Jersey:
Starring actor Nani and Shraddha Srinath in the lead, this is the story of a talented yet failed cricketer Arjun who decides to return to the Indian cricket team in his late thirties to take it to the next level and of course, win a jersey for his son. The film was very well-written. But, Nani was the star of the show as was Shraddha Srinath. Their unique rapport with each other and their waves of emotions made the film a family entertainer with a positive message.
Majili:
A hardcore cricket fan (Naga Chaitanya), falls in love with a woman (Divyansha Kaushik). The two seem to be made for each other and are deeply in love when parents forcefully separate them. After a few years, it is revealed that he married his neighbour (Samantha Akkineni) who was in love with him for a very long time. The way he falls in love with his wife over time is the storyline. Naga Chaitanya and Samantha being real-life husband and wife shared a special partnership onscreen and were a treat to watch. Director Shiva Nirvana knew how to use this to create a story out of it.
Oh! Baby
Samantha Akkineni was yet again seen in a never-seen-before role of a 70-year-old trapped in the body of a 24-year-old. Samantha effortlessly carried the film on her shoulder. Adapted from the Korean classic Miss Granny, director Nandhini unearths a treasure of a story for Tollywood. Baby (Lakshmi) decides to not be a burden to her son and one day decides to just move on. As she visits a photo studio at her family event, life changes for her and she becomes a 24-year-old all over again. She begins to live the life she had always wanted to and follows her passion. The story is a tribute to our elders and what they lost in the process of “building a family”.
Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya
Adding a comical spin on a mysterious detective story, director Swaroop made this one an entertainer. Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya (Naveen) is a detective based out of Nellore who has a very different approach to curiosity. As he finds an unidentified body along the railway track, he is faced with various obstacles. In a genre of its own, this film deserves all the applause for its artistic direction and execution.
Mallesham
Against the backdrop of the Andhra Pradesh government constantly encouraging its people to buy hand-woven clothes, this film fit the times to a T. A young, self-trained inventor decides to risk his rather well-built reputation to invent a new weaving process for his mother after he sees the grueling labour she goes through. Director Raj Rachakonda ditched the usual heroic biopic to concentrate upon something crucial. Mallesham is the story for each and every one of us who has huge dreams and aspirations and how the society can attempt to stifle it all.
