Cult Director’s Tasteless Jilebi!

Some of the most memorable films that introduced new trends in Telugu cinema include “Nuvve Kavali”, “Nuvvu Naku Nacchav,” “Manmathudhu,” and “Malleshwari.” These movies were directed by K Vijayabhaskar, who gained significant recognition for his work. While writer Trivikram Srinivas played a substantial role in the success, it’s important not to underestimate the director’s contribution. He made a comeback to direction recently with the film Jilebi.

Following his last film “Masala” in 2013, Vijaybhaskar’s directorial absence was filled by “Jilebi,” which marked the debut of his son Srikamal as the lead actor.

The storyline of “Jilebi” revolves around a girl named Jilebi (Shivani Rajasekhar), who is hiding in a boys’ hostel due to unforeseen circumstances. Her predicament is a result of her acquaintance with Kamal (Sri Kamal). As three other guys discover her presence, the narrative unfolds around Jilebi’s father (Murali Sharma), a local MLA, for his daughter, and the role of the hostel warden’s courage (Rajendra Prasad) in assisting the couple. While the premise has some differences, the story’s treatment remains rooted in traditional methods.

The character introductions, the establishment of the original twist, and the hostel-related incidents are all relatively routine, and Vijayabhaskar struggled to extract the expected humor from these elements.

The second half of the film is milder in tone. However, the overall impact of “Jilebi” falls short. The film’s creative team did not meet the anticipated result.

In fact, not many knew that the senior director’s film was released in theatres.