Nenu Sailaja Review

''Nenu.. Sailaja'' has elements which are quite familiar.  Whenever the hero has to convince the heroine''s parents of his eligibility to marry their daughter, remember, the family should be a deprived-of-love, longing-for-emotional-integration entity which only the hero can salvage.  To make a done-to-death formula a more-of-the-same cliche, ''Nenu.. Sailaja'' has a hero whose self-sponsored responsibilities are extended towards uniting his unofficial would-be mavayya and the mavayya''s father.  And, needless to say, the bridegroom is an incorrigibly non-entertaining, mean persona just to make the matters easy for our super-mature, sentimentally suave, emotionally grown-up hero!  And yes, there is a Babjee.

The film begins with a lengthily narrated childhood story involving Ram and Keerthi Suresh as children.  Ram fell in love with Keerthi even as a child (the childhood story is so portrayed that the children are made to emote like adolescents!), but circumstances separated them.  Many years later, Ram has grown up to be a youngster who has been a failure in winning the love of a single girl all his life.  Enter Sailaja as Sailu with whom our hero falls in love at first sight.  He tests his destiny and soon realizes that Sailu is none other than his childhood sweetheart.

At this stage, Sailu is forced by circumstances to bid goodbye to her lover without expressing her love but not before saying to Ram the inexplicable and inconsequential, "I love you, but I am not in love with you", just for the sake of a curious interval bang.

The rest of the film is all about how Ram wins his sweetheart with the help of a sickeningly cinematic family that has, among other characters, a mother who can''t read the expression on her daughter''s face.

Made to be a rom-com and a family entertainer, the film offers on platter a light-veined treatment.  The Prince-Ram banter is an element that entertains by presenting a new layer to the narration.  Sree Mukhi of ''Prema Ishq Kaadhal'' playing Ram''s sister is refreshing.

The second half is where the film becomes a family entertainer even while keeping its rom-com self intact.  Ram is in his elements in these portions and portrays a well-written role with aplomb.  Although there are elements of many family entertainers here and there, debutante Kishore Tirumala manages to leave his mark.

The Malayali actress Keerthi Suresh delivers a measured performance throughout.

Ram is at his energetic best and has many lines that seem to have been tailor-written for him.  In fact, the role itself has such traits that are best portrayed by him.  His chemistry with Prince and Pradeep Rawat adds zing to the proceedings in second half.

His dance moves have a spark as usual, but it is DSP''s music that has none.

Pradeep Rawat does a comedy role that makes a thorough impact in a long time.  Dhanya Balakrishnan and Naresh and others are seen in bit roles.

Of all the technical elements, it is the cinematography which is the best.  The BGM passes muster.

Verdict: ''Nenu.. Sailaja'' is a rom-com and a family entertainer at once.  A breezy outing this New Year Day, this one has Ram striking gold.

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