Movie: Geetha Govindam
Cast: Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna, Subba Raju, Vennela Kishore
Director: Parasuram (Bujji)
Rating: 3/5
Geetha Govindam explores a light-hearted love story featuring Vijay Deverakonda as Vijay Govind, a college lecturer, who was raised with ideas about culture and his thoughts shaped by the discourses in Sanatana Dharma by renowned speaker Chaganti Koteswarara Rao. For instance, he admires the love story of Senapathy and Amrithavalli from Bharatheeyudu (1996) and harps on how the latter manages to comprehend everything before her husband asks her.
Likewise, he dreams about a future where he would be married to a girl, who understands him well and would be his everything. He finds the love of his life in Geetha (Rashmika Mandanna) at a temple and eventually likens her to his late mother. Turns out, all his dreams were shattered by one unpardonable mistake, goaded by his friend Ramakrishna (Rahul Ramakrishna) and Geetha perceives him as a flirt and loathes him to his astonishment. The rest is about how Vijay shows his remorse, redeems his love and his character.
The film’s first half breezes by effortlessly between Vijay’s inimitable style and comedy including an uproarious bus scene, taunts of Rashmika, the sequences which present him in a pitiful situation as the girl makes things miserable for him. At the same time, director Prasuram (Bujji) has wonderfully drawn a fine line to showcase the complexities a girl goes through when she sees an unacceptable video clip sent by Vijay’s student. These heartfelt and well-meaning situations touch a chord because they are relatable and also makes us empathise with the characters which are fleshed out competently.
There are many surprises in the way that the plot unfolds in the second hour. At the same time, this hour teeters on melodrama with convenient coincidences and sappy sentiment. The director tried to replace the subtlety in the first hour by overstating. Despite its shortcomings, for the most part, these are characters you’ll be happy to stay with.
Vijay and Rashmika are the heart and soul of the film and they have arrived with pitch-perfect expressions and superlative performances. Their chemistry works like a charm and the sequences involving them plays to the gallery. Vijay’s measured histrionics, the spot-on comic timing makes him likeable. A scene in the film’s penultimate scene where he delivers an emotional speech with Subba Raju will likely tear you up. In another scene, on the beach shore, is evidence of how seamlessly he can turn on the charm. The final act where he brazenly convinces Geetha will leave the audience in splits. Vennela Kishore is back with a bang and his conversation with Rahul Ramakrishna is a delight to watch. The way he taunts his grandmother (played by Annapurna) is riotous. Subba Raju, Annapurna and Abhay Betiganti add the right touch of humour as well. Gopi Sundar’s music brings life to the film and the much-talked-about Inkem…inkem kavali…was picturised well, so were other numbers.
In all, Geetha Govindam is a breezy entertainer that’s got its heart in the right place. The film delivers on all its promises. Go watch it for the lead pair’s spectacular chemistry and performances.
— Murali Krishna CH
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