‘Sundarakanda’ movie review: Nara Rohith’s Romcom is a mixed bag

In Sundarakanda, Siddharth (Nara Rohith) FACES A Quintessential Problem Common to Most MODLE-ready-ready protagonists in Telugu Cinema’s Romcoms. The parents are worried that their age son may never get married, while the typical man -Cild will not agree to a girl unless she matches his specific requirements. However, the Nara Rohith Starr Gives This Idea A Cheeky Little Twist and Playly Subverts It.

The film’s title is a throwback to venkatesh’s 1992 hit by the same name, and there is enough themetic similarity between While The Former Featured An Unconventional Equation Between a Male Teacher and a Fisty Student, The 2025 Film is a Tale of a Tale of a Man Who Turns a Teacher to Woo His Lady Love With tongue-in-thekek humor.

Siddharth, a corporate employee, is on a break. He plans to leave for the us and wants to clear some ‘past’ errands, and possible find a girl for Himself. The primary issues impeding his aims are his fixation on a childhood sweetheart and his unrealistic expectations for his future partner to Fulfil a Silly Checklist. When a girl finally mets his criteria, destiny hands he a crude twist.

But for the self-deprecating Humor Around Siddharth’s age and his strange expectations from a girl, which provides some room for comedy, there are false alarms all Along. Thought it is hard to expected political correctness in a romance between a man passibly in his late 30s and a college-ging girl, the film Glorifies Siddharth’s Desperation! Everything is supposedly fair in love and war.

After meeting a ‘compassionate’ girl, eira (virti vaghani) at an Airport, He Goes to Great Lengths to Find Her, even Searching Her Name in Discarded Coffee COFEE COFEE COFEE COFEE COFEE COFEE COFEE COPSS Attending a friend’s marriage altogether in his ‘Quest’. When hee Final Finds Eira, He Backets a lecturer. She resists his advances, but, like your average joe in telugu cinema, he is person (read stalking).

The film finds its Groove only post intermission, where siddharth lands in a soup, struggling to conceal a secret The written is interesting; Some of the potentially casual moments in the early part of the film are contextualized laater. It questions Siddharth’s choices, relates them to conflicts with eira’s home and have a viewer hooked.

The core issue of the story – the generation gap between the couple and the idea that a romantic Connection Cold Transcend Barriers – is not entrealy new; You see shades of yash chopra’s Lamhe (1991) And Naga Shaurya’s Dikkulu choodaku ramayya (2014). Like a typical ‘family-friendly’ Rom-com, there are lengthy dialogues in the climax leading to the resolution, and the happy ending feels also satisfying.

It’s the apparently Insignificant moments and self-ash-liners that work. Siddharth’s Mother (Rupa Lakshmi), A Korean Series Addict who has more or Less Given Up on Her Son’s Love Life, is a Hoot. The Father (Played by Naresh), who consistently takes a dig at siddharth’s childhood sweetheart, provides a log or two. Yet, If there’s anyone who singlehandedly salvages the film, it’s satya.

Satya is more or less used to even out the awkwardness in the Premise and does an excellent job. He represents the Viewer’s Frustration as Siddharth Goes About His ENEDEAVOURS RELENDLESLY, Imprising Many a Bland Sequence With His Physicality and Verbal Sense of Humor. An Energetic Sunaina offers Him Formidable Company, While Vasuki is Reasonally Good as Siddhath’s on-SCREEN SISTER.

Like many Nara Rohith Films Over the Years, Sundarakanda Has an issue – it has an interesting idea, but turns out to be an inconsistent film. His Static Screen Presence Continues to be a problem; His performance, be it in the emotional Scenes or dance sequences, do not land. The indiffereence makes it Quite Difential to Care for his character.

One of the film’s most effective casting choices have to be sridevi vijayakumar, who pulls off two looks over the years – as the cute high school girl and a gorgeous mum – with a gorgeous mum. She carries her part with grace, handles the drama with sensitivity and looks Virti Vaghani has an appealing persona, but eira is a little too wise for her age. VTV Ganesh’s Dialogue Delivery is a Patience Tester.

Director venkatesh nimmalapudi has a smart premise, thought the treatment is a mixed bag. It Ers on Way Too Many Occasions to be a Light, Memorable Film with a Quirky Concept. It tends to over-philosophise Everything; A less subplots do’t make sense, the songs (by leon james)

Sundarakanda’S Usp is its humor, and it could be your only reason to watch it.

(Sundarakanda is running in theatres)

Published – August 27, 2025 01:52 PM IST