What Is the Story About?
Meet Cute is the anthology of five stories. Each story is all about how the unexpected meeting between strangers turns out to he life-changing or something that leaves a very lasting impression. Meet Cute has stories of a couple meeting for the first time, a old man bring a wife and husband closer, a mother who wants to watch the girl her son likes from close distance, a Heroine struck with a stranger in an apartment, and an Ex-girlfriend patching up the differences between her boyfriend and his wife.
Performances?
Meet Cute has five different stories. Each story has a couple in the lead roles and another prominent role impacting their lives. The way the entire cast is picked is good and that is the best impression about it. Sathyaraj and Rohini are the most popular names and they stand out elevating the two episodes they are in.
Ruhani Sharma is cute and does her part well. Akanksha Singh gets the best among the girls. Her styling also works big time for the character. She goes well with Rohini. Surekha Vani is more like a cameo and she is okay. Adah Sharma is uncomfortable like in the movies she did previously.
Varsha Bollamma is decent but looks like a misfit in the pub episode. The image she gained from the films so far comes in the way. Sanchita Poonacha and Sunaina were also disappointing mainly due to bland and forced writing.
Dheekshith Shetty is a neat cast in the role of a young boy but does not have much to do in the story. Raja Chembolu is strictly okay and Shiva Kandukuri is strictly okay in the role of a doctor. Ashwin is a letdown mainly due to the lack of meat in his character. Govind Padmasoorya gets a little role and has no scope.
Analysis
Meet Cute as said before is the beautiful feeling one gets when one meets some stranger who changes the world for good. Director Deepthi Ghanta picked five stories and weaved the five light-hearted Meet Cute stories. Usually, anthologies have different directors directing each episode. But Deepthi handled all three to maintain the same vibe.
The same vibe is maintained but the problem is the inadequacies are also spread over all five episodes. It is not easy to get the ‘feel good’ factor in thirty minutes’ time. That is a test of the writing capabilities. The new director failed exactly there.
All five episodes deal with modern-day couples and their problems. In two episodes – Old is Gold and In L(aw)ove, we have Sathyaraj and Rohini bringing an emotional touch to the story. They are perfectly cast for their roles and they add beauty to the characters. When you have the elderly touch factored to these stories, people tend to relate to them. Particularly, In L(aw)ove, the scenes that come between Rohini and Akanksha are well-written and impresses.
The first episode – Meet The Boy has a problem with the premise. The story is wafer-thin and the proceedings are silly. We also have a problem with Varsha Bollamma’s character here. The way how the director chose to give a closure to the story is not convincing. It is not a problematic start but is definitely not an impressive one.
In the fourth episode – Star Stuck, there are too many issues. The writing disappoints and Adah Sharma’s performance also comes in the way. Audience disconnect to the story when an extremely cautious heroine goes to the boy’s apartment just like that. The scenes that follow have artificiality written all over them. The audience interest is lost immediately and we tend to reach out the fast-forward button.
Finally, the last episode – Ex-Girlfriend has too many issues right from character arcs and writing. The boy’s character itself is not convincing and then, the wife patiently giving a hearing to her husband’s Ex is outright silly. The way the Ex convinces the wife about her husband reeks too much superficiality. The episode never engages the audience right from the start and it becomes too much very quickly. It is easily the most boring of all the five.
Meet Cute has an honest intention. The casting and the production values are class. Two episodes are decent while the remaining ones are boring mainly due to hollow writing and artificiality. Some do not get the motivation to sit through all five. For those who did, it is a kind of anthology where you just forget once you close the tab.
Music and Other Departments?
Deepthi Ghanta – the newcomer is the writer and director of this anthology. It is not easy to narrate a ‘Feel Good’ story in thirty minutes. That requires expertise in writing. It is not some thing easy to chew. Deepthi tried exactly the same and could not handle it properly. The intention is appreciated but not the output.
Producer Prashanthi and Presenter Nani should be appreciated for the quality product they delivered. The camera work is immaculate and oozes quality. The music works in part to create the mood that is necessary. The songs (by Vijai Bulaganin) used as montages are impressive if not remarkable. The production design is excellent. Editing looks a problem in couple of episodes and is alright in the rest.
Highlights?
Production Values
The Episodes of Sathyaraj and Rohini Despite Issues
Drawbacks?
Weak writing
Artificiality
Lack of Character Arc for Important Characters
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, In Parts
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, But Reminding You the Problems
Meet Cute 2022 Telugu Movie Review by Binged Bureau