Ek Love Ya Movie Review: Raanna shines completely

Review: Often Prem has said that Ek Love Ya will see a new version of him. he launches his brother-in-law Raannaunder his wife Rakshitha's production. True to that, he has ensured it is the perfect vehicle for Raanna, where he gets to showcase all that he has in a story that has multiple emotions - romance, heartbreak, revenge and redemption. Raanna shines completely. The multiple things packed in the film make it slightly long and it could have been a pacier film without some commercial staples.

The film is visually rich and the songs and background score continue to linger on, thanks to cinematographer Mahen Simha and music composer Arjun Janya. The story has a lot of potential and shows love trying to prevail and win against all odds.

The film has a non-linear narrative in the first half, before it moves from being a story about teenage love and heartbreak to a thriller. How much will the audience accept the switching of genres is going to determine the extent of this film's success? To a large extent, this shift does keep the audiences engaged. It is only some of the regular staples, which become a demand for pulling all kinds of audiences. Prem usually is known for the mother sentiment in his films, but this film becomes a tale of three fathers and their sentiments.

The film begins with Raanna being shown as a brash and angry young law student Amar, who nurses resentment for his love being rejected. One encounter with a sex worker leads the audience to see a flashback of his love story, which is shot across picturesque locales and sees him fall for the stylish student Anitha. One witnesses his innocent love grow and then be a part of his journey of rejection and heartbreak. Just when Amar seems to have his life back on track, he gets arrested for a crime that turns out to be his biggest nightmare. The story then shifts to being a thriller that has the themes of revenge and redemption.

The film belongs to Raanna, who does not look like a newcomer at all. Reeshma Nanaiah shows promise of being a good commercial heroine. In her role, Rachita Ram manages to get some whistles and hoots, and looks gorgeous, especially in the Yennegu Hennigu song. That said, one must commend Shashikumar, Suchendra Prasad and Charan Raj for their roles. Also promising are Suraj and Hithesh from Comedy Khiladigalu, who entertain as Amar's friends. Rakshitha's cameo is too short, but can elicit some cheers from fans.

Ek Love Ya touches on an important social issue in the second half. The film is definitely worth a watch for those who love commercial cinema. It could have been edgier had it been shorter and more tightly woven.