Love Mocktail Movie Review: An enjoyable ride with perfect blend of romance and nostalgia.

A story with the protagonist of the film going on a nostalgic trip and recollecting his memories of relationships (in this case, multiple times) is a theme that the audience is familiar with. the style of the narrative makes this different from usual templates of a romantic film.

Darling Krishna’s Love Mocktail gets this connect right as he takes a slice out of a common man's life. The movie takes off with a middle-aged Adi (Darling Krishna) driving to the coastal region and rescuing a woman on the way. She accompanies him through the journey where he opens up about his love, life and an array of emotions he has been through over the last few years. 

Adi (played by a teenager who looks very similar to Darling Krishna) has a major crush on his classmate (Reema). But like most boys, he is hesitant to approach her. But his antics like caring for her and dreaming of a future with her keep him busy. Once the bubble is burst, Adi wakes up to reality and gets into an engineering college where he meets Jo (Amruta Iyengar) who comes from a well-to-do family. Though her love is true, she has her own doubts about his ability to take care of her and provide the lifestyle she deserves. 

But this doesn’t keep them away from enjoying and living in the moment. After engineering, he joins an IT company and promises to fulfill her desires. But Jo, who is under pressure from her parents to marry a well-off guy, breaks up with Adi. Heartbroken, Adi meets Nidhi (Milana Nagraj), an IT employee and a down-to-earth woman, who enjoys the simple things in life. What follows is another interesting tale. 

Love Mocktail is not a story that has never been seen before. But it is this familiarity in the narrative that makes it seem so affable. This one is definitely worth that trip to the cinema hall if you're a fan of romance or nostalgia.

Darling Krishna has managed both acting and direction with responsibility. He has got casting, music, and the storyline right; he has made the right choices. The locations too have contributed to bringing the story alive. His performance is up to the mark, especially as a doting husband. Amruta Iyengar shows promise and potential. Milana Nagaraj has a refreshing character and plays her part well. Milana must continue to pick roles like these that bring the best out of her. A few VIPs have played a guest role in the movie, including Vijeth Suvarna, a well-known biker and restaurateur. 

Raghu Dixit’s music and Sri Crazy Minds’ cinematography are the biggest highlights. Raghu has inserted the right notes in every scene and the songs too bring out the feel-good factor. 'Love you Chinna' and 'Neene Yendigu' linger even after coming out of the theatre. Sri’s camera deserves special mention for showing the greenery and coastal Karnataka like never before. 

Love Mocktail served ahead of Valentine’s Day, is a pleasant romantic experience at this self-quarantine season.

Love Mocktail is available on Amazon Prime Video.