"Are we forgetting how to make great love stories?

Movie Name: Thandel

Directed by: Chandoo Mondeti

I still remember how Sita Ramam wrecked me - that beautiful ache it left in my chest. But since then? Nothing in Tollywood has even come close to making me care about two people falling in love.

Thandel had all the ingredients to be another classic: the longing, star-crossed lovers separated by borders, the India-Pakistan tension, even the old-school letter writing. But instead of magic, we got... this. What went wrong?

The biggest sin? That cringe-worthy execution. The story itself had so much potential, but the clunky screenplay and awkward dialogues ruined any chance of emotional connection. And those outdated, over-the-top dramatic moments? Like watching someone try to use a flip phone in 2024.

Everything about the Pakistan portions felt like a bad parody - even talented actors like Prakash Belawadi seemed lost (was he sleepwalking through his role?). In love stories, the real villain should be circumstances, but here the situations never landed with any real impact.

The moment nationalism took center stage, the love story got derailed completely. Those first 30 minutes showed promise, but then... that forced, unconvincing resolution? Don't even get me started on the jarring music placements.

Sai Pallavi had her moments (when doesn't she?), and Naga Chaitanya was... fine. But Thandel could've been special if it had ditched the outdated tropes and focused on genuine emotion instead of hollow drama.

It's frustrating - we have all the pieces to make another Sita Ramam, but we keep fumbling the execution. When will we get back to creating love stories that actually make us feel again?"