Movie review 'Surya vs Surya': Good subject, but the second half falls flat

Cast: Nikhil, Tridha Choudhury, Thanikella Bharani, Satya and Madhubala
Director: Karthik Ghattamaneni
Rating: Two and a half stars

Nikhil, who chose very different subjects for his last two films, saw them become blockbusters. And now, there has been a lot of hype and curiosity around his latest film Surya vs Surya, with which Karthik Ghattamaneni, a cinematographer, is making his debut as a director. And here’s how the film goes… Surya (Nikhil) is a young man who suffers from a rare disease called Porphyria because of which he cannot bear sunlight falling on his skin.

Excessive exposure to sunlight could be fatal so he stays at home in the daytime and comes out only at night. He joins a night college for his graduation and there he befriends an old man (Thanikella Bharani) and an autorickshaw driver (Satya). He falls in love with a TV anchor Sanjana (Tridha Choudhury) after watching her show on TV. Once she comes to know about his disease she breaks up with him. The rest of the story is how Surya overcomes his problem and gets his love back.

Director Karthik has come up with an innovative subject and has handled it interestingly in the first half. The film’s second half, however, is not executed well and the story drags on with unnecessary scenes. While the director has done a good job by integrating a love story with the protagonist’s unusual circumstances, the messed up second half spoils the film. The second half is quite predictable and even the climax is hurried and looks rather artificial.

When it comes to the performances, Nikhil, has showed his mettle and his acting abilities show remarkable improvement. He has played his character perfectly and looks good. He, in fact, is the plus point for the film. Tridha who made her debut with the film looks beautiful. Thanikella Bharani and Satya as Nikhil’s friends provide some entertainment in the first half, however, in the second half, they go overboard with their performances.

Yesteryear actress Madhubala plays Nikhil’s mother, but the director has not given her much screenspace in the film as she appears in only one good scene. ‘Mast Ali’ as a kidnapper provides comic relief, but some of his scenes seem to drag on. The director has shown the protagonist as a weak person rather than a person trying to resolve an issue.

Technically the film is good as the director is also a cinematographer, so aspects such as the night effects have turned out well. Music, however, is average. On the whole, Surya vs Surya offers some entertainment and has a few interesting moments. Nikhil’s performance is the highlight of the film and the film’s performance depends on whether his charisma can pull the crowds to the theatres.