ROFL in Parts, Okay Overall

BOTTOM LINE
ROFL in Parts, Okay Overall

RATING
2.25/5

CENSOR
U/A, 2h 9m

What Is the Film About?

Single is about Vijay (Sree Vishnu), who relentlessly tries to end his single life. It follows his love story with Purva (Ketika Sharma) and ultimately explores the reasons that lead him to remain single in the end.

Performances

Sree Vishnu is back to his strength — his forte — delivering casual, easygoing comedy with his signature body language and unique tone. He handles it effortlessly, making it feel like a walk in the park, and it clearly shows on screen. His natural performance helps many scenes land well, largely thanks to his ease and confidence in this space.

Ketika Sharma plays the female lead, but both the way her character is written and her performance turn out to be a mixed bag. There’s nothing particularly memorable or noteworthy about her role or portrayal, making it an ordinary experience overall.

Analysis

Single is directed by Caarthick Raju, who works with a simple, concept-driven plot that relies heavily on the right combination of elements — particularly fresh, new-age writing that sustains the entertainment and delivers a satisfying closure. While the director partially succeeds in creating a fun vibe and delivering some decent comedic moments, he struggles to maintain consistent writing from start to finish. Most notably, he fails to bring the film to a conclusion that feels either fully entertaining or emotionally satisfying — and this is where he falls short in a big way.

The first half sets the tone well, focusing on two single friends and their attempts to end their singlehood. While the situations aren’t entirely fresh, the director plays with some interesting ideas — recreating similar situations for Sree Vishnu with two different females, the awkward situations his character faces, and the small conflicts — which occasionally land well and help make the first half fairly engaging.

However, the biggest issue lies in the second half, where the director loses momentum and clarity. After the midpoint, the ideas, resolutions, emotional beats, and the subplot involving Rajendra Prasad’s character all start to feel outdated, forced and planted. The heroine’s realization also comes across as unconvincing and merely a formality.

A film like Single needs its final stretch to land organically with a fun tone, and without that, it’s hard to deliver a satisfying experience. Unfortunately, the ending feels drawn out, with one disjointed block after another, leading to an underwhelming close.

That said, Sree Vishnu’s performance elevates many scenes — whether they’re well-written or mediocre — and, combined with the background score, helps the film hold together. Vennela Kishore also delivers a few standout moments.

Overall, Single can be watched for Sree Vishnu’s effortless performance and the enjoyable moments with Vennela Kishore, but the second half loses its way, and the ending leaves much to be desired.

Performances by Others Actors

Single has a small supporting cast, but the familiar faces do their jobs well. Ivana with her pleasant screen presence delivers a neat performance. Vennela Kishore plays a full-length sidekick role, and while it’s within his usual range, he handles it well and delivers what’s needed for the part.

Others like VTV Ganesh, though given a couple of comedy moments, are heavily underutilized. Senior actor Rajendra Prasad feels like a complete waste of his talent and presence. Comedian Sathya appears in a blink-and-miss role. Narine Nithiin appears in a scene but doesn’t make much of an impression.

Music and Other Departments?

Vishal Chandrasekhar’s songs, as standalone tracks, may not add much value to the film, but his background score is spot-on and does a great job of elevating the film’s mood. The score perfectly captures the vibe needed for a film like Single. Velraj’s cinematography is quite decent, giving the film a pleasing visual appeal. Editing by Praveen is adequate but feels quite patchy in the latter half. The production values from Geetha Arts and Kalya Films are impressive for a small, concept-driven film like Single — at no point does it feel like the budget was compromised.

Highlights?

Sree Vishnu steals the show

Comedy mixed with popular tracks

Vennela Kishore brings the laughs

Drawbacks?

Key character design of the heroine (Ketika Sharma)

Forced emotional subplot

Inorganic flow towards the conclusion

Dissatisfactory climax for a vibe film

Did I Enjoy It?

Yes, in some Sree Vishnu scenes — but overall, it didn’t land.

Will You Recommend It?

Yes, but don’t expect much.

Single 2025 Telugu Movie Review by M9