Roshan Kanakala, son of Suma and Rajeev Kanakala, made his acting debut in Bubblegum, which his famous parents did a lot to promote. From a middle-class background, Aditya (Roshan Kanakala) goes by the stage name Aadi and dreams of making it big as a DJ.
At a pub in Hyderabad, he takes advantage of a chance to show off his DJ abilities to a rich girl named Janvi (Maanasa Choudhary), who finds his music appealing and develops feelings for him. She falls in love with him over time, even though she initially hesitates to commit.
Their relationship takes a nosedive after Janvi humiliates Aadi at a party. How will Aadi feel about this shame, and will Janvi learn from her error?
Highlights in performance:
Roshan Kanakala’s acting debut is promising. Even though his ordinary appearance takes some getting used to, his delivery of lines is quite good.
The role of a wealthy girl is perfect for Manaasa Chowdhary, a Telugu actress making her cinematic debut. Her acting and appearance turn for the worse in the second half after being breathtaking in the first. Her performance is satisfactory. There are some real belly chuckles from the actor who played Roshan’s dad.
Superior Technical Ability:
The film’s production and technical aspects are up to par. The music is very contemporary, and the dialogue writing is passable.
Ravikanth Perepu’s last Netflix premiere, “Krishna and His Leela,” has a vibe that “Bubblegum” mimics. A 22-year-old middle-class guy falls for a wealthy girl, undergoes humiliation, and ultimately discovers what’s important in this coming-of-age narrative. There is a plot twist during the intermission, but otherwise, the story follows a fairly standard trajectory.
The key plot point occurs just before the intermission, when the wealthy girl severely humiliates the lad over a mistake. This intermission scene is the most memorable part of the film.
But after that powerful intermission scene, the action slows down as it centers on the girl’s efforts to make amends with the boy. Beyond this point, the story becomes stale, and the heroine’s antics aren’t always clear. Additionally, the hero’s characterization in the latter half of the film adds to the misunderstanding.
The film’s depiction of the complexity and speed of modern relationships aligns with a current trend in youth-centric dramas. Regrettably, neither of those things happens in these episodes.
The hero’s language and family environment reminds me of “DJ Tillu,” which makes it feel old.
Although the filmmaker intends to teach a lesson to the younger generation by following the hero as he finds his way to righteousness, the second half puts the viewers through their paces with drawn-out scenes.
In conclusion, “Bubblegum” showcases newbie Roshan Kanakala, who is in a youthful mood. Yet, as the name implies, the picture is flavorless. The title seems cryptic, yet the story develops slowly, like a piece of gum that drags on for a long time without offering any flavor.
To sum up: New Age Crap
Movie: Bubblegum
ibomma Rating: 2/5
Cast: Roshan Kanakala, Maanasa Choudhary, Harsha Chemudu, Kiran Macha, Anannyaa Akulaa, Harshvardhan, Anu Hasan, Chaitu Jonnalagadda, Bindu Chandramouli and others.
Music: Sricharan Pakala
DOP: Suresh Ragutu
Editor: Ravikanth Perepu, Balakrishna Reddy
Art Director: Vithal Kosanam
Producer: P Vimala
Written and Directed by: Ravikanth Perepu
Release Date: Dec 29, 2023