Review: 35-Chinna Katha Kaadu - Delightful and Poignant

Movie: 35 - Chinna Katha Kaadu
Rating: 3.5/5

Cast:  Nivetha Thomas, Priyadarshi, Vishwadev Rachakonda, Gautami, Bhagyaraj, Krishna Teja and Others

Director: Nanda Kishore Emani

Produced By: Srujan Yarabolu, Siddharth Rallapalli

Release Date: September 6, 2024

Story:

Saraswathi (Nivetha Thomas) is a middle-class woman who lives happily with her husband, Satya Prasad (Vishwadev Rachakonda). The couple has two songs, Arun (Arundev Pothula) and Varun (Abhay Shankar). Arun does not understand mathematics and asks the logic behind mathematical equations to his parents and teachers. Chanakya Varma (Priyadarshi) is the new maths teacher at Arun's School, and he values only the students who score good marks. As Arun asks odd questions about mathematics, Chanakya gets irritated and brands him as "Zero" because the former gets zero marks in Maths. The rest of the story is about how Saraswathi makes Arun understand the logic behind maths and helps him score well in exams. 

Performances:

Nivetha Thomas delivered an excellent performance as Saraswathi. Her expressions in pivotal and emotional scenes are a treat to watch. Vishwadev Rachakonda also gave a commendable performance, while Priyadarshi shined in an interesting role. Gautami, Bhagyaraj, Krishna Teja were apt. All the kids in the film performed well. 

What worked for the film:

Director Nanda Kishore Emani has taken a plot that might look simple, but he narrated it very effectively. The first half has a slow touch, but the film aligns with Chanakya's entry. All the scenes between the kid and Chanakya were good, and the interactions between Saraswathi and the kid were also good. The second half is where the main emotion of the film emerges and provides an endearing experience. The way Saraswathi's character takes a pledge to make her son win his battle is heartwarming. The crucial confrontation scene between Saraswathi and Satya planted a perfect lead for the upcoming scenes. Also, the director neatly showed how friendship makes kids competitive and achieve success.

What did not work for the film:

The film has a touch of dullness here and there. A few scenes appear repetitive. Also, the director could have established Satya's anger/frustration before the crucial confrontation scene in the second half, as it gave the film a rushed feel. 

35-Chinna Katha Kaadu Review and Verdict:

35-Chinna Kadha Kaadu naturally combines pleasant moments with emotional depth. It focuses on mathematics, but it also has an endearing family drama. The characterizations and performances work very well, along with proper technical values