Crazy Kalyanam Review: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
Crazy Kalyanam has a relatable story and a strong message about girls standing on their own feet. Good performances from Naresh and Anupama help, but a slow first half and weak writing hold it back until a solid finish.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
Language: Telugu
Genre: Family Drama
Cast: Anupama Parameswaran, Naresh, Tharun Bhascker, Akhil Raj
Every father wants the best for his daughter. That simple thought sits at the heart of Crazy Kalyanam, a Telugu family drama set in a village in Telangana. It is an idea almost everyone can connect with, and the film has a good message to share. The problem is how it shares it.
The story follows Parvathalu, played by Naresh, a father of two daughters. His elder daughter married a drunkard, played by Tharun Bhascker, who has no job and keeps bringing shame to the family. Parvathalu is determined that his younger daughter should not suffer the same fate. So he sets out to find a young man from a wealthy family with no bad habits.
His younger daughter Keerthi, played by Anupama Parameswaran, wants something else. She dreams of studying well, getting a good job, and standing on her own two feet. She also likes Uday, played by Akhil Raj, a boy who has followed her since childhood and loves her deeply.
But Uday has no job and does not come from a rich family, and Keerthi knows her father will never agree. When Parvathalu fixes a match with a wealthy family anyway, Keerthi has to make a hard decision.
On paper, this has everything it needs. The core plot is easy to relate to, and the message is a good one. A family’s respect cannot be protected just by finding a rich groom, because a girl’s dignity begins at her own home. The village setting and the Telangana backdrop add flavor, and the cast, with Anupama, Naresh, and Tharun Bhascker, is solid.
But a good idea alone does not make a good film. The writing has to be strong and the storytelling gripping, and that is where Crazy Kalyanam slips. The first 30 minutes move very slowly, as characters are introduced and their goals are explained.
Even the love story between Keerthi and Uday does not feel very interesting. The real story starts when Parvathalu redirects a marriage proposal meant for his elder brother’s daughter to his own house, and from there the film should speed up. Instead, the pace never arrives.
The interval moment lacks energy, and you do not feel curious about what Keerthi will do next. The director tries to add fun through Tharun Bhascker, and without him, the film would be even duller.
The second half has problems too. A track where the heroine takes English classes does nothing but fill time, and the village episodes and the mother’s track do not leave much impact either.
Things improve in the last 30 minutes, which are by far the best part. The scenes built around Naresh bring real intensity, and one long shot of his performance deserves applause. The film ends with a father finally realizing that it is very important for a girl to study and get a job, and the director gets his point across here. A fight added near the end to lift the son-in-law’s image feels forced, though.
On performances, Anupama gets the Telangana accent right and shows she understands her character, paying attention to small details. Naresh is a perfect fit as Parvathalu and carries the film on his shoulders at times. Akhil Raj has good screen presence and suits love stories well. Tharun Bhascker has plenty of room for comedy, but the film does not use it enough.
Technically, the camera work is neat, though the editing should have been sharper, and there are too many songs.
In the end, the director’s intentions are honest, but the film needed a more careful script. The final half hour and Naresh’s strong turn save it to some extent.
If you want a big star film after this, our explainer on the Jailer 2 ending breaks down Rajinikanth’s surrender and Vidya Balan’s escape, and you can also read whether there will be a Jailer 3. For something much more intense, our review of Prahaar covers Rajkummar Rao’s gripping courtroom drama on 26/11.
Crazy Kalyanam is now playing in theatres.