Dvandva, means duality; the film introduces us to a girl with a rare condition of hyperthymesia—an exceptional ability with a photographic memory, capable of remembering every detail of her surroundings and life events with remarkable precision. This condition unwittingly becomes a pawn in a political manoeuvre when adversaries discover this concealed truth and seek to take advantage.
Now, let’s dive into the storyline, which unfolds from 6 am to 6 pm. It revolves around Aryan (Tilak Shekar), who is believed to be searching for a life partner and meets Sihi (Asiya Firdose). However, fate has other plans as Sihi, who registered himself on an entirely different website, crosses paths with Aryan. Seeking solace in life, Sihi finds comfort in Aryan, and what was initially thought to be a brief meeting extends to an entire day. Along this journey, we are introduced to a myriad of characters who enter and exit in regular intervals, and the reasons behind their intentions form the crux of this political drama.
The Chief Minister (Dinesh Mangalore) prefers his daughter (Anita Bhat) to be the party’s heir over his son. Meanwhile, the Home Minister (Bala Rajawadi) harbours ambitions of unseating the Chief Minister, and he is supported by the CM’s son. Sihi, closely guarded by her father (HMT Vijay), a long-time associate of the Chief Minister, eventually discovers that they are taking advantage of her hyperthymesia condition. But will this misfire on the Chief Minister, who is already a target? In the process, we learn about Aryan, a neurologist, who attempts to help Sihi recover from her condition. Amidst this game of pursuit, the story takes a dramatic twist, culminating in an engaging climax.
L Bharath has attempted to deliver a complicated plot in his debut, encompassing politics, romance, emotions and a bit of science. However, while the plot appears intelligent on paper, it doesn’t quite translate effectively onto the screen. The director, despite putting in effort for the ideation, should have focused more on the execution, as there are noticeable editing issues, including extra sentences that seem to be intended for deletion but were forgotten.
On the other hand, the director cleverly incorporates a multitude of characters, and interestingly, everyone exhibits a dual personality, including the driver, heroine, inspector, forensic lab technician, science lover, and a host of politicians, their families, and aides. At times, their presence adds intrigue and unexpected twists, but on occasion, they disrupt the narrative and exhibit deficiencies in acting skills.
It’s interesting to note that Tilak, despite being the protagonist, doesn’t dominate the screen time. He appears for shorter durations than other actors but makes sure to deliver his best in every frame. Similarly, Anita Bhat’s role, despite having minimal screen time, proves to be more significant than the rest.
Asiya Firdose, who has transitioned from serials to silver screen, delivers an invested performance, bringing her character to life effectively. While the film offers diverse subplots, it falls slightly short of keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. Nonetheless, it is not a run-of-the-mill plot, and viewers can give it a try for its unique elements.
Dvandva: Director: L Bharath Cast: Tilak Shekar, Asiya Firdose, Shobhraj, Dinesh Mangalore, and Raja Balawadi Rating: 2.5/5
