14

Telugu OTT platform Aha has now come up with a film named Mix Up. It stars Adarsh Balakrishna, Akshara Gowda, Kamal Kamaraju, and Pooja Jhaveri in the lead roles. Let’s see how it is.

Story:

Abhay (Kamal Kamaraju) and Nikki (Akshara Gowda) are life partners, but their marital life is filled with many issues. Abhay couldn’t satisfy Nikki’s sexual expectations, which is why problems arise between them. On the other hand, there is another couple, Saaho (Adarsh Balakrishna) and Mythili (Pooja Jhaveri). Mythili opines that married life is not just about having sex but is about having compatibility and emotional attachment with the partner. On the advice of a psychologist, the couples go to Goa on a holiday. The Goa trip changes their lives completely. What happened next? Did the couples sort out their issues? This is the crux of the story.

Plus Points:

The core idea of Mix Up is sensible. The movie emphasizes that there should be emotional attachment and compatibility between the partners for the relationship to be successful. A few dialogues written for Pooja Jhaveri’s character are good.

Mix Up starts with a note that previously, couples used to live together for the sake of their families, but it isn’t the same in this day and age. This is somewhat true. Lead actors Adarsh Balakrishna, Pooja Jhaveri, Akshara Gowda, and Kamal Kamaraju tried their best to salvage this film.

Minus Points:

Mix Up is an example of how a film with a valid and contemporary concept can go wrong. It tries to explore the emotional landscapes and complexities present in modern-day relationships, but it fails to portray them in an appealing manner. There are two couples who are grappling with their issues in married life, but we don’t get to see enough of the same to connect to the characters. The world-building is pretty bad.

There isn’t enough drama in the narrative for us to get invested in the film. Everything happens in a haste, and the film ends in a hurried manner. Hence, it feels like the movie is more of an extended short film. Two characters ditch their partners, and the ones who get cheated become close and emotionally attached because they are going through a similar mess. The same is described just orally, and the written material lacks the depth to present it convincingly.

Had the writing team properly handled Kamal Kamaraju and Pooja Jhaveri’s track, Mix Up would have conveyed its intended message perfectly. The lead actors’ characterizations are poorly designed, and Kamakshi Bhaskarla is wasted in a role that lacks any significance.

Technical Aspects:

The majority of the film takes place in a single location, and the visuals by Dinesh K Babu are neat. Kamran and Kausik Subrahmanya’s music is just about okay. We can’t complain much about the music since the scenes lack strength. The same goes for editing as well. The production values are fine.

Despite having a relatable concept, Mix Up doesn’t work mainly because of the execution. Aakash Bikki should have focused more on character developments and emotional moments in the narrative. The film remains at the surface level for the most part, and the screenplay lacks strong drama.

Verdict:

On the whole, Mix Up deals with a contemporary subject, but the narrative lacks substance, and the characterizations are weakly designed. Adarsh Balakrishna, Akshara Gowda, Kamal Kamaraju, and Pooja Jhaveri tried to elevate the film with their performances, but the writing didn’t let them shine. The struggle and pain of the characters aren’t depicted well. The proceedings are rushed, leaving no space for emotional moments. What otherwise could have been a proper youthful entertainer is brought down by the lackluster presentation.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.25/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team