First things first, actor-turned-producer Niharika Konidela deserves a pat for choosing an engaging plot revolving around childhood friends in a village for her production. Similarly, young director Yadu Vamsi deserves kudos for making a gripping film about a bunch of childhood friends who spent their time playing cricket, poking fun and enjoying their lives. In the course, these pals break all the society-driven boundaries like caste and religion and stay united to celebrate friendship. Director nicely captures their first love, cute moments around adolescent boys and girls and then a few disappointments too. Later, the director touches upon reservation in the education system and blames reservation for a lower-caste student, despite his father doing a decent government job. On the other hand, a poor OC candidate is allotted a private college which he can't afford despite scoring top rank in EAMCET. It triggers a conflict between friends and a normal discussion about reservations turns serious and this group is divided as upper and lower caste and local goons also add fuel to fire and emotions flare up which leads to a bloody clash between friends during Goddess festival in the village and it turns tragic. Director making Trinadh Rao to repent for his deeds and him seeking pardon of a lower caste man is the high point of this emotional roller coaster movie and makes it more humane and relatable.
The film begins in a village, where youngster Sandeep Saroj decides to contest the elections for Sarpanch but he is opposed by Saikumar who wants to win this time. Village elders want Sandeep to keep calm until the upcoming Goddess festival and villagers are urged to invite their friends and siblings to the village for the event. Sandeep and Prasad Behera and others disclose their childhood story to his daughter and they recall the best of times they spent with their childhood friends like Yeshwant Pendyala, Trinadh Varma, Eshwar Rachiraju and others and had gala time without any worries and only joy filled days. Sandeep talks about his first love and how he lost her and about his friends too. But now they are awaiting their childhood friends to return to the village after 12 years. They want to reunite since their last festival was tragic and separated the friends big time and Sandeep and others are living in tough times carrying the blame.
All young actors and actresses have done great jobs, while Saikumar, Srilakshmi and Goparaju Ramanna justify their respective roles. Compositions of Anudeep Dev are soulful and his background score sustains the mood of the film. Cinematographer Edurolu Raju captures some pictuquese and lush green fields and falls with ease.
Director Yadu wanted to make a youthful entertainer and picked a reservation issue to drive the movie forward and he succeeded. He takes the audience into a nostalgic trip as many could recollect their joyful childhood days near water ponds and lush green fields. He deserves kudos for making a hard-hitting film questioning the depleting opportunities for students from OC and how the merit has been buried by the system. He didn't compromise to add love story and other usual cinematic cliches yet he strikes hard by giving many characters their space and relevance in the script.
