Little Hearts, a romantic comedy directed by Sai Marthad, hit the screens with a promise of fun. Starring YouTuber Mouli Tanuj Prasanth in his debut as a lead alongside Shivani Nagaram, the film attempts to capture the magic of young love amidst the academic pressure. With Rajeev Kanakala and Jai Krishna in supporting roles, Little Hearts is a breezy and funny film that will appeal to the younger audience, but the thin storyline and rushed climax doesn’t leave a mark.
The story is about Nalli Akhil Kumar (Mouli), a carefree student with no academic skills, much to the dismay of his father, Nalli Gopal Rao (Rajeev Kanakala), who wants him to become an engineer. After a poor EAMCET rank, Akhil lands in a long term MPC coaching centre where he meets Khatyayani (Shivani Nagaram), a BiPC student. Their shared struggles lead to a slow burn romance with playful banter and heartwarming moments. Just as Akhil is about to confess his feelings, a surprise revelation about Khatyayani throws him into a turmoil. The story is about how this truth affects their relationship and whether they can overcome personal and parental challenges to be happy.
Mouli brings the same energy that made him a YouTube favorite and carries the film with his natural charm. He’s funny in scenes with Jai Krishna, who plays a quirky friend and adds laughs throughout. Shivani Nagaram is good opposite Mouli, her performance capturing the innocence and spunk of Khatyayani. Their chemistry is real and their romantic moments are cute if not new. Rajeev Kanakala is good as the strict but loving father, though his role is familiar. The supporting cast, including Hyper Aadi in a small comedy role, adds to the film’s fun but doesn’t take the film beyond its surface level.
Director Sai Marthad keeps the tone light and relies heavily on humor to drive the film. The coaching center setting with quirky teachers and student antics is a comedy goldmine and the first half is a breeze with easy laughs and relatable college life moments. But the story is lightweight and lacks depth or conflict to make the romance interesting. The pacing is off in some parts and some scenes feel repetitive and the climax rushes to tie up the loose ends and leaves the emotional beats underdeveloped. A tighter script could have made the film more impactful, especially in the second half where the drama feels forced and predictable.
Visually, Little Hearts is functional but boring. The cinematography captures the chaos of the coaching center and small town settings well but has no style. The music is peppy but not memorable. Editing could have been tighter to keep the pace going, especially in the slow middle stretch. Despite all this the film’s low budget and energetic performances keep it going for its target audience.
Overall, Little Hearts is a fun timepass rom-com that gives you laughs and light moments, especially for the younger audience who will connect with the college romance. Mouli and Shivani’s fresh faces and Jai Krishna’s comedy timing makes it an enjoyable watch, but the weak plot and uneven pace prevents it from standing out in the rom-com genre. It’s a one time watch that doesn’t aim high but delivers enough to keep you smiling.