Telugu cinema’s fascination for jilted loverboys in the past couple of years needs to be formally studied. Since the release of Arjun Reddy, which came out seven years ago, the number of stories with a broken man at the centre (and a woman responsible for it) is just too overwhelming to ignore. On the surface, Vikram Reddy’s Roti Kapda Romance is no different.
While it imbibes a frothy, lighter mood, the film nonetheless follows the emotional arc of its four male leads, tracking their heartache and coping mechanisms—even as you long to see the perspective of women characters, who rarely get to tell their own stories, at least in Telugu cinema.
And yet, this is where the film stands apart. While women here are not the protagonists, they are not vilified antagonists of the story either. They are raw, complex human beings with their share of misgivings and mistakes who are thankfully portrayed with as much humanity as their male counterparts, although not being given as much prominence in terms of screen time.
For a large chunk, the film follows a regular template where our protagonists—Harsha, Rahul, Surya and Vicky—go down a path of wallowing in self-pity and alcohol. There are bewildering moments when the narrative seems to side with the aggressive heroes and their problematic behaviour, instead of looking at them critically, while the women are prone to coming across as vamps.
But then, the director surprises you by oscillating between sympathising with his ‘heroes’ and laughing at their self-created hellhole. The lopsided gaze is also partially evened out by a bunch of light moments. In a hilarious sequence, Vicky (Supraj Ranja) returns home only to find Surya (Tarun Ponuganti) spread out on a beanbag, drunk as a skunk, listening to a particularly sentimental 80s love song. It feels so excessively sad that it becomes funny, and this is the energy Roti Kapda Romance needed more of.
There are also many moments where Vikram Reddy displays a certain level-headedness in his portrayal of modern relationship patterns. When Shweta (Megha Lekha) tells a colleague that Vicky is his cousin, we can later see the guilt on her face during the bike ride.
Similarly, when Divya (Nuveksha) sternly tells Surya about accepting a breakup as easily as he accepted her proposal, it’s her perspective that you find rational. When Priya (Sonu Thakur) asks Rahul (Sandeep Saroj) to make up his mind about marital commitment, you see her point. Later, as Priya reveals her reasons for wanting to get married soon, you understand both her perspective and the reasons for her not confiding in Rahul earlier about the same.
These are people dealing with their baggage, following a rational that makes them right in their place. For every confrontational scene between the lovers, you walk away agreeing with the woman. While the film stays with a male perspective, the audience’s empathy largely lies with the female perspective—Roti Kapda Romance is a strange, perplexing film that way.
Sonia (Khushboo Choudhary), in particular, is a refreshing character. Under her conservative appearance and upbringing is a raging sexual drive and a practical mind that sees sexual needs as a practicality, without judging herself for it. At one point, she tells her friend to switch the Arjun Reddy soundtrack off because its sensuality distracts her from her studies. And yet, Sonia’s character journey becomes way too heavy handed for such a film, which is largely about the emotionally volatile youth and how they approach romantic relationships.
(There is also an awkwardly staged anti-abortion sermon that just doesn’t sit in a frothy, young film like this.) Khushboo delivers a sincere performance, rising over the script and bringing an emotional depth to many moments. Among the male counterparts, Supraj Ranga is the only one who makes you empathise with his character; the others—Harsha Narra, Sandeep Saroj and Tarun Ponuganti—struggle to lend any novelty to their archetypal roles.
The climax of Roti Kapda Romance is also a mixed bag. It talks about women being the transient phases of a man’s life, bringing them both joy and sorrow, while also addressing the complicated nature of relationships that don’t necessarily function in black or white.
During a moment of reconciliation, Surya and Divya apologise to each other and Divya reminds him what they shared cannot and will not vanish away. And yet, they must part ways because that’s the best for both of them. More often than not, the failure of a relationship belongs to both ends. Roti Kapda Romance rocgnises this element, and that’s enough progress for now.
Roti Kapda Romance
Cast: Khushboo Choudhary, Supraj Ranga, Harsha Narra, Sandeep Saroj, Nuveksha, Megha Lekha, Tarun Ponuganti
Director: Vikram Reddy