Junior movie review: Kireeti Reddy makes a polished debut, but the plot fails to impress

Junior follows a lively college student named Abhi (Kireeti Reddy) who aspires to maximise his youth.

Kireeti Reddy, son of popular politician and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy, got into the movie business with 'Junior', a bilingual Telugu and Kannada film that hit the screens today.

The movie, in which he is seen with Sreeleela and Genelia D'Souza, was shown in more than 1,000 theatres across the globe. The narrative falls short of the production's goal of giving Kireeti a spectacular debut.

Plot:

'Junior' follows a lively college student named Abhi (Kireeti Reddy) who aspires to maximise his youth. V. Ravichandran portrays Kodandapani, his father, who wishes to have a greater role in his son's life. In the meantime, Abhi develops feelings for his classmate Spoorthi and subsequently accepts an internship with the strict, soon-to-be CEO Vijay Soujanya (Genelia Deshmukh).

When Abhi discovers a secret chapter in Soujanya's past, a tense beginning gives way to emotional revelations, and he helps her rediscover her roots. The main focus of the second half is what he finds and how it alters their lives.

What worked and what did not?

Particularly in dance and action sequences, the debutant exudes confidence. His sincere on-screen persona suggests promise if combined with more compelling content in the future.

V. Ravichandran's performance as Abhi's father, the seasoned actor, elevates significant narrative moments by adding emotional depth.

Sreeleela's fleeting appearance, especially in the song "Viral Vayyari," adds sparkle despite being underutilised.

The film has a polished appearance throughout, thanks to Senthil Kumar's stylish visuals.

'Junior' has an antiquated and predictable plot. It follows a tried-and-true launchpad structure that consists of comedy, action, romance, and emotional drama that highlights the hero. Unfortunately, this leads to a plot that is frequently unauthentic and feels generic.

Genelia's character feels underwritten even though she is essential to the plot, and Sreeleela vanishes halfway through the movie. The film mostly wastes the talents of Rao Ramesh, Satya, and Achyuth Kumar.

Many of the scenes bear resemblance to numerous previous commercial movies.

The film's writing lacks depth and realism, despite a few emotional attempts. Niranjan Devaramane's editing seems erratic, especially in the languid second half, and Devi Sri Prasad's music doesn't make an impact.

Also read: Junior Twitter review: Kireeti Reddy, Sreeleela and Genelia's comedy-drama receives mixed response, netizens call it "fairly average"

Verdcit:

'Junior' is a slick, attractively packaged debut that falls short in some ways. Although Kireeti Reddy makes a genuine first impression, the movie suffers from a cliched script and flimsy narrative.

Fans of debut-hero movies may find it appealing, but it's a one-time experience that's best viewed with low expectations.

Starring : Kireeti, Sreeleela, Genelia, V.Ravi Chandran, Rao Ramesh, Sudharani,
Achyut rao and Others
Director : Radha Krishna Reddy
Producers : Rajani Korrapati
Music Director : Devi Sri Prasad
Cinematographer : K K Senthil Kumar (ISC)
Editor :  Niranjan DevaramaneRating: 2.5/5