Actor Harshit Reddy, who made a special mark among the audience and critics with films like ‘Kalki’ and ‘Shubham’, has once again returned to the big screen. His new movie ‘Deewana’ has released in theaters today, 20th June 2026. Written and directed by Srikanth Sangatishetti, the film is a young romantic entertainer. Distributed by the prestigious distribution house ‘Geeta Arts’, the audience was so crazy about the film that several paid premiere shows were held even before its release. Let’s find out how this cute love story of youth lives up to the box office and audience expectations.
What is the story of the film?
At the center of the story is Munna (Harshit Reddy), a typical carefree youth. He likes to stay away from his responsibilities and have fun with his friends. Munna’s simple and dull life takes a major turn when he meets Ammu i.e. Amulya (Sneha Manimeghlai). With Ammu’s arrival, Munna’s life begins a series of romances, laughs and petty fights with rival groups in the college. Munna’s parents Shekhar (Naresh) and Maa (Jhansi) also enter the story, reacting to Munna’s attitudes and decisions in their own unique ways. Initially the film proceeds like a typical campus love story, but at the interval, there is a sudden and tremendous twist that no one could have imagined. From here the film takes a complete turn and turns to deeper emotions and family sentiments.
Acting and Performance: The lead pair won hearts
Harshit Reddy (Munna): Harshit has played this role with great confidence. His transformation from a carefree and lazy youth to a responsible lover is evident in his eyes and body language. He has captured the Telangana slang (local accent) very naturally, which connects directly with the youth.
Sneha Manimeghlai (Ammu): Sneha has made a brilliant and refreshing debut with this film. He has a great balance between funny and emotional scenes. His acting in the pre-climax and climax is worth watching, where he makes the moment very sincere and deep without any high drama or fake tears.
Supporting cast: Veteran actor Naresh’s work in the role of the father is very nuanced and he carries the weight of the family scenes without any fuss. Jhansi as a mother impresses with her warmth and wonderful comic and emotional timing. Vikrant as Munna’s friend brings great energy to the film. Roller Raghu and the brilliant Venu may have less screen time, but they leave a mark with their comic timing.
The strength of the film
The biggest strength of the movie ‘Deewana’ is its sudden and shocking interval twist. While the first part proceeds like a very simple college love story, the twist in the middle changes the whole story and turns it into a very serious and emotional drama. The second half of the film brilliantly portrays the strong family feelings and responsibilities of Gen Z (the youth of today’s era), which succeeds in moving the audience deeply. Also, the on-screen chemistry of Harshit Reddy and Sneha Manimeghalai as the lead pair is amazing. While Harshit brilliantly shows the transition from a carefree youth to a responsible lover with his body language, Sneha gives a very mature and honest performance in her debut film in the pre-climax and climax scenes without any high drama or fake tears. On the technical front, Vamsi Pachipulusu’s beautiful cinematography and Ishwar Chand’s background score add to the film’s emotional resonance.
Weaknesses of the film
Talking about the weak aspects of the film, its beginning seems quite slow and clichéd. The first half of the film is very simple, showing the old school fights, falling out with friends and misunderstandings, which is reminiscent of old movies at many places and doesn’t feel fresh. Apart from this, the pace of the screenplay becomes so slow in some scenes that the story seems to drag. Rishikesh Paspal’s editing is a bit sloppy in the first half; The pace of the film could have been better if some of the shared scenes between Munna and his friends were trimmed. Also, among the supporting cast, Jeevan Kumar’s acting seems too loud and over-the-top in some scenes, which doesn’t quite go with the natural tone of the rest of the characters in the film.
Cinematic Analysis (Directional and Technical Analysis)
Director Srikanth Sangatishetti has deliberately kept the first half of the film light and a bit casual, so that the audience can better relate to the world of the characters. But the interlude twist gives the story a new perspective and lays a strong foundation for the emotional second half. Keeping the likes of ‘Gen Z’ (today’s young audience) in mind, the director has given some great twists that don’t let the true soul of the love story get lost.
On the technical front, Vamsi Pachipulusu’s cinematography is superb. The warm tones and clean frames showcase the backdrop of Telangana beautifully. Composer Ishwar Chand has given songs that appeal to the youth and his background score (BGM) gives a lot of power, especially to the emotional scenes in the second half. Rishikesh Paspal’s editing is fine, though some scenes in the first half could have been cut.
Despite being a familiar love story, ‘Deewana’ emerges as a successful and complete film due to its balance of bold twists, excellent acting and strong family sentiments. It is a positive, ‘feel-good’ cinema that leaves the audience on a hopeful note.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Worth One Watch)
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