18 Pages Review: Familiar yet sweet

Nikhil Siddharth and Anupama Parameswaran delivered a massive success this year, in the form of Karthikeya 2, and have been gearing up for the release of their next film, 18 Pages. The story has been written by director Sukumar for this film, while the film was directed by Palnati Surya Pratap. The previous collaboration between the two was Kumari 21F, which was a massive success. Hence, there have been huge expectations on this film. Let us now see how this film has turned out to be, upon release.

Story:

The story of 18 Pages revolves around Siddhu and Nandini, who are polar opposites. While Siddhu is a tech freak, who is addicted to social media, Nandini is someone who still believes in the good old ways. Siddhu and Nandini never meet in person, but Siddhu stumbles upon Nandini’s diary one day, unexpectedly, which changes his entire life. Who is Nandini and do Nandini and Siddhu ever end up meeting forms the rest of the story.

On-Screen Performances:

Nikhil has proven himself as a fine actor in many of his films, and he once again gives his best as Siddhu in this film. His character is nuanced, and he perfectly manages to take the audience for a ride along with him. Given that it is through his eyes that we see the story unfold, Nikhil steps up to the challenge very well.

Anupama Parameswaran is the soul of the story and she is perfectly cast in her role. She does a fine job with what she’s given and slips very easily into her character.

The other actors, like Ajay, Posani Krishna Murali, etc., do their part well and come and go as the story demands.

Off-Screen Talents:

Director Palnati Surya Pratap does his best to translate the story written by Sukumar, to the big screen. The story of a boy who falls in love with a girl he has never seen is not new to the Telugu audience, as this story has been explored several times. What makes it interesting is how the story has been dealt with in the current scenario where social media has changed everything drastically.

While the story and the setup are engaging most of the time, the climax feels too rushed and the second half lacks emotional depth. Anupama’s story could also have been fleshed out and explored a lot more. This is a major drawback for the film, as Anupama’s character is the soul of the story, which remains underfleshed and poorly written.

The background score and music by Gopi Sundar are good, and the background music, especially, is a huge asset for the film. The cinematography of the film is also good enough.

The production design and editing are good, while the latter could have been a lot better.

Plus Points:

• Overall concept
• Lead actors performances
• Background score

Minus Points:

• Second half
• Rushed climax
• Anupama’s characterization

Verdict: 18 Pages is a good film that could have done so much better. It’s a decent attempt and can be watched once in theatres if you’re someone who loves love stories.

Telugubulletin.com Rating: 2.5/5