Review: Oru Devuda is a decent rom-com with engaging second half

Hyderabad: Vishwak Sen starrer 'Ori Devuda' hit the screens on 21 October. This film is a Telugu remake of the Tamil film 'Oh My Kadavule'. Ashwath Marimuthu directed the original and the remake too. Venkatesh Daggubati plays a key role in the film.

Here is the review:

The story revolves around two childhood friends Arjun Durgaraj (Vishwak Sen) and Anu Paulraj (Mithila Palkar). On Anu's request, Arjun marries her and starts a new life. But the twist in the tale occurs when Arjun develops feelings for his school senior Meera (Asha Bhat). Eventually, Arjun files for divorce, but Anu faints in the court due to the intervention of God (Venkatesh). The almighty gives Arjun a second chance to resurrect his life. What happens next forms the crux of the story.

Viswak Sen is impressive and has done pretty well in emotional scenes, showing an ample amount of variation in his character. Venkatesh, as usual, rocks the show with his ever-charming acting. He is the biggest asset of the film. Mithila Palkar does well as a chirpy girl who is full of life. Her acting is impressive in the climax. Asha Bhat gets a good role in the film and she is impressive. Also, her dancing deserves a special mention.

Leon James' music and BGM are pleasant. The camerawork by Vidhu Ayyana is good and so are the production values. Editing should have been a bit better as 15 minutes could have been chopped off easily. Director Ashwath Marimuthu has done a decent job with the remake. His engaging narration in the second half is a major plus point.

Though the film's story is predictable, the director brilliantly gives a fantasy touch. Also, Venkatesh's god character steals the show and adds novelty to the film. His body language and looks are perfect and stand as a major asset of the film. The second half is engaging with a mix of joy and emotions. Mainly, comedy punches written by Tharun Bhascker evoke good laughs.

The film takes a lot of time to get to the plot. It is only after the interval that the actual story unfolds. If the director had focused a little more on the screenplay, the impact of the first half would have been a lot better on the audience. A few scenes in the second half lack the punch, and this is when the film becomes slightly dull.

On the whole, 'Ori Devuda' is a decent rom-com that offers engaging drama in the second half. If you could bear the lag in the first half, then the movie is a watchable rom-com this weekend.