'Haiku' Review: A Fun College Stretch Can't Save a Routine Romance

Cine Sarkar Editorial Desk | Our perspective is informed by publicly available reviews, audience reactions, and information surrounding the film.

‘Haiku’, a Tamil romantic drama, released in theatres in Telugu on October 23. Directed by Yuvaraj Chinnasamy, it marks Aegan’s debut as a solo lead and Telugu actor Sridevi Apalla’s Tamil debut, with Femina George in a key role. Siddhu Kumar composed the music.

The setup

Rusticated after a run-in with college friends, Manohar (Aegan) joins a women’s college as its only male student and falls for Pavazhakodi (Sridevi Apalla). Circumstances separate them. Years later, his colleague Nivedha (Femina George) falls for him.

Performances

Aegan is fair in his debut as a lead. Sridevi Apalla is mature and leaves an impression in a few scenes. Femina George’s bubbly, girl-next-door act adds fun, though her character’s arc feels out of place. The supporting cast has little to do.

Direction and screenplay

The hero’s misadventures as the lone boy in a women’s college make for an entertaining first half. But the story offers nothing new, and the director never gets his point across clearly. The second half turns muddled and repetitive and feels longer than it is. The constant pet names “Kanna” and “Kodi” also grate.

Technical aspects

The cinematography and music are adequate. The second half needed sharper editing, production values are ordinary, and the Telugu dub is passable.

What works

• The college-episode comedy
• Sridevi Apalla’s mature performance
• Femina George’s energy

What doesn’t

• A routine story with no novelty
• A muddled, repetitive second half
• Underdeveloped characters
• Ordinary technical values

Cine Sarkar’s take

‘Haiku’ has a fun college stretch and sincere leads, but a weak screenplay and unclear storytelling bring it down. Weighing those strengths against those weaknesses, the Cine Sarkar Editorial Desk rates it 2/5. Only die-hard fans of romantic dramas need try it.

Cine Sarkar verdict: The college fun and Sridevi Apalla help, but a routine story and a muddled second half make Haiku a disappointment.

Rating: 2/5