YOUTH review

I usually don’t judge a film based on trailers or any other promotional stuff. I try my best to approach any art form without any prejudice or preconceived notions.

But at times, something makes me pause for a second and think. One such film was Youth. When the trailer was released, it had fast cuts and felt like a guaranteed fun film. What I found problematic was again the same hero trope—the protagonist going behind multiple girls, stalking them, and at the climax choosing one among many and calling it true love. The trailer had similar moments, which made me take a step back. As an audience, we are honestly tired of this trope—a hero who victimises himself, manipulates the girl, and eventually makes her fall in love.

Yet, I decided to watch it, thinking this could just be my perception. Maybe the director could prove me wrong—I really wished for that.

Youth is a routine story. The whole film happens from Praveen’s 10th result day to his 12th result day. Since it doesn’t try to be a full coming-of-age story stretching into his late 20s, it stays within that school-life phase, keeping the canvas tight.

Across its ~145-minute runtime, it spends most of the time on the crazy, carefree side of school life and his constant quest for a relationship. He is a son who neglects his parents as well as his studies. At the end, does he realise his parents’ love? Does he succeed in love or studies? That forms the rest of the story.

Youth is a film directed by Ken (who also plays the lead), this is a commendable debut. He carries the film well—be it comedy, romance, or emotional moments. As Meenakshi says in the film, “his smile is very cute”—and it’s true. Every time he smiles, the audience can’t help but smile along.

A lot of actors have been introduced, and it was good to see new faces along with a few from social media platforms. Meenakshi Dinesh as Prashika was good in her part and carried the innocence beautifully. The other two female leads, Anishma and Priyanshi, were also good in their roles.

More than the school portions, what really worked for me was the impressive third act. It’s not something we haven’t seen before, but the execution lands so well. And the actors they brought in—Suraj Venjaramoodu and Devadarshini—absolutely nail it. Suraj is the show-stealer. His dialogues bring in laughter, and in emotional scenes, he just nails it. Even in moments where he doesn’t have much to do, his body language and nuanced expressions deserve appreciation. Devadarshini, though this role isn’t new for her, still rocks it with her innocence and humour, and this time her emotional side is explored and delivered brilliantly.

Music by GV Prakash Kumar is another highlight. As he himself mentioned, he did this film free of cost, yet his sincerity is clearly visible. He beautifully elevates this simple film with his pleasant music, especially the instrumental version of “Miniki,”  is a treat.

Cinematography and editing took me back to Meesaya Murukku days. The video game–style editing may feel kiddish at places, but overall it suits the film’s genre.

The film brings more smiles than loud laughter. It doesn’t have big highs and lows either—rather, it follows a very slow and steady graph.

The school portions in the beginning take some time to settle, and a few might even find them a bit boring initially. But the second half picks up pace and becomes more engaging than the first.

A few things might definitely feel PROBLEMATIC—like body-shaming comments or the breakup scene with the first lead (where the hero’s dialogues try to victimise himself even though the fault clearly lies on his side). However, Ken has smartly placed the timeline between 2014–2016, a period when such behaviour was often normalized and rarely questioned. And since they are teenagers, these mistakes come across as part of their growth.

What truly stood out to me was the moment where the protagonist apologizes to one of the female leads in the climax . That single act shows the director’s maturity. Without it, the film would have fallen into the same old trope as i mentioned in the beginning—but that realization makes it more meaningful and morally grounded.

So, Youth is a cute, fun film with a routine storyline, yet neatly presented.

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