What’s “Thella Kaagitham” About?
Set in 2006 in the Bhimavaram region of Andhra Pradesh, “Thella Kaagitham” follows two teenagers, Ramu (Harsh Roshan) and Aasha (Nakshatra).
Ramu has lost his parents and is raised by his elder brother and sister-in-law (Sharanya Pradeep). The family belongs to a lower-middle-class background. Aasha is the daughter of Murthy (Ajay), a medical shop owner, and comes from a relatively better-off family.
Ramu and Aasha gradually get attracted to each other and fall in love. Their relationship takes an unexpected turn when Aasha becomes pregnant. How do the two teenagers deal with the situation?
Analysis
“Thella Kaagitham” means a blank paper. The title is explained in a scene where a college lecturer tells the teenagers that their age is like a blank sheet of paper, and that they should be careful about the marks they leave on it. The scene essentially spells out the film’s central message.
The film begins with Ramu and Aasha getting acquainted because of a lunch-box mix-up at school. Ramu accidentally takes Aasha’s tiffin box, which contains chicken curry, and the incident becomes the starting point of their friendship. As they move into intermediate college, their friendship gradually turns into romance.
The first half largely revolves around their school and college days, the tiffin-box episodes, teenage jokes and their love story. There is some innocence to these portions, but the film never becomes particularly engaging. It simply moves along as a straightforward teenage romance.
The real conflict begins when Aasha’s pregnancy is revealed. From this point, the film becomes focused on how the teenagers deal with the unexpected situation. This is where the writing falters badly. The subject offers plenty of scope for drama, emotion and even situational humour, but the screenplay does not make the conflict sufficiently engaging or convincing.
The film does recover somewhat in the climax, which takes an unexpected turn. More importantly, the message it conveys is relevant. Teenagers, when faced with serious problems, should be able to approach their parents instead of depending on outsiders who may not understand the consequences of their actions. The climax succeeds in putting this message across, even though the journey towards it is not particularly effective.
Harsh Roshan is convincing in his role. He fits naturally into the part of an innocent and confused rural teenager. Newcomer Nakshatra has good screen presence and does well in her role. Ajay makes a strong impression as the heroine’s father. Kasireddy also handles his negative role neatly.
Vijay Bulganin’s music is good, with “Chilaka” standing out as the pick of the album. K.V. Guhan’s cinematography captures the rural beauty of the Konaseema region well. The editing is just about adequate, while the writing remains the film’s biggest weakness.
Bottom Line
“Thella Kaagitham” has a relevant message about teenagers and their need to communicate with their parents. It also has a few tender moments and a reasonably effective climax. However, dated humour and a lacklustre second half prevent the film from making the emotional impact it aims for.
By TC Staff
Rating: 2.5/5
