Premikulu: A good plot wasted

It is commendable that Jaya is trying to make a mark as a director in the male-dominated Telugu filmdom, but she needs to master the skill of the narrative.

Despite a plot with potential -- lovers failing to identify each other because of amnesia -- she is unable to hold the audience's interest in Premikulu, and relies too heavily on clichéd comedy.

However, some scenes showcase her potential, particularly when the protagonists are struggling to recollect their past.

The young group of actors don't live up to expectations. New faces Yuvaraj and Rish fall short in histrionics, but Kamini comes off as suitably 'bubbly'.

Music composer Sajjan also disappoints, but his background score is impressive in bits and pieces. The son of legendary Malayalam composer Ravikrishna tries to experiment but fails to impress by relying on Western orchestration.  Scribe-turned-producer B A Raju, who delivered moderate hits like Chantigadu, spent lavishly for his third but the disjointed screenplay could scuttle his dream.

Jaya, with well-publicised film critic pretensions, needed to understand the importance of maintaining a grip over the audience. A few scenes in the second half feel like a documentary. Rather than reserving the twist for the interval, she should have started fleshing out her story's content much earlier. One hopes her next film will have a taut screenplay.

Comedians Venu Madhav and Brahmandam, accompanied by a band of young guys, evoke a few laughs while Ahuti Prasad and Sana are adequate. The female cinematographer displays occasionally good camerawork, but relies too heavily on lighting when shooting indoors.