What Is the Story About?
Surya (Shanmukh Jaswanth) is a typical middle class guy who is jobless at home after completing Engineering. The pressure from the father in increasing as days passes due to the financial burden. He also has an unmarried but well-educated sister at home.
Surya also has jobless friends with whom he spends all day and a lovely working girlfriend. How Surya overcomes the various challenges thrown at him and what happens, in the end, comprises the main plot of the inspirational tale that is Surya.
Performances?
Shanmukh Jaswanth is perfect for the role of Surya. His mere presence looks like an embodiment of middle-class youth spirit. Every act of his, therefore, sits neatly with the situation. It is more of a good casting rather than excellent ‘acting’. That doesn’t mean that Shanmukh hasn’t done well or tried. He has done well in all light-hearted portions and a couple of emotional blocks towards the end.
The issues one can feel are with the ‘heroic’ bits. He never comes across that way. Luckily, we only ‘hear’ mostly about it rather than ‘see’ it. The overwhelming ‘present’ related to the dull and struggling personality of Surya is what drives the narrative, and he works well.
Analysis
Subbu K writes and directs Surya. The story of the series offers nothing new. It is an age-old plot highlighting the plight of the middle-class youth, but it is done in a contemporary setting. Even in that Surya doesn’t offer anything fresh, but it still manages to click.
To begin with, Surya is a ten-episode series that gives a very lengthy impression. Well, it is, but in the case of Surya, it works positively. The length adds to the mood created, and once one is connected to the sensibilities at the display, it is a smooth flow.
The biggest asset of the series is the identifiable characters and emotions. Surya is a neat reflection of typical middle-class youth and ideals. From the father to the friend and other people that one faces, chances are high with personal identification.
The situations too further help in aggravating the drama. The screenplay does the trick in accumulating the sentiment and intensity. It builds slowly and keeps on going that way until the end where there is a huge release of emotions.
As mentioned above, the supporting characters are well cast and written. They are modern yet reflect an old-world charm. The sister track, for example, is not overdone but impactful. It is the same with the friends and father parts and their interactions and confrontations.
A significant reason for all the emotional impact is that we haven’t seen something like this in the recent past. It is what ‘Supergood Films Productions’ used to do so well in its heydays. They had manipulative emotions, but it all worked out in the end. It also when we remember them that we realise the overall acting could have been vastly improved in Surya. But, as it is, it isn’t a turn off entirely.
The emotional pay-off at the end, despite all the clichés and routines, is what makes Surya a success. It manages to get an inspirational quality and gives an uplifting vibe.
Overall, Surya is an easy one time watch for its emotional appeal and positively motivating end. It has clichés galore and is manipulative, but it works. Give it is a try if you like routine, emotional dramas with middle class sensibilities.
Other Artists?
Whether a movie or a series, one of the critical hallmarks of success is an instant recall of the artists starring in them. Surya manages to achieve it. The father, mother, friend, sister, lover and other small supporting actors stay with us. None of them put on an extraordinary display of ‘acting’, but they are well-written parts with clarity and end. And hence, they stay with us.
Music and Other Departments?
The music by Suman Vankara is okay. The song at the finale stages is better, though. The background score, too, gets very repetitive after a point. It could have been better. The cinematography by Vamsi Srinivas is decent, at best. It follows the typical visuals seen across the web series space with low budgets. The editing by Krishna Karthik Vunnava is alright. It is simple and does the job of highlighting emotions. The writing is fine and is a major reason for sustaining the interest.
Highlights?
Emotional Connect
Ending Block
Screenplay
Entertainment
Drawbacks?
Manipulative Emotions
Length
Dragging Love Track
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes
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