"Darling" delves into the life of a young man consumed by the desire to find a good wife. Driven by his mother's ambitions, he pursues education solely as a means to achieve this goal. The film's intrigue lies in charting his journey, as unexpected twists and turns unfold, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.

Story

From a young age, Raghav (Priyadarshi), fueled by his mother's aspirations, dreams of securing a good wife. He excels in his studies and lands a promising job, but his desperate attempts to find a partner prove futile, leaving him disillusioned and hopeless. In a moment of despair, he makes a rash decision. Fate intervenes when he encounters the captivating Anandhi (Nabha Natesh), and without hesitation, he decides to marry her. The consequences of this impulsive act and the roles played by his father (Muralidhar Goud), friends Solmon (Krishna Teja) and Chitti (Vishnu Oi), and psychologist Nandini (Ananya Nagalla) form the heart of the narrative.

Analysis

Priyadarshi once again demonstrates his acting prowess, delivering nuanced expressions and emotions that shift effectively with the changing situations. He attempts to elevate the film with his screen presence, but unfortunately, the weak writing hampers the overall impact. Nabha Natesh has an opportunity to showcase her talent, portraying a character with multiple personalities. However, these shifts feel artificial and ultimately fail to add depth to the proceedings.

Vishnu Oi and Krishna Teja try to inject humor into their performances, while Muralidhar Goud, Brahmanandam, Raghu Babu, and others have limited screen time. Director Aswin Raam aims for a hilarious romantic comedy, attempting to create humor by focusing on the female lead's multiple personality disorder and the hero's response to it. While the premise holds potential, the execution falls short due to a flawed story, screenplay, and direction. The film's attempt to balance comedy in the first half with emotional scenes in the second half fails to generate either excitement or entertainment.

Scenes often feel forced and unrealistic, defying logic and testing the patience of viewers. The film's slow pace and lack of engaging content lead to a monotonous experience, with each scene feeling artificial, repetitive, and predictable. The director's inability to craft a compelling story and screenplay results in a rudderless narrative. The film would have benefited from a more thorough script development process.

Vivek Sagar's music is adequate, with a few melodious tracks that unfortunately get lost in the overall mediocrity. The songs' placement disrupts the flow of the narrative. The background score is merely average. Pradeep E Raghav's editing lacks impact, failing to use the editing tool effectively. Many unnecessary scenes could have been removed, leaving the film with a dragging pace. Naresh Ramadurai's cinematography captures the proceedings with a lavish and visually appealing style. The production values are impressive.

Verdict

"Darling" unfortunately suffers from a predictable story, screenplay, and writing, leaving viewers questioning how a reputable production house and a talented actor like Priyadarshi could have greenlit such a monotonous project. The film's soul seems to be missing, ultimately delivering an average experience.