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Low lights:
Inspite of many pros towards it, this movie still falls short of many many things.

– Showing college life is such a lively and lovely concept that u have so many good things to project. On this account Sekhar seems to have missed many many beautiful things in this film.
If any student who loves his college days sits to pen down all his memories, then I’m sure he will feel that HAPPY DAYS had ample scope for many other things too.

One might feel that all the things cannot be included in a two and half hour film but still “cinema chinna daina chaalaa peddadi”. To mention a few:

1) Hostel/Room’s life: May be because CBIT didn’t have boy’s hostel when Sekhar studied and he being a day scholar wud not have experienced the real beauty of hostel life but I’m sure those who have been away from home and stayed in hostel or rooms with their college mates wud certainly have got great friends for life. This life is has so much life in that, a movie can be made only on that.

Like from the range of sharing of many things like… buckets at times tooth brush toooooo !!!, snaanam with group daruvu dances…there r many finer things in this life.

2) Lecturer-Student emotions: Itz a fact that in the four year long course there will surely be some good lecturers for every class who put a mark in each and every student’s heart. This is such a sentimental yet motivating aspect that when conveyed thru cinema wud have gained much good response too.For example our HOD had a very good rapport with our batch. Once a student did a mistake unknowingly then HOD felt for it and stepped out of class saying that he will not teach us again. Then our whole class went to his chamber pleaded him saying SORRY and after much request he agreed to come back. It was this HOD who broke into tears and wept like a baby in farewell party for missing our batch. After all lecturers r our well wishers…such relations shud have also been elevated in Happy Days.Sekhar has dedicated this picture to his teachers saying “For my teachers” but annoyingly he didn’t give ample width for teacher-student relationship elevation. His main interest through out the film ran on LOVE and second one on Friendship and in friendship too love quotient played itz dominance. It wud have been still better if he had taken due care in projecting lecturer-student rapport in a good way in complete contrast to regular cheap films degrading them. He has limited lecturers, Principal for minute things but when he was willing to dedicate this film to teachers he shud have given much scope for that.

Though Sekhar has avoided cheap jokes on lecturers itz again a bit disappointing that he has projected a fast guy proposing an English lecturer. Infact this seems to be unnecessary. We dont see much student-lecturer proposals in colleges now a days. Sekhar shud have avoided such scene atleast when he dedicated this film to his teachers. In such a clean film this shud have been avoided but as Sekhar has gained good opinion in many people’s minds many have excused him on this line and took it light. Even the lead-guys watching adult movies and talking about kissing ..etc all again show that even this movie has slightly moved towards regular cheap college scenes in many films.

3) Slam book: Sekhar has a serious problem in finishing his movies. He does all good work thru out the movie and when it comes to the end he finishes things abruptly. The same was the thing in Anand too. When there was so much scope in Happy Days, for emotions in the climax when the departing time comes, which is very very painful thing and though it is vivid that students can be in touch with phones, e-mails, chatting…but still personal departure is surely a painful thing. But he took climax to settle down the problems in love tracks and just ended with the farewell song (not picturized well) with out using the emotional scope to the max extent.This SLAM BOOK thing is a spectacular one that, many things that we were unaware of for 4 years get into picture. People whom we never bothered express their feelings from heart..people with whom we thought that we had good time might give us shocks that we had hurted them earlier. Like this many things come into picture and the one of the most precious things for any student wud be his SLAM BOOK.

Slam book – therez lot of fun and pain in writing/reading it. Itz great thrill to read other’s slam books too. Finding our name in the BEST FRIEND’s column written in other’s slam books by our friends r all feel good things. It wud have been even better and infact terrific opening shot if the cinema has started with Chandu viewing his slam book and recollecting all the memories.

4) Proxy attendance: Itz a common yet thrilling experience often found in any class. Therez scope of extracing lot of humor from such scenes too like:Say Naresh and Rajesh r classmates. Rajesh is fast guy doesnt attend classes much. He asks Naresh to give proxy for him and leaves the class. Exactly at the time when Naresh answers attendance for Rajesh, the lecturer looks up and on seeing Naresh asks him “Rajesh ???” and in that situation Naresh obliges that he is “Rajesh”. From next day onwards on the doubt of Lecturer doubting him Naresh answers attendance only for ‘Rajesh’ and misses attendance for his name. This way Rajesh gets good attendance in the class though he is absent. With the lecturer getting thorough impression that Naresh is Rajesh, he ones calls Naresh and says – “yentayya paper lo assalu yemi raayaledu..nuvvedo manchi student anukunnaane ? sarle eesaariki baagaane marks vesaanu, next examlo annaa improve avvu” This way Rajesh gets full advantage of the situaion and Naresh gets into other situation. Even if we want to show that giving proxy is not a good thing then it can also be shown with a nice scene towards the end of the picture.

