Cast: Nivetha Thomas, Priyadarshi, Vishwadev R, Gauthami, Bhagyaraj, Krishna Teja, Abhay, Ananya, and others
Screenplay and Direction: Nandakishore Imani
Music: Vivek Sagar
Cinematography: Niketh Bommireddy
Editing: T.C. Prasanna
Presented by: Rana Daggubati
Producers: Srujan, Siddharth
Release Date: 09-06-2024
Starring Nivetha Thomas, Vishwadev R, and Priyadarshi in lead roles, the film ‘35 Chinna Katha Kaadu‘ is directed by Nandakishore Imani. The movie, produced by prominent actor Rana Daggubati, features Nivetha Thomas in a mother’s role for the first time. The trailer, already released, has heightened expectations. The movie is set to release on September 6 in Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam, but a special premiere was held for the press one day earlier. How did the film turn out? Did Nivetha’s new venture succeed? Let’s examine in this review.
Plot
Prasad (Vishwadev) and Saraswati (Nivetha Thomas) are a middle-class couple. For Saraswati, her husband and two sons, Arun and Varun, are her world. Arun, the elder son, studies in the sixth grade and struggles with math. His logical questions often leave teachers without answers. As a result, the math teacher Chanakya (Priyadarshi) challenges him by setting the bar at achieving at least 35 marks in math to stay in school, labeling him “Zero” for his continuous poor performance. This forces Arun to sit in his younger brother’s class. How does Arun handle this situation? How does he become a hero in his class? What does his mother Saraswati, who failed tenth grade, do to help her son understand math? Did Arun manage to score the necessary 35 marks? That forms the rest of the story.
Performances
Nivetha Thomas excels as Saraswati, embodying the role of a mother of two, a wife, and an educator with finesse. Her expressions and emotional depth stand out. Priyadarshi, as the math teacher Chanakya, delivers a memorable performance, portraying a strict yet caring teacher. The dynamic between Nivetha and Chanakya is one of the pillars of this film. Vishwadev does well as the husband. The two children playing Arun and Varun captivate with their performances. Bhagyaraj, Krishna Teja, and others contribute significantly in other key roles.
Direction
Director Nandakishore Imani crafted ’35 Chinna Katha Kaadu’ with a message-oriented approach, highlighting flaws in the educational system. He also explores how teachers should interact with students and the dynamics between spouses. The first half is filled with humor and family emotions, which are engaging. The chemistry between Nivetha Thomas and Vishwadev, portraying middle-class life, is well depicted. The school environment and the challenges faced by students are convincingly shown. Emotional scenes in the family in the second half are touching. However, the film’s pace can be slow at times, and the lack of commercial elements and some dialogues might not hit the mark with all viewers.
Technically
In the technical department, the music and cinematography are well-executed. Vivek Sagar’s background score is a significant plus, enhancing the emotional scenes. The editing is decent, though a tighter cut in some dragging scenes would have been beneficial. The production values are high, reflecting a no-compromise approach in terms of quality.
Plus Points
– Engaging narrative
– Performances by Nivetha and Priyadarshi
– Emotional scenes
Minus Points
– Slow narration
– Lack of high points in the story
