Paper Boy
Geetha Arts bagging the distribution rights of a small budget film has grabbed the attention of trade and film lovers. Is Paper Boy worth the attention? Let’s analyze…
Story:
Ravi (Santosh) is a paper boy who is madly in love with a rich girl named Dharani (Riya) waits for years to just have a glance at her. Dharani also reciprocates his love after knowing him. Her parents approve their love after initial reluctance. But trouble begins when her brothers enter the scene. Can the love pair come together against all odds?
Performances:
Santosh Shoban is a fine talent. He not only suits the character but also does justice to it. Riya Suman is okay. Tanya Hope has little role to play. Mahesh Vitta as hero’s friend offers some fun. Bittiri Sathi’s comedy with Vidyullekha will appeal to the masses. Annapurna also adds a bit of humor to the proceedings. Rest of the star cast mostly consists of newcomers and not so popular faces except Posani who appears in a cameo.
Technicalities:
Jayashankar does a fine job in presenting this story in a classy way. His direction is reminiscent of Karunakaran’s style, which works in the romantic scenes. He is also good at handling the emotions and melodrama.
Story by Sampath Nandi is as old as Nandi hills. He must have been aware of the cliches which is why he puts in extra efforts to narrate it in a different manner. The screenplay format is similar to that of Shivamani film directed by Puri Jagan. Dialogues are impressive. Music is also good though there aren’t any catchy songs. Cinematography is an asset and the production values are commendable. It doesn’t seem like a low budget film in any frame. Even the scenes shot in slums are colorful and vibrant. Production design team needs a special mention for selecting best locations.
Thumbs Up:
Santosh Sobhan
Cinematography
Dialogues
Thumbs Down:
Old story
Loud comedy
Melodramatic climax
Analysis:
Paper Boy has a familiar plot of rich girl falling for a poor boy. The old plot is told in a poetic way with lot of aesthetic sense. Paper Boy scores on the visual front with superb technical values. Not many low budget films can be as colorful as this one. Sampath Nandi and co. should be lauded for not compromising on the quality of the film. Sadly, good visuals aren’t enough for a film to click. A film of this scale should have captivating story and arresting screenplay.
Story is basic without any novelty and screenplay moves at a snail’s pace, making it a tedious watch. There is a deliberate attempt of not resorting to violence, which is appreciable. However, there are episodes of so-called comedy that don’t fit into this film. Comedy tracks on Mahesh Vitta and Bittiri Satti are over the top and totally out of place. Satti’s comedy comes at a crucial juncture when the drama thickens. It turned out to be a very bad idea as it anyway didn’t yield desired results.
First half is passable with budding romance and meaningful conversations between the lead pair. Intermission establishes a small conflict that doesn’t play any major role in the post intermission scenes. The story enters familiar territory in the second half that leads to a melodramatic ending. The much needed chemistry between the lead pair is absent throughout the film. Heroine’s Brothers who enter the scene with huge buildup resorts to television serial like blackmailing to break the romance.
Good visuals, involving background score and a talented lead man are the positives of Paper Boy. But old plot with a predictable ending wouldn’t impress many. The film is neither entertaining nor path breaking. It simply tries to play safe by ticking many boxes that are essential for a commercial film. The makers should have had a target audience in their minds and make a film that appeals to them. Trying to win marks from different sections with a film like this one isn’t a smart move after all.
Verdict: Outdated Love Story.
