Movie Name : Junior
Release Date : July 18, 2025
Cast : Kireeti, Sreeleela, V.Ravi Chandran, Genelia, Rao Ramesh, Sudharani, Achyut rao, Satya, Viva Harsha etc.
Director : Radha Krishna
Music Director : Devi Sri Prasad
Andhrawatch.com Rating : 2.5/5
Story:
In the town of Vizianagaram, an elderly couple – Kodandapani (V. Ravichandran) and Shyamala – is presented with the greatest surprise of all: they will soon become parents. However, instead of joy, their village has made fun of them and has chided them for being parents at their age. When the whispering gave way to open ridicule, Kodandapani, unable to take the shame any longer, resolves to leave his village with his pregnant wife.
On their way, there is a tragedy. Shyamala delivers on the bus but dies soon after, with Kodandapani devastated and cradling their baby boy in his arms.
From that day, Kodandapani raises his son Abhi (Kireeti Reddy) with unwavering love, playing both mother and father. But as Abhi grows, the wide age gap makes their bond complicated. Though his father’s love is genuine, Abhi finds it overwhelming — a bit too much like a real-life Bommarillu father, always hovering, always involved.
Yearning for freedom, Abhi moves to the city for college, where he finally experiences independence. His outlook on life is simpley. With this mindset, he embraces every challenge and seeks out moments that are unique and unforgettable.
In the process, he falls in love with Spoorthi (Sreeleela). After years of silent admiration, he lands a job at the same company she works for. But at work, he faces a new obstacle — his boss, Vijaya Soujanya (Genelia), the sharp and stern CEO who takes an instant dislike to him. Their constant clashes spark tension and rivalry.
Soon, due to unforeseen circumstances, Vijaya is forced to travel with Abhi and his team to none other than Vizianagaram — the very place Abhi left behind. But what brings her there? What connection does she have to that village? And what link does she share with Abhi, hidden beneath years of silence and fate? All these questions unfold on the big screen.
Review:
Young actor Kireeti makes a confident entry into Telugu cinema, leaving a solid impression with his charm, stylish screen presence, and most notably — his impressive dance skills. Right from the opening number to the special song alongside Sreeleela, Kireeti showcases effortless rhythm and energy. His dance moves reflect a perfect blend on screen charisma, proving that he’s got what it takes to shine in commercial cinema.
For a performance, Sreeleela gives an average performance relying mostly on the song numbers to create the correct presence. Veteran actor V. Ravichandran withholds much emotional credibility to the story particularly in the second half and Rao Ramesh as always puts in a good solid performance with strong nuances.
But while the performances work, the film is let down by poor writing and dated storytelling. The story is not fresh but instead heavily depends on expected tropes and well-worn emotional beats. The opening half is slow, consisting of disjointed scenes with little sense or storytelling hold. The second half opens better, but soon reverts to a by-numbers script riddled with clichés. A few effective emotional beats are fleeting but not enough to elevate the experience.
One of the big disappointments is the waste of the supporting cast. With a good supporting cast, they are not written with depth. Sreeleela’s character is underwritten, and Genelia, who is an experienced actress, is wasted in a two-dimensional, underwritten part that contributes nothing to the main story. The villain’s arc also comes across as half-cooked — developed with promise, only to be hastily concluded in an unconvincing way. Even Achyuth and other supporting actors are unable to make a lasting impact.
Technicalally, the movie is quite good. Production values are good, with rich visuals handled well by cameraman Senthil Kumar. Devi Sri Prasad’s music provides energy and charm, bolstering commercial aspects of the movie. But editing continues to be a weak point, as jerky cuts between sequences break the continuity and disturb emotional continuity.
Director Radhakrishna seems to have worked mostly to unveil the strengths of Kireeti, especially his screen presence and dancing skills. In the process, though, he sacrifices the development of a strong, interesting, and emotionally involving story. What ensues is a movie that hints at possibilities but fails due to a predictable script and uneven screenplay.
Kireeti proves stylish and promising in his debut with admirable screen presence and dance steps. Unfortunately, the film is let down by an old-fashioned plot, slack pace, and poor character development. Good music and visuals step in to the rescue, but patchy editing and a poor script stand in the way. On the whole, it has potential but fails to reach it.