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Junior Movie Review: Kireeti Reddy`s Debut Amidst a Muddled Narrative
Updated on: 18 July, 2025 04:47 PM IST |Amruta Karulkar
Junior Movie Review
The much-anticipated debut of Kireeti Reddy, son of politician Gali Janardhan Reddy, has finally arrived with his film Junior. While Kireeti`s performance has garnered praise, the movie itself struggles to deliver a compelling cinematic experience, feeling more like a showreel than a cohesive story.
The story opens with an unusual prologue about a middle-aged couple`s late pregnancy, leading to a father-son dynamic that, despite its emotional premise, never truly lands. Abhi`s college escapades, where he pushes his friends into silly stunts in the name of memories, are neither funny nor engaging. Attempts at humour fall flat due to stale writing.
The romantic subplot with Sreeleela feels forced, though her energetic dance in the catchy number "Viral Vayari" is a highlight. Genelia D’Souza makes a welcome return as a tough boss, adding flair despite limited scope. Veteran Kannada star Ravichandran impresses as a doting father.
Also Read: Casting Shake-Up for Akhil Akkineni`s `Lenin` as Sreeleela Exits?
While Junior ambitiously touches upon themes like ageism and complex family dynamics, it ultimately plays out as an extended showreel for Kireeti Reddy. The film, despite Kireeti`s promising debut, lacks novelty, emotional depth, or engaging drama, resulting in a tedious watch, even for die-hard fans of commercial cinema.
A Promising Debutant in a Familiar World
Junior, a Telugu-Kannada bilingual directed by Radhakrishna Reddy, attempts to blend a coming-of-age story with elements of mainstream Telugu cinema from a bygone era. The film introduces Kireeti as Abhi, a cheerful protagonist obsessed with making "memories" to fondly recall later in life. Audiences have widely appreciated Kireeti`s confident screen presence, electrifying dance moves, and ease in action sequences, with many taking to social media to commend his "stellar start" and "bright future."The story opens with an unusual prologue about a middle-aged couple`s late pregnancy, leading to a father-son dynamic that, despite its emotional premise, never truly lands. Abhi`s college escapades, where he pushes his friends into silly stunts in the name of memories, are neither funny nor engaging. Attempts at humour fall flat due to stale writing.
The romantic subplot with Sreeleela feels forced, though her energetic dance in the catchy number "Viral Vayari" is a highlight. Genelia D’Souza makes a welcome return as a tough boss, adding flair despite limited scope. Veteran Kannada star Ravichandran impresses as a doting father.
Also Read: Casting Shake-Up for Akhil Akkineni`s `Lenin` as Sreeleela Exits?
Technical Prowess vs. Outdated Storytelling
Despite the involvement of top-tier technicians like cinematographer Senthil Kumar and stunt choreographer Peter Hein, the film fails to rise above its outdated writing. Director Radhakrishna Reddy relies on old-school formulas that have long gone out of style. The second half, with its pivot to melodrama and emotional reconciliations in a village setting, is poorly executed, making it more exhausting than the former.While Junior ambitiously touches upon themes like ageism and complex family dynamics, it ultimately plays out as an extended showreel for Kireeti Reddy. The film, despite Kireeti`s promising debut, lacks novelty, emotional depth, or engaging drama, resulting in a tedious watch, even for die-hard fans of commercial cinema.
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