June 18, 2012 Y. Sunita Chowdary
50% Love is originally a Malayalam film Apoorvaragam released in 2010, it had received a luke warm response at the BO in Kerala and is being released here to cash on Nithya Menon's popularity. This is one of those films that she had done relatively early in her career and the freshness in her face is visible.
The first half of the film is set in a college campus and two youth Nishan and Asif Ali show undue interest in being introduced to Nithya. Her father is stinking rich and Nishan woos her, he is helped by his friend. A third friend comes in a bit later and plays a vital role in bringing a twist to the tale. Once it is confirmed that Nithya has fallen for Nishan, Asif calls her father and informs him about his daughter's affair and Nishan seeks a huge booty to stay clear from Nithya.
The friends duo play the same game with another girl too and Nithya's dad gets her engaged to someone else who is worthy of her. Nishan tells her the truth and returns the money without his friend's knowledge but Nithya says she only pretended to be in love with him and gets even with him. Now Asif and the third friend abduct Nishan and Nithya and a bloody fight ensues at a dilapidated fishing harbour, the end couldn't have been better and so is the title in Telugu.
Sibi Malayil brings in regular twists to the love story and till the end one keeps wondering if the lead pair had ever been in love. While the latter part of the film has the skirmish happening between the friends and the first half of the story has Nishan impressing Nithya by knocking of her car keys, purse at the canteen on the pretext of getting to know her.
Nishan should have been far more expressive, a silent face here doesn't help convey his predicament and role conflict. Nithya Menon is cute, full of life and Asif Ali comes up with a decent job. Vidyasagar's tunes are strictly regular.
The film might have been titled 50% Love because the lead pair aren't true to each other in the complete sense, with pretension, betrayal dominating the scene despite them harbouring feelings for each other. This is an okay watch if you do not like regular love stories.
