A Decent Attempt Weighed Down by Outdated Ideas

In a landscape dominated by larger-than-life commercial Telugu cinema, LYF — Love Your Father attempts an old recipe with a few solid ingredients.

- ADITYA DEVULAPALLY

It doesn't jump straight into a brawl or glorify its protagonist as an invincible hero. Instead, it patiently builds a touching father-son relationship, keeping raw emotion at the core. The film takes its time, allowing the bond between Siddharth (Sri Harsha) and his father Kishore (SP Charan) to breathe.

In a market where heroes often turn into demigods within the first ten minutes, it is genuinely refreshing to see a protagonist who evolves, rather than being handed heroism on a platter. LYF revolves around Siddharth (Sri Harsha) and his doting father Kishore (SP Charan). Kishore performs final rites for unclaimed orphan corpses, believing that a dignified farewell is the ultimate act of kindness. Their peaceful life takes a dark turn when a ruthless gambling kingpin falsely implicates Kishore in a doping scandal involving racehorses.

Determined to clear his father's name, Siddharth embarks on a path of revenge.

Director Pavan Ketharaju weaves a narrative that isn't afraid to dwell on death, final rites, and the philosophy of Shiva. The film's spiritual undertone, rooted in Kishore's noble ritual and the symbolic setting of Varanasi, adds thematic weight. This isn't just a revenge drama; there's a meditative undercurrent about life's unpredictability and the only certainty it offers: death. If one is willing to overlook its flaws, there's an interesting film buried somewhere beneath the surface.