Love 360

Plot: Ram and Janaki, who have grown up together in the same orphanage, are in love and dream of a happy life together. A protective Ram sees to it that Janaki, who has memory issues, is always happy. When Janaki's life and future are in danger, does Ram manage to save her?

Review: Filmmaker Shashank is back with a new tale that brings together new talent on screen with Love 360. Set in coastal Karnataka, this is a romantic thriller. The makers have maintained that this love story speaks about the pinnacle of love. The film is good, especially in the second half, where there are a lot of unexpected twists and turns. This becomes the highlight for the viewer, which can spark more conversations thereafter.

While all of this is good, one cannot help but notice how many plot points and twists are extremely similar to multiple award-winning and acclaimed Korean thriller Madeo. Of course, that was a story of a mother protecting her son, while the setting has been changed to two young lovers in a beautiful coastal town. There are a lot of cinematic staples too, like fights, baddies and emotional moments thrown in to make the story more suited for the local audience. Interestingly, these might work for the native audiences.

This film of a lover fighting all odds to save his woman who is trapped in a situation that might hamper their plans of living happily ever after has the necessary masala elements. The music and cinematography carry the tale forward and lend a beautiful tone during the romantic sequences, while also adding to the tension during the tense moments. While all of this works for the film, the first half does meander a lot to get to the point of conflict and some of the lighter moments or unnecessary subplots could have been done away with. Some dialogues might seem a tad cheesy, especially those that try to establish 'pure love'.

Newbie Praveen has done a commendable job in his first outing. Rachana Inder exudes the necessary innocence and sweetness required for her character. Sukanya Girish also adds charm to the screen. But eventually, it is Gopalkrishna Deshpande who lends the much-needed gravitas to the film. Eventually, Love 360 is a film that works because of its second half and the twists, irrespective of whether it may be inspired or not.