Movie Title: Bubblegum

Banners: Maheshwari Movies, People Media Factory

Release Date: 29-12-2023

Censor Rating: “U/A”

Cast: Roshan Kanakala, Maanasa Choudhary, Harsha Chemudu, Kiran G, Anannyaa Akulaa

Directed by: Ravikanth Perepu

Music: Sricharan Pakala

Cinematography: Suresh Ragutu

Editor: Nishad Yusuf

Producers: Maheshwari Movies, People Media Factory

Nizam Distributor: Global Cinemas

Runtime:-148 minutes

What Is the Film About?

The film is about Adi, a DJ from a poor background, who falls for Jaanu, a wealthy girl with ambitions of pursuing a professional career internationally. Their relationship progresses and faces obstacles, but the core plot revolves around what happens to their relationship in the end.

Roshan Kanakala makes his debut in Bubblegum, portraying Adi. While he has a nice voice and delivers dialogues organically, he struggles to bring depth and intensity to the character. The emotional scenes feel immature and unrealistic, but with more experience, Roshan could find success in future projects.

Maanasa Choudhary’s performance as Jaanu is inconsistent. At times, she looks aged compared to the youthful hero, but overall, she does a decent job in key moments.

Bubblegum, written and directed by Ravikanth Perepu, is a coming-of-age story mixed with an urban love story. While the opening sequence grabs the audience’s attention, the execution of the narrative falls short. The film’s attempt to present a modern take on the rich-girl-poor-boy trope, similar to Arjun Reddy, fails to impress.

Throughout the film, the focus on self-respect as a conflict driving the plot becomes a repetitive loop, causing the story to drag. The pre-climax and climax are decent in terms of story, but the execution and action miss the mark.

Overall, Bubblegum has a relatable core conflict for the youth, but it stretches the story beyond acceptable limits. If you enjoy bold love stories with a few enjoyable moments, you may give it a try, but otherwise, it’s best to stay away.

Ravikanth Perepu both writes and directs Bubblegum, a coming-of-age story with an urban love story twist. The narrative is a blend of these two elements. The opening sequence immediately grabs the audience’s attention and piques their curiosity about the main character’s situation. However, once the actual narrative begins, it becomes clear that the execution of the opening sequence is lacking. The visuals are clumsy, chaotic, and poorly directed, giving a glimpse of the problems that lie ahead.

As the story progresses, we are introduced to the lead pair’s families and the bond they share. The class difference between them becomes apparent and plays a crucial role in the narrative. However, as the movie reaches the midpoint of the first half, it becomes evident that Bubblegum is following a formulaic approach. While the attempt to present it in a modern way is commendable, it falls short of achieving the desired impact. The rich-girl-poor-boy trope representing two different worlds is fine, but the movie fails in its attempt to replicate the trendy and nostalgic feel of Arjun Reddy.

The interval connecting the narrative to the opening is decent and leaves the audience curious about what will unfold in the second half. Once the movie resumes post-interval, it follows a predictable path, but the theme undergoes a significant shift. The concept of self-respect takes center stage and becomes the driving force for the entire second half. While the idea of ‘self-respect vs love’ is intriguing, its execution in Bubblegum leaves much to be desired. The narrative gets stuck in a loop, revolving around a singular episode involving the lead pair’s egos. It takes a considerable amount of time to move past this and delve into the core drama, leading to a loss of interest.

The pre-climax and climax of the movie are acceptable from a storytelling and fresh perspective. However, the action and execution fall short, adding to the audience’s frustration rather than effectively conveying the intended message. Overall, Bubblegum has a relatable core conflict that resonates with youth. However, it is stretched beyond its limits, much like a bubblegum that is ready to be spit out. If you enjoy bold love stories with only a few enjoyable moments, you might want to give it a try. Otherwise, it’s better to stay away.

In terms of performances, the movie features a combination of well-known and relatively unknown actors. Harshavardhan and Anu Hasan, despite being portrayed as a progressive couple, fail to leave an impact. On the other hand, Chaitu Jonnalagadda and Bindu Chandramouli have better roles that stand out. The former may not look like the hero’s father, but he has some fun moments throughout the movie. Kiran Macha and Ananya Sai Akula are satisfactory in their roles as the hero’s friends. The rest of the cast, portraying various stereotypes, are passable but fail to shine.

The music in Bubblegum, composed by Sricharan Pakala, is good. The background score creates a trendy vibe that is maintained throughout the movie. The cinematography is decent, considering the locations, and the editing could have been better to avoid the rushed narrative feel. The production values are acceptable, with many scenes shot in real locations that have been captured adequately.

Bubblegum Telugu Movie Review  Cinemirchi.com Rating 2/5