What’s it about?
Spanning from 2013 to 2020, “8 Vasantalu” chronicles eight years of love in the life of a boy who, without the girl’s knowledge, begins meeting her regularly. But is the story really about him or her? Only in the end do we find out.
Meet Shuddi Ayodhya (Ananthika Sanilkumar), a popular English writer from Ooty who is also trained in martial arts under a strict guru. At the same institute, she meets Varun (Hanu Reddy), a wealthy youngster determined to win her heart. His persistent efforts and romantic gestures eventually make her fall for him. However, Varun is under pressure from his father to secure admission to UC Berkeley — a goal he fails to achieve due to his relationship with Shuddi. What he does next leads to their breakup.
Months or perhaps years later, Shuddi crosses paths with Vijay (Ravi Duggirala), a Telugu writer based in Ooty. His literary popularity and thoughtful writing draw her in, and she slowly begins to fall for him. But this time, will Shuddi’s love story finally have a happy ending?
Analysis
Having seen director Phanindra Narsetti’s debut film “Manu” (a visually stylized but painfully dull experience with all style and no substance), I walked into “8 Vasantalu” with a fair amount of trepidation. To my relief, the film starts off well. It’s visually appealing, and the early portions are pleasant enough to make me believe the director may have learned from his past mistakes.
But that hope lasted barely half an hour.
It soon became clear that, beneath the glossy visuals, the narration is as trite and theatrical as before. The storytelling lacks realism. The characters speak as though they’re being prompted off-camera, and the dialogue is overloaded with poetic lines that feel entirely forced and artificial.
The first love story—between Ananthika Sanilkumar and Hanu Reddy—works to some extent. Both actors look good on screen and share a decent chemistry, even if the setup feels generic. While the conversations between them don’t sound natural, the pre-interval portion manages to sustain some interest.
However, things fall apart post-interval. The second love track—between the heroine, an English writer, and a Telugu writer (played by Ravi Duggirala)—is even more contrived. Their exchanges are filled with hollow, rhyming dialogues and Rumi-inspired quotes that lack emotional resonance. At this point, a popular joke from a Jandhyala movie comes to mind, where Srilakshmi, claiming to be a poet, says:
“Nenu kavini kaanu anna vaadini kathitho podusta… nenu rachayitrini kaanna vaadini raayi etti kodutaa…” (I’ll kill those who say I’m not a poet, and I’ll beat those who claim I’m not a writer.)
That line ironically sums up the pretentiousness of the second half.
From here on, the film becomes a test of patience. The sluggish narration only adds to the fatigue, as if the editor had dozed off mid-work.
Sample one absurd scene: The so-called Telugu novelist writes a novel about a prostitute, titled Rani Malini. This book inexplicably becomes a sensation in Ooty — a town in Tamil Nadu — to the point where women are lining up for his autograph. An elderly woman who owns a bookshop even remarks, “Maa rojullo Chalam ki undedi ammayillo ila following, ippudu ee abbayiki.” Overhearing this, the heroine, standing nearby, begins to admire the novelist.
Seriously, doesn’t this feel like a scene lifted straight out of a 1970s melodrama?
The only consistent highlight is Vishwanath Reddy’s cinematography, which not only captures the scenic beauty of Ooty, Kashmir, and Benaras but also evokes a visual tone reminiscent of a Mani Ratnam film.
Among the cast, Ananthika Sanilkumar stands out. She’s beautiful, expressive, and has strong screen presence. She is undoubtedly a talent to watch. Hanu Reddy fits the bill as a lover boy. The rest of the cast, however, deliver immature and unconvincing performances.
Bottom-line: “8 Vasantalu” is soaked in pretentiousness. Despite its poetic touches and vibrant visuals, the film suffers from hollow storytelling and sluggish narration, making it a tedious watch. While there are a few watchable moments, the overall experience feels theatrical and overly bookish, lacking emotional grip.
Rating: 2/5
By Jalapathy Gudelli
Movie: 8 Vasantalu
Cast: Ananthika Sanilkumar, Ravi Duggirala, Hanu Reddy, Kanna Pasunoori and others
DOP: Vishwanath Reddy
Music Director: Hesham Abdul Wahab
Editor: Shashank Mali
Production Designer: Arvind Mule
Action: Wing Chun Anji
Producers: Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar
Written and Directed by: Phanindra Narsetti
Release Date:June 20, 2025
