'Ori Devuda' hit the screens today marking Diwali. In this section, we are going to tell you what to expect from the romantic fantasy drama.

Story:

Arjun (Vishwak Sen) and Anu (Mithila Palkar) got married only a year ago. Because they were thick friends for many years before their wedding, they broke into marriage with an assured mindset. But things didn't go well after Anu starts suspecting that Arjun has an affair with his school senior Meera (Asha Bhat).

Just when his divorce from Anu is about to take place, a timely interruption from God (Venkatesh) changes the course of Arjun's life. What does God offer Arjun? How does the subsequent phase of his life reshape his views about companionship?

Analysis:

'Oh My Kadavule' (Tamil) has been remade into Telugu without unnecessary reimagination. 'Ori Devuda' walks into a comfortable space, riding on the material offered by its source.

Vishwak Sen is comfortable in his skin. If he played a 30 guy in his previous hit, here he plays a married man who is more amusing than subtle. His performance in the second half is underplayed. His Tamil counterpart Ashok Selvan had approached the role in a slightly more comical fashion. Venkatesh enjoys playing a non-intense role. His dialogue delivery and comic timing are buoyant.

Mithila Palkar thoroughly understands her character and goes in for a chirpy performance where needed. She is also sombre when essential. Asha Bhat is forgettable. Murali Sharma dominates in a poignant scene in the second half. Venkatesh Kakumanu as the lead pair's typical friend is natural. Nagineedu is seen as Arjun's father.

The film examines several questions concerning life, empathy, togetherness in marriage, and the inevitability of destiny. You can convince someone about the pros and cons of their different choices by delivering a monologue. The monologue can be peppered with drama and make examples out of others' lives. But how about God Himself descending from heaven to give you a chance to practically experiment for yourself?

Director Ashwath Marimuthu is to the point, although he doesn't tell a perfect story. There is no sense of magic. There is no heart-touching drama even though the cleansing is thorough.

'Ori Devuda' tries to narrate its story in a fundamentally sprightly manner. The treatment works for most of the audience. The mysterious entity played by Rahul Ramakrishna could have come with more load in the remake, so also the God.

The refreshing plot point of friendship taking the form of marriage before it morphs into love, is something this film tries to a good effect.

Tharun Bhascker's dialogues delve into the thinking of the three main characters, squeezing the source material out-and-out. The second half will feel sluggish if you have watched the Tamil original.

The film needed a musical quality and the songs from Leon James serve up a couple of delicious tunes. James is also the one who composed the music for the Tamil original, and he digests the beats of the story very well. Sid Sriram sings a lilting melody.  Vidhu Ayyanna's cinematography is resourceful.

Verdict:

'Ori Devuda' is a watchable remake. Don't expect solid changes. The performance and the storyline are a plus.