18 .. 20 Love Story is based on the very “original” concept of two young lovers from different backgrounds fighting against parental opposition while being helped by a soft-hearted criminal. While this original concept has been made into a zillion movies in a million languages, the audience is left wondering why director Radhakrishna even tried coming up with this pathetic attempt that leaves you bored and brain-dead!!!

What is it about : The film starts by introducing Bullana (Sivaji), a dreaded gangster, who kills for money while his doting mother keeps pleading with him to change his ways. Soon the movie cuts to the blossoming love story between Manoj (Manoj) and Rupini (Renil) which is quite unconvincing. While Manoj is the son of a poor dhaba owner, Rupini is the pampered daughter of the rich industrialist JP who is not averse to paying Bullana to do his dirty work. Pretty soon thanks to his mother pleas, Bullana has a change of heart and supports the young couple who predictably succeed in their fight against the society. And the fight is all about wanting to get married when they are not even twenty years old!!!

What is Good: The only positive aspect about the movie is Sivaji who is convincing as a gutka chewing rowdy who delivers smart one-liners in the typical telangana dialect. His role in the second half was the only time when the audience showed any interest in the movie. Shradha Das & Jhansi were OK in their supporting roles.

What is bad: An outdated story, inconsistent screenplay, forgettable music, loud characters and a mismatched lead pair are pointers to what is bad. The lead pair didn’t have any chemistry between them with Manoj actually looking like a teenager opposite Renil. They definitely need a crash course in acting before they sign on their next venture.

Me Thinks: Remaking an outdated concept like this requires a strong script and powerful actors and 18..20 Love Story lacks in both departments. This results in a 2 hour boring saga that tests your patience and makes you wait for the end credits to start rolling!

Tailpiece: 18th is the hero’s birthday while 20th is the heroine’s birthday and so this ensures that 18 20 number comes up everywhere including the title! Wondering what other innovative titles are going to come up next.