18 Pages (2022) Telugu Movie Review

Starring: Nikhil Siddhartha, Anupama Parameswaran, Dinesh Tej, Ajay, Posani Krishna Murali, Brahmaji, Sarayu Roy

Director: Palnati Surya Pratap

Producer: Bunny Vas

Music Director: Gopi Sundar

Cinematography: A. Vasanth

Editor: Naveen Nooli

Nikhil and Anupama Parameswaran, who scored a mighty blockbuster with Karthikeya 2, has again paired for 18 Pages. Director Sukumar penned the film’s plot, and it is directed by Surya Pratap. The film has hit the screens today, and let’s see how it is.

Story: Siddhu (Nikhil Siddharth), an app developer loves a girl but she cheats on him. This pushes Siddhu into depression and during this he comes across Nandhini’s (Anupama Parameswaran) diary on a road. Siddhu starts reading it and slowly he falls for her. Siddhu learns many interesting facts about Nandhini and when he tries to meet her a big twist comes into the tale. What is it? Did he meet her? Did Siddhu express his feelings for Nandhini? This forms the crux of the film.

Plus Points: A few films have come in the past in which the lead pair falls for each other without meeting. 18 Pages fall in the same category and the makers succeed in showcasing the romantic aspect fairly. In these modern times, it is difficult to showcase love without having combo scenes of the lead pair, but Sukumar’s plot has good moments which makes the audience engaged.

One can feel the chemistry between Nikhil and Anupama though they don’t meet till the very end. The writing here is well-balanced with fun and love portions. Songs drive the narrative and they are well-placed with meaningful lyrics. The director has designed the first half in a breezy and simple manner with good comedy portions. The climax again is sweet and simple which worked well.

Nikhil once again has chosen a different script and the actor has given a neat performance. He is too good in the funny sequences and the emotional scenes showcase the actor inside him. Anupama Parameswaran is natural in Nandhini’s role and one roots for her character from her first scene. She is convincing as a small-town girl and her scenes are well-written.

Sarayu gets a good full-length role and does well. Also, a few important social aspects like how social media and mobiles are affecting human bonding and interactions are portrayed quite nicely. There is a small sequence where Nikhil says one needs to give their time to their aged parents which has inner depth.

Minus Points: While the first half is quite endearing with good magical moments, the graph drops in the second half. The proceedings are quite slow here and the moments are underwhelming. Naturally one expects a solid second half but the way things turn out is not much impressive.

There is a suspense factor involved with Anupama’s character which becomes very generic after a point in time. The flashback is pretty routine and the momentum is not maintained during this particular episode. The thrilling elements lack punch and hence the film turns monotonous in places. Ajay and Shatru’s characters don’t have much significance and they play regular villains.

Technical Aspects: Every song in the film is well composed by Gopi Sundar and the background score is also enchanting. The production values are fair, but the editing needed a few improvements, especially in the second half. The cinematography by Vasanth is fine and the songs are nicely picturized. There are a few dubbing issues here and there affecting the viewing experience.

Coming to director Surya Pratap, he did a decent job with the film. He was successful in bringing the best out of the lead pair but could have been a bit cautious regarding the suspense portions and a few key sequences. Director Sukumar has penned a feel-good story and shows his mark in a few junctures.

Verdict: On the whole, 18 Pages is a decent love story that offers a different feel to the viewers. Apart from the exceptional performances of the lead pair, a few relevant topics are also touched upon.

The way the film runs on a light-hearted note for the most part is good. If one can ignore the slightly slow second half and routine flashback portions, the film ends up a decent watch this weekend.

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