Dear Comrade rises above Arjun Reddy, keeps the fight on till the end

Director: Bharat Kamma

Cast: Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna

The much-awaited Dear Comrade starring Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna hit the screens on Friday (July 27), with a promise to be a thorough entertainer like Deverakonda’s earlier flick — the most talked about Arjun Reddy.

As in Arjun Reddy, we have a hero Bobby (Deverakonda) who is a college student, short-tempered, questions wrongdoers and stands up for truth and speaks up against authorities when there is something wrong. He has his set of friends who keep supporting him and come together at the call of ‘Comrade’, and are ready to fight for rights and protect people in trouble.

Bobby, who grew up listening to the stories of his grandfather, a retired military official, puts the wellbeing of people before his family.

The movie revolves around Bobby and his friends, a group of impulsive college-goers who are part of the students’ union and are arrested repeatedly for petty issues.

Aparna Devi alias Lily (Rashmika Mandanna), a state-level cricket player, who has come to the town for her sister’s marriage. After an initial clash, the two fall in love.

Also read: ‘Dear Comrade’ sets pulse racing on day of release

But then comes the twist — Lily is afraid of the impulsive Bobby, who is always fighting against the anti-social elements. She request him, when he is hospitalised, to quit fighting, saying she lost her brother because of the same reasons. But he sends her away.

Later, he realises his mistake and goes in search of her. Seeing him stand outside the cricket ground melts her heart. But Bobby, being the comrade he is, puts another spanned in their relationship. Afraid that she will lose interest in cricket, he says he will leave her if he becomes her priority over cricket. The film loses pace as Lily gets into the process of getting selected for the national team.

Cut to 3 years later, Devarakonda is again traveling on a bike, full of heartburn. He is seen trying to learn sound therapy to help people fight depression. During his travels for a research project he is working on, he finds that Lilly has met with an accident and tries to help her recover the natural way. In the process, flames of love are stoked again, as Lily sees the ‘Comrade’ who had once promised to stand by her during difficult times.

From then on, Dear Comrade turns into a fight that is with the self and between the two trying to revive old memories in a bid to come together, but stay apart due to personal preferences. In a scene where old comrades meet together, Lilly admires the change Bobby has gone through and proposes him, but when he tells her to get back to cricket, she is all rage.

In Dear Comrade, director Bharat Kamma has brought out the fight of a strong, bold Lily, while trying to overcome her trauma, and doesn’t fail in his promise. The filmmaker has given more space to the female lead and brings about the support the two protagonists lend to each other, unlike in usual films where a heroine just falls in love with the hero who fights all the baddies.

Justin Prabhakaran’s score is also notable, especially Pularadha Kaalai (Tamil), which, with its flawless picturisation, will definitely give you goosebumps.