A well qualified and reputed teacher in a school disappoints his son in every level when it comes to education. The father is stuck with the idea of ‘settling down’ in life and is constantly ridiculing his son and reprimanding him for not putting in efforts to clear the exam. On the other hand his young daughter fares well. Constant comparison with siblings and not realising that each child is different leads to distance in relationships and disturbances in the family.
The son tries his best but ends up getting confused; though his mind is not on studies, he wants to please his father by passing the examination. A friend prods him to give up home and studies and do what he thinks is best and makes him happy. The end is predictable with the parent realising that prestige and society’s attitude to non-performers shouldn’t shape our love and decisions for our children.
This is a debut film for director Venu Udugula, and he captures the day-to-day scenes at home in a realistic manner. For example how husbands blame their wives when children don’t do well anni nee buddhule vacchai and how children crave to get a compliment or a pat on their back from their parents.
If the writing is near perfect, the writer gets too preachy with a single mood prevailing throughout the film. It becomes obvious that the solution is going to be shown late, a little too late and by then the story weighs heavily on our mind. Because of the amateur handling, it appears like a documentary or a television serial. The honesty in its approach nevertheless makes you sit through the end. Sree Vishnu shows yet again what a good actor he is and his inimitable sense of humour comes across while he approaches his girlfriend to tell her that he is no match to her intelligence.
Dubbing for the girl who played the hero’s sibling is not effective at all and Devi Prasad as the father was apt and justified his role convincingly. The ending could have been handled better, it looked like the editing was done in a hurry.
Sree Vishnu’s Chittoor slang stands out and he keeps it consistent. Venu Udugula shows promise and with a little more sharpening and embellishment in the script, he could be a name to reckon with. Such films should be encouraged for the content and honesty in storytelling, though they have limited appeal.
Needi Naadi Oke Katha
Cast: Sree Vishnu, Satna Titus
Direction: Venu Udugula
Music: Suresh Bobbili
Plot: A youth’s attempt to tell his father that happiness doesn’t necessarily come from education
