Movie Description
Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya reunite after Baby for the youthful romantic drama Epic – First Semester. Directed by Aditya Hasan, the film explores love, friendship, differences in personality and the challenges faced by youngsters while adapting to a new phase of life.
The movie has a fresh setting and a promising lead pair, but its slow narration prevents it from becoming a completely engaging romantic entertainer.
Story
Aditya is a young man from Wanaparthy who has dreams of making films. His plans take a different turn when his family sends him to London for higher studies.
His life changes after meeting Kadali, a confident girl from Vizag. The two have contrasting personalities, and their interactions gradually develop into a relationship. As they get closer, differences and misunderstandings begin to test their bond.
The film mainly revolves around how Aditya and Kadali deal with their relationship and the situations that come along with it.
Performances
Anand Deverakonda gives a sincere performance as Aditya. His innocent nature suits the character, and he handles the lighter moments comfortably. His performance becomes more effective during the emotional portions.
Vaishnavi Chaitanya gets a character with a strong personality and plays Kadali with confidence. She brings the necessary energy to the role and shares good chemistry with Anand.
The lead pair is easily one of the film’s positives. Their conversations and relationship moments have a relatable feel in several places.
The supporting cast does a decent job, while the comedy works only in certain portions.
What Works
The chemistry between Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya is a major plus. The London backdrop also gives the film a pleasant visual appeal.
The music and background score by Hesham Abdul Wahab add value to the romantic and emotional sequences. The cinematography is another positive, with the locations being presented attractively.
What Doesn’t Work
The film struggles to maintain a steady pace, particularly in the portions where the story focuses heavily on the lead pair’s relationship. Some scenes could have been shortened to keep the narrative moving.
A few conflicts between the characters feel predictable, and the repeated emotional exchanges take away some of the freshness. The film would have benefited from a more tightly written screenplay and sharper editing.
Technical Aspects
Director Aditya Hasan has chosen a simple relationship-based story, but the writing does not always maintain the required pace. Several conversations revolve around similar emotional situations, making portions of the film feel repetitive.
The cinematography by Azeem Mohammad is appealing, and the production values are decent. Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music and background score stand out as one of the film’s strengths.
The editing could have been tighter, as trimming some of the lengthy conversations would have made the film more engaging.
Final Verdict
Epic – First Semester has a likeable lead pair, decent performances and a few engaging romantic moments. However, the slow-paced narration and repetitive portions hold the film back.
Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya make the film watchable, but the overall experience remains a mixed one.
FilmyFast Rating: 2.5/5
