Size Zero: Movie Review

we all know what Anushka Shetty can do if she is provided with a meaty role. Films like Arundhati, Bahubali and Rudhramadevi are a proof of the actress' acting prowess and screen presence.

So when she gained 20 kg for a film, I, as a fan and movie buff, was extremely excited to see her on big screen as no heroine other than Bhumi Pednekar had braved to undergo such drastic transformation. And after raising our level of expectations with its interesting promos, Size Zero aka Inji Iddupazhagi has hit the screens today.

It is obvious that the entire film revolves around Anushka Shetty and once again the talented actress has come up with spellbinding performance on the big screen. Anushka does the heavy lifting and manages to keep the proceedings likable even when the film hits speed breakers in the second half. She is incredibly cute as the obese girl and ably portrays the various complexities of her character with panache. Arya is decent in the film as he plays second fiddle to Anushka. Even Sonal Chauhan is good in her brief role. Urvashi is awesome as the nagging mother and has some memorable lines in the film. Bharath, who plays Anushka's younger brother, is funny and adds humour to the proceedings. Brahmanandam makes you chuckle in a small cameo of fake godman. Apart from performances, the film's simple story line and important message about loving yourselves the way you are deserves to be lauded. In an industry which churns out massy films more often than not, it is a welcome change to see a sweet sensitive story about an overweight girl. First half of the film is breezy and manages to keep you hooked thanks to Anushka's lovable act as obese Sweety. The wedding song in the first half is good and the light hearted humour makes for an easy watch. Even the emotional scenes are not over indulgent so we are saved from the melodramatic mess which we are served generally in our films. The creatives used in the campaign against Prakash Raj's Size Zero are quite impressive.

Though Size Zero is a decent film, there are quite a few flaws which can't be overlooked. After giving us an enjoyable first half and setting the premise for a classic love story, the film enters the subplot of exposing the unsafe methods to lose weight in Prakash Raj's slimming centre. Though those scenes are from being bad, it hurts the film a little as it meanders from the basic plot of the film. An actor of Prakash Raj's caliber is wasted in the film as he has limited screen time. Other comedians like Posani and Ali fail to invoke laughter. The second half is laden with clichés and it becomes quite predictable after a while. The climax is also ordinary as the film ends in a typical way in which all our love stories conclude. In the climax, instead of feeling ecstatic about the Arya and Anushka's coming together, I ended up feeling bad for Sonal Chauhan and the guy who was supposed to get engaged to Anushka in the film. After playing a good guy throughout the film, Arya turns into a typical loser who proposes his love to Anushka just when she is about to exchange rings during her engagement. While, I agree that these things are quite common in our romantic films, I wished the makers could have opted for a different climax.

Size Zero is not a great film. It is a good film which tries to convey a gem of a message, but falls prey to the clichés of typical love story in the end. Overall, Size Zero is a decent watch. If you are looking for a decent family entertainer, Size Zero is your pick. Last but not the least, please do watch it for Anushka as she is absolutely fab in the film!