- BOTTOM LINE: A Visual Synonym for Mediocrity
Rating: 2/10
| Platform: SONYLiv | Genre: Drama |
What Is the Story About?
A happy go lucky youngster based in the US, Ram is forced to vacate his room after a prank he plays with his ex-girlfriend (and roommate) falls flat on his face. As Ram consults a bunch of friends to help him get past his accommodation woes, his former University friend Swathi comes to his rescue. Even though her roommate Shreya is reluctant to let Ram enter their room, she is not left with much choice. After their initial friction, the worlds of Ram and Shreya converge and they fall in love. However, a misunderstanding between the two signals the end of the relationship. Technology too plays spoilsport in their equation. Will Ram and Shreya reunite?
Performances?
Sasanka Voleti, the lead actor who plays Ram (and is also the series director), is the weakest link of the series amongst the actors. He wears the same grumpy expression for every kind of situation and his sarcastic dialogue delivery, where he ends up eating his own words often, doesn’t quite help his case. Gaana Bhat, the girl who plays Shreya, fares marginally better than her male counterpart, exuding some on-screen charm.
Analysis
Every frame in Mymarapu is proof to the amateurishness with which it has been shot. There is no real plot or any impressive performance to drive the series forward. From the dialogues inspired by most Telugu hit films to the shaky screenplay to the limited production values, there’s nothing in Mymarapu that’s worth rooting for. The story could have been a great opportunity to discuss the accommodation woes of Indian students residing in the US, their distinct lifestyle and how commitment is an issue with a generation of millennials.
Instead, there are too many cheap gags, lewd comments passed on women insisting on how complicated they are. But the weirdest portion of the series is one that deals with technology – about an advancement that helps medicos wipe away a segment of a person’s past from their memory. This is the aspect that creates a conflict in the love story. Even to believe in it, the characters are very loosely established. While Ram’s part is crafted like a playboy, to begin with, his transformation as a responsible partner barely comes through.
The thread about Shreya’s past is as ambiguous. Being the only girl child to divorced parents and having been cheated by a guy in the past, there’s an unnecessary exaggeration that the director Sasanka Voleti creates with Shreya’s supposed ‘trauma’ and her inability to digest one silly prank. Thankfully, a rescue act is staged by Animuthyam, the character who’s a dubsmash sensation and earns an entry into the Bigg Boss House owing to her online popularity. Though it’s not very imaginatively executed, it at least provides some escapist relief amid the terribly written love story. Mymarapu is a series you should skip by all means.
Other Artists?
Srujana Maddali in the role of Ram’s friend Swathi has a few sparkling moments but is given a very silly role to do anything worthwhile. The only entertainment value in terms of a good acting performance comes from the actor playing Animuthyam, as a digital world-novice who ends up being an online star. She’s very natural with her act and has a comfortable screen presence.
Music and Other Departments?
The music, especially the songs are an insult to the senses. The lyrics with a splattering of English, Telugu and Hindi are pure gibberish. The songs only feel like an attempt to stretch the web-series to at least two hours. The cinematography is strictly okay and the budgetary limitations truly show with the choice of public spaces as a backdrop for the story. More purpose could have been invested in the writing too.
Highlights?
Animuthyam’s performance
Unintentional humour from the dialogues and the other performances
Drawbacks?
Terrible music
Amateurish acting by the cast
Poor story
Did I Enjoy It?
Not at all
Will You Recommend It?
Not at all
Mymarapu Review by Srivathsan Nadadhur
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