Buddy (2024) : “ A Teddy Bear Tale That Misses the Mark”

Director: Shanmugham Muthusamy

Starring: Allu Sirish, Gayatri Bhardwaj, Ajmal Ameer, Mukesh Rishi, Ravi Prakash

Producers: Gnanavel Raja

Music Director: Hiphop Tamizha

Cinematography: Krishnan Vasanth

Genre: Fantasy Thriller

Language: Telugu

Runtime: 135 minutes

Release Date: August 2, 2024

Plot:

‘Buddy’ follows the story of Aditya (Allu Sirish), a respected pilot who falls in love with Priya (Gayatri Bhardwaj), a new ATC officer. Priya reciprocates his feelings but gets caught in a medical mafia scam and falls into a coma. Her soul then enters a teddy bear given by Aditya. This teddy bear befriends Aditya and tries to save Priya. The film explores the extent of the teddy bear’s success, the scam of the medical mafia, and their intentions with Priya’s body.

Performances:

Allu Sirish:

 His performance in ‘Buddy’ feels dull and expressionless, failing to showcase his talent.

Gayatri Bhardwaj: 

Despite having a significant role, she fails to leave a mark and is sidelined after the first half hour.

Ajmal Ameer:

Delivers a commendable performance as the villain.

Mukesh Rishi:

Provides a decent comic touch in a different role from his usual characters.

Ali: 

Attempts to bring humor in the second half but does not succeed much.

Technical Aspects:

Director: 

Shanmugham Muthusamy’s attempt to adapt a Hollywood/Kollywood story to Telugu nativity fails to engage. The lack of emotional connection between characters and the story is disappointing.

Cinematography:

Krishnan Vasanth’s work appears dull, with murky visuals.

Music:

Hiphop Tamizha’s music fails to make an impact, with none of the songs being memorable and the background score being mediocre.

Production Values:

Gnanavel Raja’s production seems compromised, lacking the polish seen in major Tamil films.

Strengths:

• Concept of the soul in a teddy bear

• Ajmal Ameer’s performance

Weaknesses:

• Lack of emotional connection

• Dull cinematography

• Mediocre music

• Unengaging direction

My Personal Take On Cinema:

‘Buddy’ had an interesting concept with the soul entering a teddy bear, but the execution falls flat. The film lacks the emotional depth and engaging narrative needed to keep the audience invested. The performances, particularly from Allu Sirish and Gayatri Bhardwaj, are underwhelming, and the technical aspects fail to enhance the storytelling. Overall, ‘Buddy’ is a disappointing fantasy thriller that misses the mark.

Rating: 2.5/5