You Avakai Me Ice Cream on aha Minis - Episode 1: A relatable tale of an aspirant chef and a demanding entrepreneur

All said and done, though the number of OTT platforms fighting for the audience's attention in the digital space is only getting bigger by the day, YouTube remains the most accessible video-sharing platform to the common man. Despite the flurry of advertisements or occasional technical glitches, audiences and creators have found YouTube liberating to express themselves and create content that appeals to their sensibilities. It's not surprising why even streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video too are looking to carve their niche on YouTube. Taking a cue from them, Telugu OTT platform aha has now come up with aha Minis to create exclusive content for its YouTube viewers. 

You Avakai Me Ice Cream, starring Udbhav Raghunandan, Sheetal Gauthaman and Naga Babu, was the first web show that aha kickstarted on YouTube as part of aha Minis earlier this weekend. The first episode of the show evoked positive responses all over, clocking nearly half a million views on aha's YouTube channel. The show revolves around two characters with contrasting tastes, an NRI-return Rahul and a Hyderabadi entrepreneur Snehalatha Reddy. Rahul is the son of business honcho Viswanatha Raju, a father who is hoping to call it a day, expecting his son to take over his position in the company. Chandrasekhar Reddy, a single parent to Snehalatha Reddy a.k.a Reddamma, is exhausted from taking charge of the household for many years now.

USA is a finished chapter in Rahul's life and the youngster is keen to turn a chef, exploring his passion for food across various cuisines. This doesn't go well with his father, who doesn't have a high opinion of Rahul's ambition but gives him a chance to succeed in his area of interest within a year. The first episode works like a character-introduction session, giving viewers a brief idea of the protagonists' world, their conflicts and interests. Ice Cream and Avakai in the title reflect what the lead characters expect from their life partners. The blend of slice-of-life treatment, slapstick humour and a few cinematic touches makes for a breezy watch. This isn't a show where you expect anything pathbreaking or nuance in storytelling.

Within the limited scope of a YouTube show, You Avakai Me Ice Cream is aesthetically shot, relatable, has a pleasant background score and is lighthearted as long as it lasts. Udbhav, who aced the Chicago Subbarao act in the past and was seen in aha's Commitmental, is aptly cast as the USA-return looking to translate his passion into a career. Sheetal Gauthaman is the typical vivacious female lead spotted in most Telugu shows and films and it'll be interesting to see the progression of her character. Surprisingly, it is Naga Babu who brings the groundedness to the portrayal of a friend-like father. The show, created by SD Chada, is helmed by Bhargav Dasari. You Avakai Me Ice Cream has music by Naveen Kumar and is jointly cinematographed by Kalapavan and GK Kakarla.