College Kalavida Movie Review: A predictable campus drama with fleeting sparks

Rather than etching a lasting impression, the film follows well-trodden paths—pleasant to observe, yet seldom surprising

Sanjay Malavalli’s College Kalavida wears its heart on its sleeve—but somewhere along the way, forgets to be convinving. Cloaked in the energy of youthful pursuits, the film sets out on familiar terrain: campus romances, group loyalties, and the tipping point where dreams collapse. It begins with flair, but soon gets caught in a narrative loop.

Director: Sanjay Malavalli

Cast: Aarav Surya, Chaitra Lokanath, Huli Karthik, and Harini Srikanth

Fronting the story is Arya (Aarav Surya), a campus painter with a quiet charm, bound to his mother and loyal to his gang. The arrival of Sarika (Chaitra Lokanath), a transfer student with quiet resolve, tilts Arya’s world into colour. Their bond begins with playful tension and slides into affection, paced through shared glances, earnest exchanges, and hushed confessions.

What begins as a sunlit campus tale takes a grim detour when Arya is thrown behind bars—implicated in a drug scandal that stains his future and fractures his relationship. The script jolts from gentle to grim, but the tonal shift feels more mechanical than earned. What follows is not a journey through time, but one through trauma—of a boy pushed into silence and rage, now searching for answers and for the girl who once believed in him.

The film tries to graft a cautionary thread about narcotics in educational institutions and the institutional indifference that feeds injustice. The concept has merit, but the storytelling struggles to elevate it. Rather than dig deep, the film coasts on surface-level conflict, choosing dramatic excess over emotional truth.

The early rhythm works—the first half is paced well, brisk yet immersive. But as the plot thickens, the writing loses its edge. It turns to clichés, pulling emotional levers rather than crafting meaningful turns. Dialogues become declarations, and characters stop evolving—they begin reacting.

Aarav Surya is earnest. His portrayal has restraint, especially in moments of emotional shutdown. Chaitra Lokanath, though convincing, is underutilised. Her arc disappears into the shadows of Arya’s journey, offering little by way of agency or growth. Supporting roles played by Harini Srikanth and even Huli Karthik do little to alter the trajectory, though Ramesh Bhat’s brief presence brings depth that lingers.

Technically, the film checks boxes without reinventing any. The visuals offer colour without texture. The background score swells when it should whisper. The campus, though vibrant, never feels lived-in.

College Kalavida plays it safe, even when it has every reason to roar. It touches on themes that demand grit—compromised youth, systems that fail, love under siege—but backs away before it bruises. It doesn’t falter from a lack of heart but from an unwillingness to challenge its own comfort zone.

Rather than etching a lasting impression, the film follows well-trodden paths—pleasant to observe, yet seldom surprising. Still, it’s a sincere attempt to marry youthful storytelling with a social pulse, even if it stops short of pushing the boundaries it hints at.