Telugu films are quick to turn outlandish. Be it action dramas or love stories, the makers go over the top with the scenario and the execution. Love Reddy, the new Telugu film, is about a man who falls in love with a woman, but he is not sure if she loves him or not. He began his quest to find out how she feels about being in a relationship with him.
Spoilers Ahead
Was Narayan planning to get married?
Love Reddy began with a bloodied Narayan Reddy getting into a school bus and a young kid asking him about Divya. The story then moved back to three months ago, when Narayan and his family were headed to meet the fifteenth prospective bride for his marriage. He rejected many alliances in the past, his family was fed up with him not choosing a partner, especially his brother Arun. Narayan had an idea of what he wanted from his partner, and he wanted to be in love with her before getting married. Arun had a girlfriend, and since he was a younger sibling, his father wouldn’t allow his wedding to happen before Narayan’s, hence pressuring his older brother to tie the knot.
Where did Narayan meet Divya?
Narayan was a part owner of a small-scale factory that produced silk, and it was not making any profit at the moment. On his way back home in a local bus, he saw Divya, who helped an old fruit seller and was admired by her gesture. He was quick to let his siblings and cousins know she’d caught his eye, and they ask him to converse with her to find out if she feels the same. A few days later, Narayan agreed to a new match since he was imagining Divya’s face over the soon-to-be bride, Sweety. He could not find a way out of the situation since Sweety was mesmerized by him and refused to accept his rejection. This was a satirical take on how several films coming out of the Telugu industry normalize stalking, with lovers who cannot wrap their heads around the concept of consent.
Did Narayan assume Divya loved him?
Narayan believed the only way he could get Divya’s attention was to be her protector, especially in the bus. She was being harassed by some school children and Narayan showed up as her knight in shining armor. Divya and Narayan began to converse on the bus, and she revealed she knew Sweety. This put Narayan on the back foot for a while, but that did not stop him from hanging out with Divya on a regular basis on the bus. It had become a routine for him to meet her, and he was conveying everything to his siblings and cousins. Divya revealed she had a coveted government job and would say yes to Narayan if he acquired one as well. Narayan and his family also ran into Divya’s family at a temple, and her father made it clear he was not keen on getting her married to a business family, citing personal reasons. Narayan, purely out of love, sold his share of the company and bribed a man to help him acquire a government job, but it bombed, as the man turned out to be a fraud. Out of ideas on how to get Divya and her family’s attention, he assumed she liked him since she was always cordial with him and seemed to be happy in his company.
Why did Divya not reciprocate his feelings?
Narayan’s family, however, let him know her marriage was fixed to a government employee. They believed that if Divya had feelings for him, she would have informed him about the upcoming nuptials and conveyed her feelings for him. His cousins and siblings begged him to ask her about her feelings before making up scenarios in his head to avoid a heartbreak situation. Narayan broke up her engagement by threatening her fiancé to back away. This was a rash move he made without learning how Divya felt about him, and whether she considered him to be her future partner. Narayan finally asked Divya about her feelings, and she outright rejected him, stating she never loved him. She further added that being cordial and conversing with him does not translate to genuine feelings, and he should understand that.
Narayan was unable to accept her rejection and returned the next day on the bus they regularly met on, only to be furiously asked to leave her alone since she was clear about her feelings for him. A dejected Narayan went into depression, and he rejected every other marriage proposal that came his way.
Was Divya’s father a controlling figure?
A flashback into Divya’s life showcased that she was indeed in love with Narayan, but her father’s refusal to accept their relationship made her back away. Her father went out of his way to emotionally blackmail his daughter and conveyed that societal norms stopped him from accepting the fact that Divya chose her own partner instead of marrying the man her parents had picked for her. Divya’s father was a teacher who nurtured lives and educated his daughter well enough to secure a stable government job. Yet, his education had no impact on him, and he was pressuring her to live according to societal norms rather than living life on her terms. There was no point in educating her to be financially independent if she could not make any life decisions without the interference of her father. He threatened to kill himself and forced her to emotionally abandon Narayan so that she could marry the man he chose.
Divya’s father was representative of a percentage of parents who could not accept the fact that their children could decide their own life partners, and that their doing so was not an act of disrespecting their parents. Her father was willing to prioritize societal norms over his daughter’s happiness and was unwilling to slightly open up his mind to the idea that his daughter might not be happy with the man he chose for her. Divya’s father’s insistence and suicide scare forced her to reject Narayan in such a manner that he would not think of approaching her ever again. She wanted him to move on and marry someone else. The change of tone of the film was drastic, and it became about consent and social messaging over romantic drama. It also got over the top, but it was not hard to believe; people like Divya’s father do exist in this country.
Who did Narayan Reddy kill?
Love Reddy moved back to the current timeline, where a dejected Narayan was seen detached and depressed over his heartbreak. His depressive state did not make sense, as he and Divya had not spent enough time together to have formed such a strong connection. Also, he did not know if Divya had feelings for him. Being in a relationship means partners are supposed to express their love, and Divya had not conveyed anything; every scenario was a made-up one in Narayan’s head. He had one last conversation with her, and she still rejected him and begged Narayan to move ahead in life. Narayan had a gut instinct that she loved him, but there was a fear that was stopping her.
Divya’s father interrupted, and he openly bragged about getting her marriage fixed with an IT professional. He claimed Divya had accepted the proposal as she was loyal to the family. Narayan one last time asked about her feelings, and he noticed she said “no” due to her father. Narayan quickly deduced she loved him, but she was choosing society and her family over her love. He probably noticed that she was forced to accept this proposal. As the situation between Divya’s father and Narayan got volatile, the father and daughter left the scene to avoid a conflict. This was the smartest decision made by her, but her father was not willing to let go of the fact that she loved Narayan.
Divya’s father hoped his tactics would force her to suppress her emotions, but the love she had for Narayan was a lot to bear. He began to violently hit himself with a large stone. This was another tactic to get her to forget Narayan. His actions implied that he would rather die than watch his daughter marry a man of her choice. Out of sheer anger, he ended up calling her a word that implied she was a promiscuous woman. Her father crossed the line by using this word against his daughter, which again indicated that he never tried to understand her feelings and needs. He was obsessed with the idea of society looking down upon him; he was not apologetic for the abysmal word he used for his own flesh and blood. A shocked Divya asked her father to kill himself, since she knows Narayan loves and respects her. She added it was something her father could not do for her even though he claimed to have raised her. This was Divya’s way of letting go of her misogynistic father, who thought very lowly of her.
Love Reddy ended with Divya’s father throwing the large stone at her and attempting to kill her, so that she does not marry Narayan. This would be deemed an honor killing, a crime committed to uphold the pride of the family and a community. Her father was not afraid to commit this crime, since he believed his feelings and thoughts were justified. He would gladly go to the prison without any guilt. This would remind people of Vetrimaaran’s short film in Paava Kadhaigal, where a father did not think twice before killing his pregnant daughter for marrying outside of the caste. This was a social disease, and it would take years for people to change their minds. Narayan arrived on the scene, and on seeing him, Divya’s father intensified his beating. Narayan in no time snatched the stone and used it to kill her father. He killed Divya’s father since the man killed the one person he loved the most. It was a crime, and Narayan would have to pay for it. Divya was taking her last breaths, and she conveyed her love for him. She had to share her feelings since she could not die without letting him know she loved him. She knew she would pass, and her love for him would be the closure Narayan deserved. Divya died in his arms, and hence he was covered in mud and blood as seen in the prologue of the film. Narayan had lost the love of his life; he’d murdered her father, and his future from this point on was uncertain.