Actors shine in pedestrian Madhumasam

Love stories are dime a dozen. Invariably, most of them follow the beaten path with just a few minor differences.

Madhumasam, too, is in the same stereotypical mould lacking in novelty. This love story is like most other umpteen tales seen before -- boy meets girl, girl loves boy but boy does not and when he falls in love with her, she loses interest and then there is the inevitable ending.

Sanjay (Sumanth) is a pragmatic urban guy who does not believe in love. He has a friend in Maya (Parvati Melton) who shares his thoughts. Hamsavahini (Sneha) meets Sanjay a few times at various places and is smitten by him. Romantic at heart, she wants a man who would be head-over-heels in love with her. 

Sanjay helps her on quite a few occasions but remains detached. He decides to marry her after she proposes more for convenience (to get away from marrying aunt's daughter). At the engagement ceremony, Hamsa learns that he does not love her. She breaks the engagement.

Minor twists in the film move the story forward. She loses interest in Sanjay, but he gradually develops feelings for her.

The film is based on a story by writer Balabhadrapatruni Ramani. Director Chandra Siddharth has nothing new to offer through his screenplay. It's quite a disappointment considering that his earlier effort Aa Nalguru was talked about.

Siddharth's characterisation is okay and the characters are believable. But there is no freshness in their romance or in his approach. He seems to be in a quandary to make his product appeal to all so he seems to have put in a bit of everything -- action and melodrama, which makes it even more pedestrian. The comedy track seems out of place and as a deliberate attempt to fill in humour.

What adds life to it are the performances. Sumanth is convincing as Sanjay and his expressions, particularly his eyes, are good. He is sincere in portraying his cool, I-don't care-a-damn character. Sneha is bright as Hamsa. Playing a traditional girl with some modern thoughts comes easily to her. Parvati Melton as the flirtatious, slightly 'promiscuous' Maya lives her role. In fact, it's her character, which is innovative though one cannot understand the twist in her character towards the end --probably another attempt to tread the safe path.

With shades of Kyun...! Ho Gaya Na (Aishwarya Rai, Vivek Oberoi, Amitabh Bachchan), one wonders why the director made such a film which is not rivetting at all. One can almost predict what happens and the climax is rather hackneyed. Whether it can attract the crowds is to be seen. This  monotonous fare may stand in for a Valentine's special (titled as Madhumasam: Season Of Love) but only if you don't mind the mushy, done-to-death theme.

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