One of the grouses of a serious urban cine-goer is that the room in Telugu cinema for evolved humor and nuanced comedy is slowly shrinking. To be sure, there is comedy in many films. But most of them are slap and tickle variety. It is, to use a strong _expression, of the lowbrow variety.

The grouse is true. But it is also something that the film Party can do away with. The highly talented Ravi Babu is making the film with high hopes and sincerity. The man, who has made avant garde film like Allari (very stylized), aims Party at the discerning audience.

As he himself says, in a matter of fact way, there is plenty of freshness in content.

Party, starring Allari Naresh, Shashank and Madhu Sharma up front, has a very modern setting. The backcloth is the software industry. `I consciously chose it,' says the director. The story revolves around the three and is full of situational comedy and also carries some biting satire about the state of affairs in the industry.

For Allari Naresh, comedy is not a new terrain. He has handled similar themes. But in Party he seems to have announced his arrival with a consummate performance. Shashank too, in search of a qualitative break, seems to have taken the challenge head on. For Madhu Sharma, the svelte lass, this is a big opportunity to move away from strait jacketed glamour to some impressive histrionics.

Ravi Babu says that he has taken enough care to ensure that the comedy does not degenerate to a crass variety. Party itself is suggestive of good fun.

I promise just that, he says with self-confidence.