What’s it about?
Siddharth Reddy (Kiran Abbavaram) moves to Mangalore for college at his mother’s insistence, hoping a change of place will help him move on from his father’s death and his breakup with Maggi (Kathy Davson). In Mangalore, he meets Anjali (Rukshar), who falls in love with him and persistently asks him to reciprocate. After a series of events, Siddharth finally accepts her as his girlfriend.
However, an incident at college forces him into a situation where he is expected to apologize. But Siddharth, who never uses the words “sorry” or “thank you” in his life, refuses—leading to a breakup with Anjali.
Meanwhile, Maggi, now settled in the USA and expecting a child with her husband, decides to return to India. Driven by guilt, she takes it upon herself to reunite Siddharth and Anjali. Will the estranged lovers find their way back to each other? Will Maggi succeed in her mission?
Analysis
Is Dilruba—meaning “beloved”—a love story as the title suggests? Or is it an action film, given its numerous fight sequences? Or perhaps a message-driven drama with its heavy dose of preachy dialogues? In the end, Dilruba, written and directed by Viswa Karun, is an inconsistent blend of all these genres, lacking a distinct rhythm of its own.
At its core, the film follows a protagonist who refuses to say “sorry” or “thanks,” believing these words are used out of selfish necessity. However, in the end, he is compelled to apologize to save his girlfriend(s). This thin premise stretches into a two-and-a-half-hour drama that is difficult to sit through.
The director appears unsure about balancing the storyline with action elements. In the midst of this romantic narrative, he introduces a character named “Joker,” played by John Vijay, abruptly shifting the film into an action thriller. Suddenly, the hero is running around to save his mother, ex-girlfriend, and current girlfriend, derailing the film from a love story to an action drama.
Moreover, the protagonist never speaks normally—he either warns or preaches—making the experience tedious. Another unnecessary subplot involves goons traveling to Kadapa to kill the hero’s mother, with the hero discussing how the village would react. This sequence, reminiscent of a faction film, feels completely out of place in a love story. Such forced action elements disrupt the film’s central theme of romance.
Even the supposedly intriguing angle of the ex-girlfriend helping reunite the hero with his current love is lost in this chaotic mix.
The saving graces of the film are Kiran Abbavaram’s stylish new look and two catchy songs, particularly “Hey Jingli.” Sam CS’s music elevates the film to some extent. While Kiran Abbavaram puts effort into entertaining the audience, the rest of the cast fails to make an impact. John Vijay’s character and performance feel out of sync with the narrative.
The production values are high, evident in the rich visuals and large-scale action sequences, but they ultimately fail to serve a story that lacks coherence.
Bottom line: “Dilruba” starts off promisingly as a love story but soon loses its way, turning into a chaotic blend of multiple genres. Midway, it becomes overly preachy and predictably dull.
Rating: 2.5/5
By Jalapathy Gudelli
Movie: Dilruba
Cast: Kiran Abbavaram, Rukshar Dhillon, Kathy Davison, Sathya, Rahman, John Vijay, and others
Music: Sam CS
DOP: Viswas Daniel
Editor: Praveen KL
Action: Pruthvi
Producers: Vikram Mehra, Siddharth Anand Kumar, Ravi, Jojo Jose, Rakesh Reddy
Written and Directed by: Viswa Karun
Release Date: March 14, 2025
