This week, re-released films dominated the box office, with no major new releases to attract audiences. Meanwhile, Rashi Singh’s Gossip released quietly with almost no promotions, relying only on word of mouth. Here’s how the film performed with viewers.
Gossip Story: Ramesh loses his wife during childbirth but their baby girl, Ajanta, survives. He raises her with love and care as a single father. As Ajanta grows up, she falls in love with Teja. After hearing rumors about her, her uncle Prakash consults an astrologer, who claims that Ajanta has an unlucky horoscope and advises that she should be married as soon as possible.
Although Ramesh initially gets angry at these comments, he later pressures Ajanta to marry a man of his choice. She refuses and stands by her decision. Heartbroken by the situation, Ramesh suffers a heart attack and dies. What happens in Ajanta’s life after her father’s death forms the rest of the story.
Performances: Ravi Varma delivers the best performance in the film with his natural portrayal of Ajanta’s uncle. Rashi Singh looks miscast and fails to impress with her performance. Vijay Adhiraj is convincing as the father, while 30 Years Prudhvi provides a few laughs with his spoof of astrologer Venu Swamy. The rest of the cast has limited scope and leaves little impact.
Technical Aspects: Director Vaibhav Koundinya shows promise, but the slow screenplay and weak narration reduce the film’s impact. Ravi Varma’s character stands out, while the background score, cinematography, and production values are decent.
Analysis: Gossip starts on an interesting note but soon turns into a slow, drama. It feels like a 20 minute short film stretched into a two hour movie. With its weak narration, the film is unlikely to perform well in theatres, which may explain why the makers gave it very little promotion.
Verdict: Gossip starts well but loses momentum with its slow screenplay. Ravi Varma shines, but the weak narration makes it a below-average theatrical experience overall.
Bottom Line: Good concept, weak execution overall.
Rating: 1.5/5
