‘Epic – First Semester’ movie review: A promising but incomplete coming-of-age story

With Epic, Aditya takes a leap of faith, holding back from pandering to familiar mainstream tropes. The tagline, ‘an unfinished story’, and the words ‘point of view’ following the director’s credit suggest an intent to push the boundaries of the coming-of-age story.

The opening portions breeze by as Aditya is packed off to the UK for higher studies, funded by a hefty loan. He is portrayed as a naïve dreamer who does not even know which course the agent has secured his admission into.

The film contrasts him with Kadali (Vaishnavi Chaitanya), a more worldly-wise young woman who can hold her own in a new country. The UK portions rely on convenient writing, as though the writer-director wants to quickly move past the travails of finding accommodation and a roommate because the real drama is yet to unfold. Even Aditya and Kadali’s first meeting and unlikely student relationship feel contrived. Still, these portions make for an easy watch, with their conversations shaped like a meet-cute romance.

From food to music, everything reflects the different worlds Aditya and Kadali come from. While Aditya’s naivete is established early, Kadali remains deliberately mysterious, almost true to her name, which refers to the sea or ocean. The writing also explores how caste differences can weigh on youngsters embarking on a relationship.

Live-in relationships among students and young professionals living away from their families are hardly new territory in Indian cinema. Musical coming-of-age stories and rom-coms have already explored commitment fears, so Epic is not breaking new ground. What it does acknowledge is how unsettling the idea can still be for students from conservative families.

The film finds its mojo again towards the end, when the protagonists get a reality check and must walk a tightrope between their professional ambitions and personal relationships.

A lot rests on the performances, and both Anand and Vaishnavi rise to the challenge. In some scenes, Anand is styled as a grown-up Aditya from 90s’, from his appearance to his dialogue delivery. Playing an innocent character is arguably tougher than wearing alpha-male traits on the sleeve, and Anand does it with sincerity. He is convincing as a youngster lost outside the comfort of his small-town home.

Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music works as an undercurrent to the drama, moving between folk-rooted tunes such as ‘Sancharamey’ and the student anthem ‘Sabko’, which embraces the new world of the UK. When Aditya and Kadali’s equation turns chaotic, ‘Manasa Vacha’ provides a soulful balm.

On the whole, Epic ends up much like its lead characters: eager to explore a new world, but not entirely sure how to navigate it. It gets some things right, while others remain a muddle.