Euphoria Review: Gunasekhar returns with a deeply relevant social drama on parenting and youth crime

Euphoria Review: Young actor, Vignesh steals the Show in a dark, emotional drama A which is a powerful wake-up call on parenting

Euphoria Review

Euphoria Story

Chaitra(Sara Arjun) is a minor who gets brutally raped by five young school-going kids, and this act is headed by Vikas(Vignesh Gavireddy). Soon, they are sentenced to life imprisonment. On the other hand, Vikas's mother(Bhumika Chawla) is a reputed school teacher, but does not help her son in any way. This upsets Vikas, and he takes the wrong route in jail and becomes even worse. This is the time, Vikas's mother takes on the responsibility of briging Vikay out on parole and reforming him for good. Was she able to change such a dreaded criminal is the basic story of the film.

Euphoria Review

Euphoria marks the comeback of popular director Gunasekhar after his disastrous outing, Shaakuntalam. He took a break and has now returned with a social drama in the form of Euphoria. The seasoned filmmaker does not waste time and gets straight to the point, showing how brutally Sara Arjun’s character is raped. The manner in which the cops trace the rapists, the way the special POCSO Act is imposed, and how the victim gets justice are showcased in a gripping manner.

Story-wise, there is nothing new, but the way Gunasekhar narrates the film with gripping drama is its biggest strength. The emotional turmoil the characters go through is portrayed beautifully.

Generally, films dealing with rape focus mainly on the victim’s trauma, but here Gunasekhar goes deeper into the mindset of educated youngsters who commit such crimes and how parental negligence plays a role. This aspect is depicted in a very emotional and impactful manner.

There is a disturbing scene where Bhumika confronts her son, who physically assaults her. This is one of the darkest moments in the film and serves as an eye-opener, showing how drug abuse and bad company can lead youngsters down a dangerous path. This theme is explored through multiple scenes and is engagingly narrated.

After a solid first half, the film slows down a bit. The subplot involving the busting of a drug cartel is portrayed in a dull manner. These scenes slow down the narrative and feel repetitive.

The way the main lead, Vignesh, realizes his mistakes and begins to listen to his mother is also shown rather routinely. However, just when the film starts feeling predictable, Gunasekhar introduces strong scenes and twists that change the course of the story.

The climax, where the main lead meets the rape victim, is one of the highlights of Euphoria. The performances by young actors Sara Arjun and Vignesh elevate the film and end it on a powerful note. More than anything, Euphoria delivers a strong social message, focusing on how poor parenting and lack of guidance from childhood can have devastating consequences.

Coming to the performances, Gunasekhar has assembled a solid cast. Bhumika Chawla, who earlier worked with him in Okkadu gets a substantial role and delivers a commendable performance, especially in the second half.

Sara Arjun has a brief but impactful role and performs well within her limitations. However, the film truly belongs to young actor Vignesh. He is a revelation, portraying multiple emotional shades with conviction. His look, body language, and portrayal of negativity and guilt are impressive, and he has a promising future ahead.

Veteran actor Anand plays the father and does well in his role. Gautham Menon, as the cop, adds depth to the proceedings. One of the film’s biggest strengths is Gunasekhar’s ability to extract strong performances from his cast.

Kaala Bhairava’s music is decent; while the songs are not memorable, the background score effectively elevates the drama. The production values are good, though the cinematography could have been better.

The production design is adequate, and the dialogues, especially those written for Bhumika Chawla, are powerful. Editing feels a bit weak in the second half, and some jail sequences could have been trimmed.

Gunasekhar was once known for films rich in content and emotion but lost his way with historical and big-budget ventures that failed. With Euphoria, he returns to what he does best. It is one of his better works in recent times and delivers a strong message that every parent should pay attention to. Beyond the social message, those who enjoy intense dramas can give Euphoria a watch for its emotional depth and earnest storytelling.

Euphoria Verdict

Overall, Euphoria is a gritty social drama that tackles a very relevant subject of bad parenting and youuth crime. It has strong performances, emotional highs and a moving ending. Despite its familiar backdrop, it makes for a good watch.

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