Middle Class Melodies

Vinod Anantoju's 2020 Telugu film follows Raghava, who runs a breakfast stall in his village. He wants to open a small restaurant in the city, and against his father's wishes plans to buy an old shop with a friend. The shop belongs to the father of the woman he loves. Rather than make that coincidence into drama, the narrative treats it as an ordinary obstacle; all the film's tension comes out of small calculations and conversations inside the family. Anand Deverakonda leads. The narrative manufactures no heroism; Raghava's mistakes are left uncorrected and success is not guaranteed. Small-town life is shown in detail and the humour is unforced. Who it's for: those who like quiet Telugu realist drama. Who it's not for: viewers looking for a driven narrative; the film never moves beyond everyday events.