This is supposed to be the RGV’s first U-certified film in his 25 year old career. This film is intelligently sleazy that though the certifiers know that every now and then in the movie shots are filled with sleaziness, but cannot prove on paper. On screen, the film is definitely A-rated.
Keeping the rating discussion aside, let’s get into the movie. In the very first five minutes, RGV criticizes the very idea of marriage where each of the genders is losing the freedom and into a life-long punishment. Though loud, he makes some interesting narrative by quoting that “Marriages are made in heaven” is as similar to saying “These Crackers are made in Sivakasi”, where both of them are meant for bombarding.
This story unfolds in Hyderabad, where Apurv (Nandu) and Sreya (Aanaika Sothi) instantly form a liking towards each other at a common friends’ party. Their friendship progresses amidst duets at Golkonda , Necklace Road, Dhola ri Dhani etc . They undergo the typical phases of boy-pretending-to-know palmistry, long phone calls and undivided attention. They finally get hitched and things gradually turn sour since then (as expected) in the next 365 days.
Throughout the movie, RGV follows a very cynical perspective of the marriage institution. The entire movie is in fact summarized in the first ten minutes. So, the rest of the movie seems too predictable. Despite the predictability, the maverick filmmaker had enough scope to make the proceedings interesting. He failed to keep the viewer engaged.
Nandu and Sreya sense boredom in their relation after their marriage. Ten times of the boredom is experienced by the junta seeing the lackluster sequences in the movie. The dialogues are very mundane and hardly have any impact. Supporting characters played by Krishnudu, Satya Krishnan and Posani are loud, irritating or unconvincing.
Nandu performs adequately, but Anaika is mostly ineffective.
Mangalyam Thantunanena’s tune now revamped to a ghost’s anthem by DJ RGV
There are only a handful of plusses for 365 days. The chapters in the movie are titled creatively like “the palmistry day”, “the day when she remembered the other day”. The movie also touches some realistic scenarios like husband getting caught watching porn. The whole “Mangalyam Tantunanena” recital gets a revamp by RGV, by replacing the auspicious tune with a ghostly anthem. And, hey, the climax of the movie is definitely what you don’t expect from RGV.
The songs were difficult for the ear to bear. RGV exploited the songs inserting ultra slow motion at the “right” moments (call it movements) of the leading lady. Wish, that effort and interest was put in narrating an interesting tale to us.
Overall, 365 days is hardly intriguing. The movie seems more of an expression of the director to rant about effects of marriage than a platform to engage the audience in an absorbing story.
