Just because first love fails doesn’t mean life comes to a standstill. The message that "first love isn’t everything" was effectively conveyed through one of the film’s songs even before its release. In a way, the song played a key role in raising expectations for the film and creating buzz among young audiences. Chennai Love Story, starring young actor Kiran Abbavaram and Sri Gouri Priya, had its premiere shows on Thursday night and was released worldwide on Friday. Kiran Abbavaram had high hopes for the film. Directed by Ravi Namburi, the movie is produced by SKN and Sai Rajesh, with Sai Rajesh also providing the story. The film opens with the heroine’s love story and a wedding that is called off. After being in a relationship for three years and making all the arrangements for marriage, Gouri Priya’s boyfriend, played by Trigun, backs out at the last minute, revealing that he has fallen in love with another woman from his office and refuses to marry her.
Gouri Priya’s character works in Chennai. Meanwhile, the hero, whose dream is to see his name on the silver screen and make a film, also moves to Chennai. While narrating a story on Chennai Beach, Kiran Abbavaram meets the heroine’s group of friends and eventually becomes part of their circle. How Kiran Abbavaram enters Gouri Priya’s life after her wedding is called off, and whether their love story succeeds or not, forms the rest of Chennai Love Story. Kiran Abbavaram and Sri Gouri Priya do justice to their respective roles. In fact, Gouri Priya delivers a stronger performance than the hero, convincingly portraying a young woman dealing with heartbreak. However, the film shows her consuming alcohol in a majority of the scenes, leaving the audience with the feeling that these sequences are excessive and unnecessary.
The major twist in the film arrives during the interval, making the audience wonder how the story will progress from there. Although the director attempts something different, it remains doubtful whether it will connect with viewers. A sequence set in a hotel during the first half is linked to the events in the second half, but the execution fails to leave a lasting impression. The songs are decent. Overall, Chennai Love Story lacks energy and spark. It comes across as a dull romantic drama. While the core story has a fresh idea, the filmmakers fail to present it in an engaging and compelling manner.
Rating: 2.5/5