Tillu Square review: Siddhu Jonnalagadda and his ‘delicate mind’ entertain again

Tillu Square review: The sequel to the 2022 Vimal Krishna-directorial, Siddhu Jonnalagadda and Neha Sshetty-starrer DJ Tillu released this Friday. Mallik Ram takes over the directorial duties this time, but Siddhu’s titular character’s essence remains the same. In a film as unserious as Tillu Square, it’s hard to nitpick when the ride is hilarious. (Also Read: The Goat Life movie review: Prithviraj Sukumaran delivers extraordinary performance in Blessy directorial)
It might be a new year and Bala Gangadhar Tilak aka DJ Tillu (Siddhu) might be richer than the last time, but he’s none the wiser regarding love. Even as his parents and friends warn him against falling for the wrong person again, Tillu just can’t help himself. But unlike Radhika (Neha), Lilly Joseph (Anupama Parameswaran) seems picture-perfect. She looks like a dream, is willing to fast-track their relationship and is just all-round perfect. But because Tillu’s taste in women always seems to land him in trouble, the stakes also get higher in Tillu Square.
Lately, it feels like every other film ends with an open climax, in hopes of cashing in with a sequel should the original film work well. But it’s rare for a film to get the promised sequel, let alone one that works. So Tillu Square being just as effective and hysterically funny as the first part is a win. Sure, the film has its drawbacks, especially in the second half. But it’s fun to see some old characters come back to ruin Tillu’s life further. And its comforting that while Tillu might not be wiser, he can still use his street smarts to snake out of any situation. Mallik also does a good job of tying up the original film to the sequel, making it all feel organic.
The whole draw of DJ Tillu has always been how Siddhu drops riotous one-liners in the most unhinged situations. If you fell in love with his ‘delicate mind’ and dialogues like ‘atlunthadi manathoni’ (that’s how it is with me) in the original film, you’re bound to chuckle whenever Siddhu drops a random ‘it’s a respect’ or an ‘amma bomma chelli disco’ in the most inopportune situations. Tillu’s rants about being the perpetual bakra or his father’s (Muralidhar) affinity for bakery items ruining his health also make the film worthwhile. The makers also put in effort to ensure, the film remains novel, even as his life is ruined by love, yet again.
Tollywood films – even some of the best ones – suffer when in a bid to hook you to the story, they make better first halves than second halves. Tillu Square is no different. In fact, Mallik reaches such a crescendo during the interval by making a fun Chandramukhi reference and revealing something about Lilly in style, that the second half feels like it’s always trying to recreate that high. It’s not bad by any means, but the climax doesn’t match up to the hilarity generated in that scene. You still want to stick around for the crazy ride because Tillu is such an endearing character, but one cannot help but feel the film didn’t reach its full potential.
When it was first reported that Tillu Square will feature Anupama instead of Neha, many wondered if they could recreate the magic. Siddhu and Neha’s chemistry in DJ Tillu was electric, which made the betrayal feel all the more worse. Fortunately, Siddhu and Anupama are on par with that. They make you want to invest in their love even if the original film already makes you sceptical of how everything seems to be going a little too well for him. Siddhu wears Tillu like second skin by now and Anupama pulls off the ups and downs of her character well.
If laidback Hyderabadi comedy is your cup of chai, this one’s for you. Fans of DJ Tillu are sure to love how Tillu Square takes the story forward. While the film works even if you haven’t watched the original, because you’re given a refresher during the opening credits, it’s better to catch that film (on Aha) before watching the sequel. Clearly, Tillu is here to stay no matter how often his heart breaks.
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