Plot:

Vaishnavi (Vaishnavi Chaitanya) and Anand (Anand Deverakonda) have been in love with each other since their school days. Anand, the child of a single mother, takes to autorickshaw driving after he fails to complete SSC. Vaishnavi, the richer and more intelligent of the two, lands a seat in a prestigious city-based college where only rich dudes study. Her exposure to the new culture gradually corrupts her thinking. Her infatuation with a certain urbane lifestyle leads to heart-rending consequences she can least fathom.

Performances:

At first, Vaishnavi Chaitanya dominates the male lead with ease. Since director Sai Rajesh Neelam tells the story more as her story, she gets to show a range of emotions. She is too scared to strike up a conversation with Anand, she sports a shy smile, she gets humiliated in front of her classmates, she cries, and she moons over Anand.... Everything that she does gets registered in our minds.

Eventually, Anand Devarakonda comes into his own. In the second half, his mournful performance leaves a lasting impression. Hitherto, Anand has only done superficial roles but `Baby` is where he gets to play an author-backed character. He comes out with flying colours despite a heroine who delivers a commanding performance.

Viraj Ashwin, Naga Babu (as the heroine`s father), Seetha (as the heroine`s friend in the college), Kusma Degalamarri (as the heroine`s basthi friend in the college) and others are strictly average.

Technical Departments:

Music: Vijay Bulganin`s songs are good. `Premisthunna` is set to a rousing effect.

Cinematography: MN Bal Reddy`s work is decent.

Editing: Viplav Nyashadam had to make some tough calls. The first half could have been a little shorter. Overall, the editing is apt.

Making values: Decent. No attempt has been made to undercut or overdo anything.

Analysis:

The film can`t be put into the bracket of a `Premisthe` or a `7/G Brindavan Colony` despite the wretched fate of the male lead. `Baby` explores the shifting mindsets of its characters. The female lead, in one scene, prefers her sophisticated, well-behaved male friend over the occasionally abusive boyfriend. In another scene, she realizes her folly. Her fickle-mindedness gives way to utter helplessness, as she invites unexpected troubles upon herself. The film fascinatingly explores all this without taking recourse to unrealistic situations (barring a few).

The socio-economic dynamics in the city college and how Vaishnavi is too naive to understand them have been brought out with subtlety.

Hedonistic buddies, manipulative `friends`, and long conversations that come from a place of pain and confusion dot the script.

The understanding of the psyche of Vaishnavi.

Almost the entire second half.

The climax.

The last scene between Anand and Vaishnavi.

Dialogues. They are consistently good and occasionally shocking.

The chemistry between Anand and Vaishnavi.

Run-time (For some, 171 minutes could be a problem and it does feel too long).

Cliched presentation of the female friend of Vaishnavi.