Brindavanam

Vamshi Paidipally's 2010 Telugu film follows a young man who agrees to pose as his girlfriend's friend's lover and is caught out as the lie grows. Krishna takes on the role of Bhoomi's partner to stop her family looking for a groom, and Bhoomi falls in love with him for real. The film is built as family entertainment: the village mansion, the extended family, action sections and dance numbers arrive in turn. The comedy of the lie works well in the first half; in the second the story slides onto a line of family feud and fight scenes take the comedy's place. The rapport between N. T. Rama Rao Jr. and Samantha Ruth Prabhu is its strongest quality. It runs long. Who it's for: viewers who like mainstream Telugu family films and romantic comedy. Who it's not for: anyone wanting a tightly edited story, or who dislikes long fight sequences.