180 Movie Review

Behind the Movie 180: The attractive publicity along with names of Siddharth, Priya Anand and Nithya Menon has grabbed the attention of audience towards this flick. Even music of the film having a peculiar touch, let us see how far director Jayendra succeeded in making this 180, an interesting one?

In the Movie 180: Movie starts in Varanasi, where hero Ajay aka AJ (Siddharth) makes a silent entry renaming himself as Mano drawing inspiration of leading a happy life from a small kid whose name is Mano. Now, our hero reaches Hyderabad to spend entire time playing with poor children and orphans. Being an interesting character, soon photo journalist Vidya (Nithya Menon) starts to admire Mano and then falls in love with him. When Vidya expresses her love, Mano won’t respond leading to an accident where Vidya breaks her spine and needed to undergo an urgent surgery that is possible only in USA.

Mano has a flash back to reveal. Mano aka Ajay aka AJ is a young doctor enjoying a happy life in San Fransisco. He falls in love with naughty and jovial Renuka (Priya Anand) and they both get married. When their married life is going on smooth, fate strikes in the form of Pancreatic Cancer to Ajay and he is to live for a maximum of ‘180’ days. Unable to bear the frustration of losing his life at very young age, Ajay starts irritating Renuka, who already is deeply broken with the disease of her husband. To see Renuka happy all the time, Ajay escapes from her landing in Varanasi and then Hyderabad.

Back to present, once again Ajay comes back to San Fransisco for the surgery of Vidya which happens successful. Now, Vidya too knows about the cancer of Ajay and she too wants to stay with him for rest of life. With help of one of his friends, Ajay will have a last glance of Renuka and even leaves Vidya to lead his rest of life cheerfully counting the days in a new location that is Brazil. How far will Ajay enjoy this ‘180’ days of life forms the unfinished climax.

Values & Out of the Movie 180: Live life to the fullest. Enjoy each second and each minute for the reason of being alive on this earth. Draw pleasure and satisfaction by doing your own deeds. Keep your near and dear once always smiling. This is the core message of ‘180’ which story writer Subha wants to say. Inappropriately neither the script nor the direction went on interesting lines leaving the entire exhaustive show a test for your patience. Even though ad film maker turned director Jayendra’s artistic sense is visible in selecting picturesque locations and rich visuals, none were helpful in putting a soul into movie. Cinematography by Bala Subramaiam was top notch that makes entire film soothing for eyes. Dialogues by Umarjee Anuradha were also very weak. Editing by Kishore was weak work as audiences catch their heads with lengthy unending scenes. Sharath composed two songs wonderfully while background and special effects by Sethu have gone waste. Production values of Satyam Cinemas and Aghal Films are high in standards.

Coming to performances, Siddharth looked handsome in stylish and gentleman costumes. He was calm and composed in first half while second half in portraying the emotional imbalance as a Cancer Patient, he was terrific. Next to speak about is Priya Anand. Even with a lean body, she looked gorgeous and thus the show stealer grabbing majority of key episodes. She is big asset for ‘180.’ Nithya Menon impressed with her scratchy voice just as continuation to ‘Ala Modalaindi.’ Of the remaining Tanikella and others are just for name sake.          

The major drawback for ‘180’ is sober narration and slow execution. The high dose of drama and low momentum in story telling killed the interest of viewers. With no trace of comedy, ‘180’ lacks in entertaining material. The excellent picturization of song ‘Ee Vayasika Radu’ in first half with special cameras catching 1000 frames per second shows the real essence of life. But, all these technicalities will never come into fruitful count as boring episodes come one by one. 

Once hero’s flashback is out, there is no way director can generate anxiety in audience and Jayendra totally kept his concentration on pulling off the movie with scenic visuals. Being visually brilliant doesn’t help a movie when substance handled is so weak. If one of the Sid’s last films ‘Oye’ has heroine Shamili a cancer patient, this time Sid himself is diseased. Anyways, final result for both will have to be the same as BO wise both are to be 180% dead in less than two weeks. 

Cinejosh Verdict of the Movie 180:  ‘Live’ your day happily by ‘Escaping’ 180 minutes of this headache.

                                                                                                               Reviewed by Srivaas