Oohalu Gusagusalade

Srinivas Avasarala's 2014 Telugu film follows Venky, who wants to be a newsreader. His boss Uday will not give him the position; then Uday asks for Venky's help in impressing a woman and the two men form an odd partnership. The humour comes from that partnership not working. Venky steers his boss with the lines he writes, but the woman is a character beyond both of them; the narrative builds her as someone making her own decisions rather than as a prize. It is Avasarala's first work as a director and he appears in a supporting role. The tone is light, the cast small and the songs sit inside the narrative. The outsized gestures customary in Telugu romantic comedy are absent. Who it's for: those who like quiet Telugu romantic comedy. Who it's not for: viewers looking for high energy; the film is built on conversation.