Sundarakanda (2025): A Quirky Rom-Com That Charms, If Not Always Consistently

In the crowded arena of Telugu cinema, where grand action dramas and loud entertainers dominate, Sundarakanda slips in as a quieter, offbeat surprise. This romantic comedy prefers to smile at love’s oddities rather than scream about them. Directed by first-timer Venkatesh Nimmalapudi, the 2025 release (hitting cinemas on 27 August) loosely adapts the Tamil film Muthina Kathirikai (itself based on the Malayalam hit Vellimoonga), while also tipping its hat to the 1992 Venkatesh favourite that shares its title. Running a light 2 hours and 17 minutes and rated UA, it aims squarely at families. Producers Santhosh Chinnapolla, Gowtham Reddy, and Rakesh Mahankalli back it under the Sandeep Picture Palace banner.

With Nara Rohith in a rare breezy role, joined by Sridevi Vijaykumar and the lively Vriti Vaghani, Sundarakanda sells itself on clean humour and gentle emotion. For the most part it keeps that promise, even if the film occasionally wobbles on the thin line between playful fun and thoughtful insight.

Sundarakanda Key Details

• Director: Venkatesh Nimmalapudi, serving as both writer and director in a debut that feels promising but a little uncertain
• Cast:
  • Nara Rohith as Siddharth
  • Sridevi Vijaykumar in a dual role as the mother and her younger self
  • Vriti Vaghani as the young love interest
  • Satya as the loudest source of comedy
  • With Naresh, Vasuki Anand, Abhinav Gomatam, Ajay, VTV Ganesh, Raghu Babu, and others in supporting roles
• Music: Leon James, offering a tuneful score that stays mostly in the background
• Cinematography: Pradeesh M. Varma, who brings out the everyday charm of Hyderabad
• Editing: Rohan Chillale, working to keep the story from wandering too far
• Runtime: 137 minutes
• Genre: Romantic comedy-drama
• Release: Theatrical from 27 August 2025, streaming on JioCinema Hotstar from 23 September 2025
• Budget/Box Office: A modest mid-budget film that benefited from strong word of mouth, earning over ₹15 crore in its opening weekend despite heavy festive competition

Story Overview (No Spoilers): When Standards Get in the Way

At its heart, Sundarakanda follows Siddharth (Nara Rohith), a bachelor in his forties who seems cursed in the marriage market, at least according to his weary family. He is perched uneasily on the edge of middle age, watching one proposal after another slip away. His problem is not a lack of offers, but a rigid checklist of five traits that his ideal bride must have: sharp intellect, unwavering kindness, a playful streak, complete loyalty, and a love for classic poetry. The title’s link to the Sundara Kanda of the Ramayana hints at his literary obsession and is not just a fancy flourish.

Rejections pile up like unpaid bills, while his parents (played with warmth by Naresh and Vasuki Anand) fuss around him like traditional matchmakers stuck in a changing world. Just when his situation starts to look hopeless, a twist of fate pushes Siddharth into a college lecturer’s job. There he meets a spirited student whose personality seems to match his detailed list, one trait at a time.

What follows is a shy, awkward romance: stolen looks in classrooms, poetry recited at the wrong moments, and family involvement that swings between hilarious and moving. Nimmalapudi plays with the usual age-gap romance clichés with a light, self-aware touch, poking fun at Siddharth’s illusions while still taking his feelings seriously. The story does not re-invent the genre; traces of Hitch and The Graduate float through, filtered through Hyderabad’s sticky heat. However, the interval twist, which flips the audience’s understanding of the setup, lands with real impact and pushes the second half into more emotional, and sometimes tense, territory.

Performances: Rohith Holds Back, Satya Lights Up

Nara Rohith, often cast in intense films such as Prathinidhi 2, drops much of his usual stern image for a part that needs softness more than swagger. As Siddharth, he becomes a quietly anxious man whose checklist feels less like a guide to love and more like a shield against disappointment. He shows sharp comic timing, especially in a chaotic dinner sequence where a family meeting goes completely off track. In the heavier scenes, however, he is less convincing. The big emotional speeches sound a bit rehearsed, recalling earlier criticism that he can seem stiff on screen. Even so, this is his most likeable work since Rowdy Fellows, and it nudges him closer to mainstream romantic-hero territory.

