Junior review: Kireeti Reddy's film is a jack of all but king of none

India Today

7 days ago

When one thinks of a commercial entertainer, what comes to mind? A connecting plotline, a strong yet charming protagonist, a little love story, lots of singing and dancing, action sequences to spice things up, an occasion to rise up to, and loads of drama with a dash of twists. When these aspects are mixed in the right proportions, the organic chemical reaction concocts an entertaining film.advertisementWritten and directed by Radha Krishna Reddy, 'Junior', starring debutant Kireeti Reddy in the lead alongside Sreeleela, Genelia Deshmukh and V Ravichandran, has all the aspects of a commercial entertainer mentioned above. However, finding the right balance between all of them is where the sweet spot lies. Has the team managed to hit the right spot? Let's find out!Abhi, short for Abhinav (Kireeti), enters college as a junior, running away from his father Kodanda's (Ravichandran) unconditional - and sometimes overwhelming - love. While Abhi's way of living life gets established through his friends narrating their college experiences, the real story begins when Abhi joins an internship at a Fortune 500 company, following his college romance, Spoorthy (Sreeleela).
Vijaya (Genelia) is a terrifying authoritative figure at the company, and Abhi gets in her crosshairs from the very first moment of his journey there. In an attempt to showcase his talents to her, Abhi, while working on a project, uncovers a scam that the company has been party to. What happens when Abhi discloses this information? What actions does the company take to resolve the issue? How many more elements will this film add to its narrative? The answers to these questions - and more - make up the plot of the film.'Junior' is an entertainer, but only in parts. The film is packed with familiar emotional beats - echoes of 'Ranna' or 'Attarintiki Daredi' and 'Murari' can be felt in its family sentiments and the college drama, including the so-called romantic angle with Sreeleela, which is presented in a hashed-out template that is anything but new. While these tropes are used effectively to push the story forward, the film struggles with inconsistencies that bring a noticeable lag to the narrative.Director-writer Radha Krishna Reddy seems to lose grip on his storytelling at regular intervals, resulting in a product that feels uneven and occasionally disjointed. The biggest let-down, however, comes in the climax - what should have been a high point of resolution ends up being underwhelming and anticlimactic, leaving behind a sense of dissatisfaction despite the film's scattered moments of charm.'Junior' has a launch vehicle written all over it, and debutant Kireeti makes the most of the opportunity. He showcases a wide range of talents, bringing a certain swag and almost ballet-like grace to his movements on screen. With this film, the industry has clearly found another exceptional dancer and his athleticism also allows him to pull off complex action choreography with surprising ease and conviction.advertisementWatch the trailer here: In 'Junior', there are some moments where Kireeti's performance is absolutely flat, evidently struggling to match expressions with his experienced co-actors. While his inexperience and lack of commanding screen presence are hard to miss, what stands out is the visible growth in his performance, even within the same film. His noticeable improvement in acting proficiency from one scene to another speaks of his promising potential.Sreeleela, either due to the spike in her career or a packed shooting schedule, virtually disappears from the narrative post-interval, only to return for the dream sequence dance number 'Viral Vayari'. Genelia Deshmukh, on the other hand, makes a solid comeback to South Indian cinema with a neatly written role, delivering a composed and impactful performance. Veteran Kannada actor V Ravichandran serves as the emotional anchor of the film, and he brings both warmth and gravitas to the screen, doing full justice to his meaty role.The technical crew of 'Junior' generated considerable buzz ahead of release, boasting top industry names like KK Senthil Kumar handling cinematography, Devi Sri Prasad composing the music, and several other seasoned technicians onboard. However, the output remains strictly average. While the technical aspects do blend with the narrative and serve the film adequately, they lack the spark or innovation one would expect from such a team.Overall, 'Junior' is a mixed bag - an ambitious launchpad that ticks all the boxes of a commercial entertainer but struggles to strike the right balance. It shines in parts, particularly in showcasing Kireeti's potential as a performer, but falters with an inconsistent narrative and underwhelming technical execution. Backed by familiar emotional beats and scattered moments of charm, the film offers a passable theatrical experience, though it never quite rises above the template it so heavily relies on.- Ends2.5 stars out of 5 for 'Junior'