Epic: First Semester OTT Review:
The OTT reunion of Baby’s Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya in the form of a contemporary romance drama directed by Aditya Hasan, the same director who directed the trending web series ‘#90s – A Middle Class Biopic.’ Based around student life in London, the movie showcases themes of love, live-in relationships, pressure from families, and the confusion of adolescence. Now streaming on Netflix, is Epic: First Semester a good OTT watch?
Epic: First Semester – Storyline
The story revolves around Aditya (Anand Deverakonda), the youngest sibling of the family seen in #90s – A Middle Class Biopic. The dream of Aditya is to be a director in films and earn fame through the world of movies. But as a part of the backup plan from his middle-class family, he moves to London for higher education.
Aditya stays in love with cinema even after going abroad. He meets Kadali (Vaishnavi Chaitanya), a Telugu girl, at his university. The duo bond from day one and end up living together.
What happens to their relationship as they navigate life together? What decisions does Aditya make about love and marriage while he is still trying to find his footing in life? Does Kadali give in to the pressure from her parents to get married? The film explores these questions through the couple’s journey.
Epic: First Semester – How Is the Film?
Epic: First Semester intends to depict the lifestyle of the current generation, the intricacies of relationships, confusion of emotions, and the pressure of the young generation coming from their family and society.
As compared to other films, the film does not follow the pattern of a typical movie narrative. Rather, the director of the film attempts to show the experiences of a young man and a young woman in their academic pursuits and personal relationships and life. In this regard, some aspects of the film would resonate well with the audiences in terms of reflecting their own personal lives through the lives of the main protagonists of the film. However, not all might find their decisions and confusion appealing to them.
Unlike the typical love story or romantic drama or even live-in relationship film, the story of the couple is shown to be true-to-life situations that they encounter. Therefore, the film lacks the twists, interval block, and climax that is expected of a typical film.
Those who get engrossed with the characters’ stories will enjoy watching the movie, but those who look for a well-crafted and conventional story will find it boring.
In the course of the movie, the filmmaker brings up a number of issues that have great relevance in today’s society. These include caste-based discrimination, problems encountered by women, and the pressures that men face. The topics are quite intriguing, but most of them are briefly discussed without going into any details.
The movie starts in the universe of #90s – A Middle Class Biopic, showing the life of mathematics teacher Chandrasekhar and the problems that he faces as part of his middle-class family. The movie is entertaining in its beginning with the interactions of Aditya’s father who scorns at his son’s ambitions and his friends who seem to back him up in their way.
Also Read: Carrie Is Back — And Mike Flanagan Has Given the Horror Classic a Very Different Twist
The fun picks up when Aditya arrives in London. The lead pair’s first meeting, their decision to share a room on the very first day, and the surprised reaction of the friend who arranged the accommodation generate some amusing moments. Aditya’s conversations with his friend back home also provide plenty of laughs.
The first half focuses more on the pressure women face within their own families, while the second half explores the struggles of young men and the different expectations society places on men and women in their mid-twenties. This contrast is one of the film’s key strengths.
While the first half delivers more humour, the second half leans heavily towards emotional drama. However, the narrative largely revolves around the romance between Aditya and Kadali, along with Aditya’s conversations with his parents and friend. The limited scope makes the screenplay feel repetitive and slow in places.
Unlike #90s – A Middle Class Biopic, which is suitable for family viewing, Epic: First Semester deals with more mature themes and situations. Some scenes also bring to mind romantic dramas such as Sakhi and OK Bangaram. The ending, however, leaves the impression that the story has not been fully explored.
Performances
Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya deliver convincing performances as Aditya and Kadali. Both actors display maturity in their portrayals and bring a natural quality to their characters.
Anand is particularly effective as Aditya, a young man whose innocence and uncertainty shape much of his journey. His performance feels natural across several scenes.
Vaishnavi makes a strong impression as Kadali, a character with greater emotional depth than her role in Baby. She captures the character’s emotional journey convincingly and stands out in several moments.
Shivaji and Vasuki play Aditya’s parents. Although their screen time is limited, their characters have a significant influence on the story.
Director Kalyan Shankar appears as Sinjith, Aditya’s friend, and brings humour whenever he appears on screen. Srinivas Gavireddy also delivers entertaining moments as Manoj.
Also Read: Khalifa Review: Prithviraj & Mohanlal Together… But Does the Movie Deliver?
Technical Aspects
The technical departments deliver commendable work. Hesham Abdul Wahab’s songs and background score, along with Azeem Mohammed’s cinematography, are among the film’s highlights. The production values are also impressive.
However, director Aditya Hasan struggles to maintain a consistent pace. The scenes often lack the momentum needed to keep the narrative engaging throughout. The attempt to divide the story into two semesters may have also contributed to a sense of incompleteness. While the storytelling could have been tighter, the dialogues are a definite strength.
Epic: First Semester OTT Review – Positives and Negatives
Positives
* Entertaining first half
* Humour and witty dialogues
* Natural performances by the lead pair
* Relevant themes about relationships and social expectations
* Music and cinematography
Negatives
* Slow and stretched sequences
* An incomplete-feeling storyline
* Several themes are explored only superficially
* Lack of a satisfying narrative payoff
Final Verdict
Epic: First Semester is a modern romantic film that tries to showcase the confusion of young adults in matters of love and society. Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya give impressive performances, and the comedy in the first half, along with some relevant themes, help the movie. Nevertheless, the lacklustre scriptwriting and incomplete plot stand in the way of its success.
Final Verdict: Epic: First Semester is a promising movie that has not been executed well. Watch it on Netflix if you like romantic relationship movies.