The real surprise is Vriti Vaghani, who plays the seemingly innocent young woman without falling into stereotype. She gives the character energy and bite, with a modern, no-nonsense attitude and quick-fire wit that make the relationship feel more balanced. The romance feels more like a slow-build connection than a typical film fantasy.

Sridevi Vijaykumar delivers one of the standout turns. In a dual performance, she plays both the steady, grounding mother and a younger version of the same character in flashback. The shift between youth and maturity feels smooth, and she brings a lived-in grace that deepens the film’s ideas about ageing, regret, and second chances.

Satya, though, walks away with many of the loudest laughs. As Siddharth’s closest friend, he fires off sarcastic lines about marriage apps, wedding rituals, and the madness of arranged meetings. His timing is razor-sharp, and every time the plot starts to sag, his humour gives it a welcome jolt. He reminds viewers why he has quietly become one of Telugu cinema’s most reliable comic actors.

Craft and Execution: Strong Visuals, Shaky Songs

Pradeesh M. Varma frames the film with an eye for simple beauty. Sunlit corridors, cluttered staff rooms, and busy Hyderabad junctions all feel lived in and genuine. The visuals never feel flashy, but they add texture and warmth. Rajesh Pentakota’s production design follows the same approach, with believable houses, mid-range cafés, and modest offices instead of extravagant sets. The world on screen feels recognisable and supports the story’s focus on ordinary people with messy emotions.

Leon James provides a pleasant background score and a catchy title track that sticks in the mind. The songs themselves, however, sometimes hurt the pacing. A few of them appear at awkward points and feel like they exist only to satisfy formula, with glossy montages that clash with the rest of the film’s grounded style.

Venkatesh Nimmalapudi’s direction shows both promise and inexperience. The first half zips along with snappy humour and clean scenes, but once the story crosses the interval, the tone shifts. Voiceovers and lengthy thoughts on love, fantasy, and fear slow things down. Some side plots, such as a rivalry with another suitor, start with energy but soon collapse into broad comedy and are quietly dropped. The climax reaches a believable emotional conclusion, but it gets there through a few convenient twists and neatly timed changes of heart.

The film often hints at dealing with tough topics like age prejudice, emotional projection, and society’s pressure on singles, but it stops short of going all in. It clearly prefers to leave audiences smiling rather than uneasy, so it softens sharper edges in favour of comfort.

Themes: When Love Becomes a To-Do List

Under the jokes and mix-ups, Sundarakanda tackles some honest questions. It looks at how people try to design the perfect partner, only to trap themselves. Siddharth’s list is really a way to avoid pain, and the film treats him with empathy while still holding him accountable. The script touches on wasted chances, fantasy versions of love, and the fear of settling, all while staying within a family-friendly frame.

For a Telugu romantic comedy, it feels refreshingly sincere. There are no item songs, no mindless violence, and no forced macho moments. Instead, the film keeps coming back to the idea that love works only when both people show up as they are, not as they wish to appear.

Final Verdict: A Charming Watch, Flawed but Likeable

Sundarakanda is far from perfect. Uneven pacing, a slightly over-talkative second half, and a few clumsy resolutions hold it back from greatness. Yet it remains a pleasant and often funny ride, the sort of film that leaves viewers with a gentle grin and a few lingering thoughts about their own standards in love.

Nimmalapudi’s first film shows a director willing to play with familiar formulas and push his lead actor into new territory. With Nara Rohith opening himself up to more relaxed, romantic roles, there is space here for a new streak in his career. For families looking for clean laughs or couples in the mood to compare their own relationship checklists, Sundarakanda is a safe and satisfying choice.

Grade: B-. Best enjoyed on the big screen for Satya’s sharp one-liners, then worth a second look on streaming for the softer emotional beats.