Siddharth bounces back with 180 which is his second release of 2011 after the disappointing Ananaga Oka Dheerudu and 180 incidentally also his return to Tamil cinema after many years. 180, at best, can be summed up as the journey of Ajay (Siddharth) across 6 months viz., 180 days!!! This journey is not just of Ajay but also of the folks who have a deep bond with him who would be Renuka (Priya Anand) and Vidya (Nithya Menon). 180 also marks the directorial debut of the well-known ad-film maker Jayendra who decided to shoot 180 in both Tamil and Telegu versions to retain the topicality instead of merely dubbing it.

What’s it about : The film starts off with a brooding Ajay landing in Benaras where a chance encounter with a little boy makes him rediscover the smile within him. From there, he randomly moves to Hyderabad while calling himself Mano. He rents a house and a bike for 6 months and becomes the proverbial do-gooder who makes a positive difference in the lives of people around him be it his house-owners or the newspaper delivery boys. Vidya walks into this scenario and flips for his good-guy antics but is confused when he doesn’t reciprocate her love. In parallel, we are treated to flashbacks which show Ajay to be a doctor in the US who woos and marries his patient Renuka (Priya Anand). The rest of 180 is all about such unanswered questions about his relationships, his journey to India & basically why he is running away from everyone esp. Renuka.

What is Good : 180 has an interesting storyline about a mysterious do-gooder who lands up with no background to him. The screenplay very effectively charts out the two parallel storylines esp. in the first half where the audience interest is sustained despite the story not really moving ahead. The cinematography by Balasubramaniam is first rate and his work in the San Francisco segments stand out. The song “Ee Vayasaku Raadu” is picturized beautifully as a montage of slow-motion shots. Given that Siddharth is there in every frame, he tops in the acting department with his portrayal of Mano and Ajay using his expressive eyes to do most of the emoting. Priya and Nithya support him adequately in their well-etched characters. The other bit players including the actor who played Ajay’s friend also put in believable performances.

What is bad: 180 loses steam for some time during the second half while trying to show Siddharth’s reaction to the crisis that envelops him. This results in some unnecessary scenes that stretch the movie. It would have been advisable to trim the second half by twenty odd minutes to retain the interest. Apart from the first song, the rest of the songs are shot in a conventional manner that does not do enough justice to the soundtrack. MS Narayana and Tanikella Bharani are wasted in inconsequential roles.

Me Thinks: 180 is a movie that’s tailor-made for the A centre audiences. This might appeal to the multiplex and college crowds given its youthful appeal and the unconventional ending. This movie would be recommended if you are looking for something different from the regular larger-than-life Telegu films.

Tailpiece: For all the hype of shooting the same film in two different languages, there are only a few scenes that actually make a difference with regard to topicality!!!