'Love Me If You Dare' Review: Complex And Confusing

Movie: Love Me If You Dare
Rating: 1.75/5
Banner: Sri Venkateshwara Entertainments 
Cast: Ashish Vemulakonda, Vaishanavi Chitanya, Simran Chaudary, Rajeev Kanakala, Ravi Krishna etc
Music Director: MM Keeravani
DOP: PC Sreeram
Producers: Harshith Reddy, Hanshitha Reddy
Directed by: Arun Bhimvarapu 
Release Date: May 25, 2024

Horror films always hold an edge at the box office performance. Even with slight positive feedback, they tend to do well in the end. Dil Raju's family hero, Ashish Reddy, has come up with one such film. Additionally, when 'Baby' fame Vaishnavi Chaitanya plays the lead role, it is obviously a pulling factor for a set of younger audiences.

Let us see if this film fulfilled the expectations of the audience.

Story:
Arjun (Ashish) is a YouTuber who is always on a quest to uncover the truth behind unsolved mysteries and often does things against others' warnings. 

He discovers the existence of a ghost named Divyavathi in a deserted apartment who is known for causing the deaths of anyone who approaches her. 

Despite the danger, Arjun falls in love with this ghost and embarks on a journey to uncover Divyavathi's past by encountering numerous surprises along the way. 

Who exactly is Divyavathi? What events led to her current state? The crux of the film is how do Prathap (Ravi Krishna) and Priya (Vaishnavi Chaitanya) help Arjun in his quest to solve the mystery of Divyavathi? 

Artistes’ Performances:
Ashish Reddy did his part as the protagonist, but his character and characterization didn't provide any opportunity to showcase his talent. It appears that any debutante could have played this role. For Ashish, who is striving to establish himself as an eligible hero, he should choose something different.

Vaishnavi Chaitanya is pleasing to watch. She has glamour, a natural photogenic appeal, and the ability to deliver subtle expressions, which she already proved with her previous film. Moreover, she has a unique physical appearance that suits characters of any age group. She makes an impact with her appearance.

Simran Choudhary played a never-before-seen character, a professional in skull reconstruction.

Ravi Krishna played another important role in the film, while Rajeev Kanakala appeared in a brief guest role.

Technical Excellence:
The background score by MM Keeravani is good and perfectly in sync with the requirements of this film. However, the songs are poor and have no gripping appeal.

PC Sreeram's cinematography added significant value, and the production values are also good. But what is lacking is a proper script and a convincing flow.

Highlights:
Nothing in specific

Drawbacks:
Confusing narration
Poor screenplay
Contrived elements
No gripping moments

Analysis:
Horror films generally fall into two categories: serious horror thrillers and horror comedies. This film is neither. There is no room for comedy in this film, nor does it follow the path of a serious horror thriller.

Though the director tried to create something unique, he couldn't deliver the desired output, as the audience fails to connect with the narrative flow. The basic idea of the protagonist falling in love with a ghost is interesting, but this concept was recently explored in 'Om Bheem Bush' within the comedy-horror genre. Thus, the novelty in the concept cannot be felt here.

The narrative is not convincing but confusing. With too many female characters being introduced while trying to identify the ghost, the plot becomes irritating rather than mind-bending. The contrived elements in the script highlight a lack of creativity. Though the identity of the actual ghost is revealed at the end, along with a cold opening for a sequel, the emotion of the female protagonist fails to connect with the audience.

There is a line in the film that goes, "baadha em nerpinchadaaniki vacchindo adi nerpinchakunda podhu." Though this line is heard twice in the narrative, its real essence is not conveyed well.

It is shocking to see this kind of film from Dil Raju's production, especially featuring a hero from his own family who is struggling to establish himself in the industry.

Overall, this film disappoints horror film lovers. Even the young audience who admire the looks and performance of Vaishnavi Chaitanya will not feel fulfilled watching this film.

After a bumpy ride, the sequel is announced with the title "Kill me if you love." So, let us brace for the impact.

Bottom line: Don't Dare!