3.5
Crazy Star Ravichandran's legacy is set to be carried forward by his son Manoranjan, who has forayed into the film industry with Saheba. In what could be a welcome change to the industry, the young star has opted for an unconventional debut over a formulaic film.
Kids from stars' families are often given grand entries, but in case of Manoranjan, the young star has not tried to play it to the gallery: There are no exaggerated heroism, punchy dialogues, action or romantic scenes, but a good story in which he fits the bill.
Manu (Manoranjan) is an ordinary man who owns a book shop. His nature is such that every family wishes to have a son like him. On the other hand there is college-going Nandhini (Shanvi Srivastava), who believes in astrology.
When Mano comes across the heroine and her blind faith of astrology, he decides to boost her confidence without coming into the picture: Mano helps her enter the film industry, but she is not aware of her contribution.
By the time he realises he has fallen for her, Nandhini had gone on to become a star in films. What follows next is something to be watched on the big screen.
Manoranjan makes a promising debut with Saheba. His expressions are still raw, but with a little bit of work he can be an asset to the industry. His acting, at times, reminds us of his father. His entry with Yaare Neenu Roja Hoove can be a youth-favourite.
That he has preferred a content-backed subject to commercial potboilers is praiseworthy. However, the challenge for him is to come out of his father's shadow and create an identity of his own.
Shanvi Srivastava's role had a lot of scope for acting, and she lives up to expectations. In the technical department, V Harikrishna's music is a big letdown. Full marks go to Seetharam for his cinematography, but Deepu S Kumar's editing could have been better.
Director Bharath, who has returned after a long break, has come out with a good film, but its biggest drawback is slow narration. Nonetheless, Saheba is a well-made film that has enough ingredients to entertain you for two-odd hours.
