Hi Nanna: Heart-touching sensibilities!

Plot:

Viraj (Nani) functions as both a renowned photographer during the day and a bedtime storyteller for his 6-year-old daughter Mahi (Baby Kiara Khanna) at night, all while being a single father. Mahi, who has been pining to know about her mother, crosses paths with a beautiful young woman named Yashna (Mrunal Thakur), who is about to get married soon. The encounter between Mahi and Yashna dramatically changes the trajectory of their lives and that of Viraj, who is still grappling with the shadows of his past. What attracts Yashna to Mahi? Is Viraj concealing something from his daughter?

Performances:

Nani has always maintained consistency even when the scripts dragged him down. In `Hi Nanna`, the meter of his performance is in sync with the beats of the story. His acting style gels with the film`s wavelength, be it in feel-good romantic scenes or heavy-duty family scenes. Mrunal Thakur`s performance is somewhat made routine by Chinmayi Sripada`s dubbing. Nevertheless, she is convincing throughout and gets to play an author-backed character.

Jayaram makes the maximum impact with minimum screen presence. Priyadarshi, Angad Bedi, Viraj Ashwin and others have a purely functional presence in the film. Shruti Haasan`s star image doesn`t help matters. Her presence looks somewhat forced in an otherwise focused film.

Technical Departments:

1. Music (songs): Hesham Abdul Wahab ensures the film attains the quality of a musical.

2. Background music: Soothing.

3. Cinematography: Sanu Varghese`s work is satisfying.

4. Production Values: Vyra Entertainments says `Hi` to Telugu cinema.

Analysis:

Films of this sort take time to find their groove. No wonder that the first 45 minutes or so of the film is uneven to a considerable extent. The plot turns seem convenient and that is a minus if you are a demanding viewer.

But the tables are turned right from the pre-interval phase. Debutant writer-director Shouryuv, who teamed up with two others to write the screenplay, makes a weighty (but not dense) emotional drama. The second half could have easily become melodramatic and mawkish in the hands of an inferior filmmaker. `Hi Nanna` maintains a stable tone without compromising on the integrity of the story.

The mood does take a beating when the `Odiyamma` stretch arrives. But once it regains its tone, the recovery is swift and complete. The climax is emotional and leaves a good impact.

Merits:

1. Portrayal of the lovely conversations between Viraj and his daughter, Mahi.

2. Focused narration.

3. The second half is well-rounded.

4. The climax.

5. Dog lovers will endorse the place accorded to Pluto, Viraj`s pet.

6. Sensible dialogues (although some of them are ordinary).

Demerits:

1. Pacing issues, some of which are inevitable.

2. The film`s urge for a safe climax is evident. 

Overall Rating: 2.75/5

Box Office Verdict: This Script and how classily it was told may not be enough to satisfy all Buyers.