100% Love

Sukumar's 2011 Telugu film follows a relationship that begins with a competition to come first at university. The rivalry between Balu and Mahalakshmi continues when they meet again years later; both count backing down as defeat, and love stays inside that stubbornness. The film's interest is how pride makes a relationship impossible and how, in the male character in particular, it turns into a claim of entitlement. Sukumar makes this visible but gives in to the template at the end, untying the knot through the woman's retreat, which weakens the film's own criticism. The rapport between Naga Chaitanya and Tamannaah Bhatia is good. The music and use of colour are lively. Who it's for: viewers who like Telugu romantic comedy and campus stories. Who it's not for: anyone wanting a relationship written as equal, or who will find prolonged stubbornness wearing.