy or an emotional drama. The inconsistent and tedious second half is a significant drawback, though the film elicits a few laughs. Consider exploring other entertainment options for your weekend.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

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