Youth movie review (2026): Ken Karunaas is mature performer in a coming-of-age story that misses depth

Youth movie plot:

Praveen (Ken Karunaas), in his 10th grade, has only one ambition in life: to find true love. His mother Saroja (Devadarshini) dotes on him, while his father Unnikrishnan (Suraj Venjaramoodu) has no hopes for him. What happens in Praveen’s life when three girls seem to show interest?

Youth movie review:

It is at one crucial point in Ken Karunaas’ directorial and starrer when Saroja tells her husband that their son has begun to concentrate on studies after all this time. To this, the latter replies, “Would he study only after all this happens?” The dialogue feels like the film is questioning itself. It cannot get more self-explanatory and concise when summarising the genre of coming-of-age films. Does the protagonist really have to go through an entire arc to just get back on track like the millions who are doing so in a normal world? Well, perhaps it is when it’s cinema and the story is about a boy who wants nothing but romance in his school life. There ought to be some drama stuffed into the writing, and that is exactly the safe route Ken too takes to help his maiden directorial. Does it succeed? Yes and no at the same time.

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There’s aplenty that Youth follows to connect with its audience: the idea of a father and son having a love-hate relationship (it warrants a separate article to discuss why films still want to show parents with underlying love only to show hatred on a daily basis), friends coming to the rescue while getting scolded by parents, the puppy love during school that has the power to make someone move on easily, a studious student who reminds teachers of homework, FLAMES being taken as a very serious romance prediction, and even about friendship. Ken, who has also starred in the lead role, is a convincing Praveen, both as someone coming from a middle-class family and also a charmer who can make his way into girls’ hearts more than his friends do. There is Preshika (Meenakshi Dinesh), whom he befriends and fancies after both are ‘outstanding’ students in their respective classes. In fact, their romance blossoms through Praveen feeding her with the latter’s favourite snack: puffs. But after a new girl, Sonal, comes into the picture, and a Santhosh Subramaniam kind of interval (which does have a hilarious payoff in post-climax), Praveen’s line shifts to Kanagavalli (Anishma Anilkumar), culminating in a turn that takes an emotional, family-sentimental direction.

While there is some nostalgia and relatability factor in Youth, one cannot miss the plethora of jokes on appearance that are sneaked in here and there. A college guy calling his sidekick ‘Hongkong’ just because he has Southeast Asian facial traits, or a couple being told that they would look like a ‘10’ just because one of them is stout and the other tall, seem to contribute to momentary laughs, but soon fade away when you know the film is not set too far back in time, but just in 2016, and is now released to cater to an audience that is aware of political correctness.

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But even apart from this, Youth does have certain ideas left incomplete and questionable. Like, do we get enough reasons why someone like Praveen befriends Kanagavalli suddenly? Their unlikely relationship is never explored enough to convince about their pairing. Or when Praveen says that his parents would not turn him down like a girl did, is the film really trying to back a guy’s notion of wanting a girl to give the same selfless love as his father and mother do? Youth barely scratches the surface of these pertinent questions while employing these ideas to sell a coming-of-age story that needs more thought and responsibility. There is a sorry that Praveen says to two girls who were affected by him, but does it address the two-timing, or rather the micro-cheating as termed in today’s lingo?

Youth is fun when it wants to be. With the whole narrative taking place during the school days, precisely high school, Youth taps into the benefit of being innocently unaware. The film shows some good writing instincts when Unnikrishnan says he values his wife more than his son at a critical point. As much as this simple dialogue carries great depths, the film’s overarching and concluding ideas are yet to become fully mature, making Youth an incomplete entertainer.

In his debut, Ken Karunaas comes across as an all-rounder onscreen. With a certain charisma he carries onscreen, commendable dancing, and being able to carry emotive scenes, Ken feels natural. With seniors like Devadarshini and Suraj being effective contributors, along with young actors like Meenakshi Dinesh and Anishma Anilkumar, along with Praveen’s gang, Youth’s young cast becomes one of its major highlights, despite the lack that the writing shows.

Youth movie verdict:

With some strong performances, youthful music to keep things going, and some relatable comedy and moments, the film has enough to keep you engaged. But beyond that, the film is not free of loopholes and writing issues. The film is almost there, like a draft that needs one last edit before becoming a bound script. Youth is entertaining on the surface, lacking underneath.