Ishq

Rahul boards a flight to Hyderabad. Because of the weather the plane lands in Goa and the passengers wait there. Priya is on the same flight. An unexpected delay keeps them in the same place and they meet. Then they part, then meet again, and a relationship begins. The hard part is her family; Priya's brother believes he has full authority over his sister's life and says plainly that anyone who objects will have to face him. Vikram Kumar directs. Nithiin plays Rahul and Nithya Menen plays Priya. It comes from Telugu cinema and the narrative divides in two: the first half romantic comedy, the second direct conflict. That structure was common in the Telugu mainstream of the time; the film changes genre in the middle and the shift is abrupt. The character played by Nithya Menen is written with more resolve than the shape requires, and that is the film's most balanced side. The music is by Anup Rubens and the songs were played a great deal in Telugu that year. The matter the narrative builds is the family's permission; the film shows it as an obstacle and in the end ties it to a traditional resolution. Who it is for: viewers who like Telugu romance. Who it is not for: the violence in the second half is heavy, the change of genre is sudden, and the script is predictable.