`Nenu Student Sir` : This student needs some IQ classes.

Story:

Subbu (Bellamkonda Ganesh) is a University student with a materialistic dream. He wants to own a classy iPhone and change his life. On the day he buys one, a violent scuffle breaks out on the University campus. The police detain Subbu along with several other students, believing that he was engaged in the skirmish. The students are asked to surrender their mobile phones. Subbu reluctantly parts with his phone. Hours later, he realizes that his iPhone has gone missing from the station. He takes the unthinkable step of appearing before the Police Commissioner (Samuthirakani) to lodge a complaint against the local police station on whose premises his iPhone went missing.

In a twist of sorts, Subbu unearths a racket where unexpected antagonists exist.

Performances:

Ganesh delivers a neither-good-nor-bad performance. We don`t want to praise him. At the same time, we don`t want to pan him. The day some able filmmaker gives him a sophisticated role, he might well excel in it. That day is not today, though. Avantika Dassani, the daughter of Bollywood`s Bhagyashree, makes an uninspired debut in Tollywood. Her beautiful eyes don`t emote, to be frank. Samuthirakani passes muster. Srikanth Iyengar is so routine that you don`t want to talk about it. 

Sunil plays a character who opens to a scene where he is worried about his balls (well!). He goes on to do difficult things overnight. Charandeep`s acting doesn`t work in close-up shots. `Auto` Ramprasad aces a negative role; he has got so much potential in the dark zone.

Technical Departments:

Music: Inconsistent with the tone of the film.

Background Score: Good in the second half.

Cinematography: Average.

Editing: Okay but lazy at times.

Analysis:

`Nenu Student Sir` follows the underdog-turns-a-hero template. Vetrimaaran`s `Polladhavan` had something similar. The hero in that movie buys a bike. After it gets stolen, his middle-class life turns upside down. Unexpectedly, he emerges a hero. That film was stunning. The film under review would have achieved half of that with a better screenplay and a sensible first half.

The characterization of Ganesh`s Subbu, the Commissioner, and the heroine are quite jaded. The impact of the second half comes to a cropper (to an extent) because of the poor foundation.

The politicization of the campus results in violence in real life. This film narrates the idea in an unrealistic fashion. A Sangh group and a Leftist group indulge in goondaism. We never feel for any of the students caught in the morass. 

Merits:

The last 30 minutes.

A few sophisticated thrills.

The nature of the scam.   

Demerits:

The weak characterizations.

The excessive focus on the iPhone track.

Convenient ideas that help Subbu crack a racket.

Overall rating: 2.25/5

Box-Office Verdict: Question paper is difficult, sir!