Atithi Devobhava ReviewBOTTOM LINE
Painfully Slow & Boring

OUR RATING
1.25/5

CENSOR
2h 13m, ‘U/A’ Certified.


What Is the Film About?
Abhay (Aadi Saikumar) is raised by a single mother and has monophobia – the fear of living alone. He goes to the extent of killing himself if he is left alone. He has a love failure as a result and falls in love with another girl, Vaishnavi (Nuveksha). The rest is all about the problems he faces due to the problem and for hiding it from Vaishnavi.

Performances
Aadi Saikumar is okay as always. He tries to pull off the character which is petrified sometimes and jovial at other times. But then, as always, he does not showcase anything remarkable or something that stands out. In some places, his face also looks like carrying the burden of his recent failures.


Analysis
Atithi Devobhava is the story of a young man who is suffering from Monophobia. We have seen films like Bhale Bhale Magadivoy and Mahanubhavudu in which the protagonist suffers due to some issues. Such kinds of characters should be completely funny. However, the character of Abhay in Atithi Devobhava is partly funny and partly serious.

However, the fun quotient is very less and even the portions that exist barely work. The character hangs in between somewhere without proper justification. Someone like Sapthagiri was seen everywhere but the comedy does not click. There are a couple of scenes like the Robber track and Drunk and Drive track but they are let down by some insipid writing.

The movie is 133 minutes long but leaves you high and dry like a 3.5-hour film. Right in the first half itself, we feel it so painful. The comedy does not work, the love track is like how did that happen, and the scenes look like are repeating pointlessly.

The second half is a different experience altogether. Right from the start, director Nageshwar gets into the climax mode. We see him getting into the ending portions hurriedly without proper drama. We do not connect to the pain of the protagonist as he gets into trouble due to his phobia. Everything is dragged pointlessly.

The breakup happens and they immediately patch up without any justification. The climax is another forgettable experience with so much predictability. Finally, Atithi Devobhava is a forgettable experience to all those involved and also to the audience who have watched the film.


Others?
Nuveksha is the heroine of the film. She looks pretty ordinary and sports a blank face in many places. Sapthagiri tries to be bubbly as always but is ineffective. Rohini gets a character with substance and is decent in whatever she is given. Aadarsh Balakrishna, Gundu Sudarshan, and Raghu Karumanchi were seen in some pointless roles.

Music and Other Departments?
The newcomer Polimera Nageshwar has disappointed. The movie has the story and dialogues by others and the lack of coordination is clearly visible. Sekhar Chandra’s music is the only saving grace of the film. A couple of melodies are good but do not change the film’s fortunes. The background score is also decent. The camera work has the cheap low-budget impression all over. The film was shot completely in a handful of locations.


Highlights?
Sekhar Chandra’s music to some extent.

Drawbacks?
Endless list.


Did I Enjoy It?
No

Will You Recommend It?
No

Atithi Devobhava Movie Review by Siddartha Toleti