Manikandan and Sri Gouri Priya as ‘lovers’ give us a realistic touch to what being in love for real means with top-notch performances.
'Lover' is directed by Prabhuram Vyas. (Supplied)
From time immemorial, love stories are often associated with heartbreaks. Unsuccessful ones are more loved than successful ones, which often ends with the tag — And they lived happily ever after!
Unlike most films that have hit the screens, fantasies of what a real “love story” starts from love at first sight and then how a man tries to impress the girl to win over her heart.
In between, a handful of people disrupt the lovely tale by keeping the two love birds apart — a testing time until the two hearts come together for a happy ending. But the more the pain, the more the love story lives ever after!
However, debutant director Prabhu Ram Vyas gives a realistic touch to a modern love story that makes good sense by presenting various shades of emotions of a lover.
Though practical, the girl is willing to give the relationship a chance on multiple occasions.
As to whether the audience can experience this not-so-typical love story on the silver screen, the response would be…
The soul of Lover revolves around two people —Arun (Manikandan) and Divya (Sri Gouri Priya).
The love story starts with Divya, who works in a company, chilling with her colleagues. Even as she starts talking about her love story, Arun calls her up and questions why she did not tell him that she was going out with her colleagues.
Now, we know that Arun is no ordinary lover but possessive and insecure.
After Arun repeatedly pleads, “I am sorry, Divya”, the two make up, and soon, the situation goes back to square one.
Arun tries hard to start a cafe, but nothing goes right. His gang of friends are shady, too. As if that is not enough, he has a serious family issue with his mother, the sole breadwinner.
A central government employee, the woman is exploited and physically and mentally abused by her husband.
Finally, after multiple breakups and patch-ups, Arun begs Divya for a final chance. He goes on a vacation with Divya and her colleagues.
The outcome of it is the outcome of this Lover.
A still from ‘Lover’. (Supplied)
As mentioned earlier, this is not the typical love story of a man and woman falling in love and some baddies come in their way or create misunderstandings, and finally, the two somehow end up together.
If not, they are left apart for a tragic end or even one dying or both dying or living forever in the wait of another. Now, you do the permutations and combinations!
Prabhu Ram Vyas’s Lover is a realistic take on what we see in real life or what some of us would have experienced.
While everything is fair in war and love, in actual terms, not everything is fair, at least in love.
Sean Roldan composed the music. (Supplied)
What stands out in Lover is the brilliant portrayal of Arun and Divya by Manikandan and Sri Gauri Priya respectively.
Arun is a representative of an honest lover, but he is extremely possessive, toxic, tempered, and emotional.
On the other hand, Divya is practical but understands the depths of her man.
But the question is whether Arun can change for good before she can no longer take it.
The writer presents us with an actual picture of what it takes to be in a real relationship. What we see what one goes through in a serious relationship has many layers of human emotions.
Though the writer and the way it is presented on screen is preachy or gives us any message that one should treat as a lesson, it ends on a note that love is not easy and is compared to a battle.
Come fall in love for real and experience what it takes to be in love when real emotions play out loud.
But the constant breakups and makeups may play a spoilsport in the end. Love is not easy, and so is this film in the end.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
May 02, 2024
May 02, 2024
May 02, 2024
May 02, 2024
May 02, 2024