5) Inter-college competitions: Though this is college centric film nothing much has been shown on what the students do for their college. It wud have been nice, if Inter-college competitions were shown, then these leady guys and girls taking active participation in bringing glory to the college. Instead of going for regular routine games, if competitions like DUMB CHARADES…were introduced then they wud have added much entertaining quotient to the film.

6) Fresher’s introduction program by seniors: This is actually followed in some colleges now a days. Showing ragging is common in films but showing a means to avoid it and giving an ideal idea for that wud have been good in the film.Regarding the “Ideaz Room” concept in the film, though the ideaz of “College Radio”, “Anti Ragging Squad” r so so type, hero-heroine rating their ideaz themselves as brilliant, excellent makes audience put off as these r not that great to commend. Adding to that Principal says that, “Excellent then our’s will be the first college in the state to implement Anti-Ragging Squad”. FYI, this has been implemented lot many years back and in numerous colleges. Itz too unrealistic
too to see the Hero roaming on special cars of Anti-Ragging squad. Instead of such things, Sekhar shud have taken time to think on much better ideaz as this particular thing gave lot of scope for creativity.

Though the following ideaz r not that great, he wud have thought of these one’s too:
i) Hero/heroine proposing an idea of canning ‘HAPPY DAYS’ movie in their college. For every student college days r the most happiest days. So by collecting opinions from current students, ex-students, recording them, adding lecturer’s comments, college history..everything and bringing out HAPPY DAYS movie on the college about college days wud have given Sekhar much scope to show his idealogy of making this movie using student’s comments for expressing his main intention of going for this movie.

ii) Ragging’s main intention is to make freshers free from inhibitions and start a good rapport with seniors and college. For this hero/heroine shud have proposed the idea of starting an INTRODUCTION program where in each fresher comes in introduces himself infront of seniors and seniors ask him various questions ranging from routine ragging questions to …his aims, ambitions, his memorable moments..etc. This was implemented in our college and was a roaring success as this is an offical ragging but in limits which is universally accepted anywhere.

In the film the lead actors face ragging in first half and when they become seniors only hero proposes Anti-ragging squad idea..but the girls still do ragging. In such a film Sekhar shud have shown still a better way of doing ragging in a positive way atleast when lead actors become seniors.

7) IDEAL Girl-Boy relations:
One serious thing to note in this film is, Sekhar to many people’s surprise has taken LOVE as the only sole thing as its soul. All the lead characters have love tracks.This film is infact all about “Love Love Love….”. Is “COLLEGE…A LOVE BUREAU ???”. Get into a college. Select the girl of your choice. Make friendship with her. Move closely with her. Go to picnic with her. Propose her. Get into some godavalu…kopaalu..taapaalu…and finally win her again. Is this college life all about ? Is LOVE mandatory for all ? Does all
Girl-Boy relations r LOVE intended…? Oh my god…this is the most biggest surprise in the film that Sekhar has taken all the lead characters as love elements in different form.But it wud have been nice if he had shown atleast one BOY-GIRL relation in an ideal way. Can’t a boy and girl be Ideal friends with out having the thought of LOVE ?

Infact in past films:
1) Autograph: Bhoomika and Ravi Teja
2) Ganesh: Madhubala and Ganesh
3) Aitey: Sindhu Tulani and all the boys
such relations have been shown in brilliant way and are welcomed by all the sectors of the society. Sekhar wud have been well appreciated by many, including girl’s parents section if such relation was projected leaving a mark of idealogy.Infact there r many good friends(boy-girl) these days in many colleges. In such a youth centric film this angle shud have been touched or else some people might take this as inspiration and
spoil good friendships by bringing in LOVE factor. Itz a fact that not all students fall in LOVE in college days.

8. Student’s unity is shown only in fighting scenes like juniors gang getting ready to beat seniors..etc but the real unity of students shud be in the upliftment of college’s name. This angle has been missed.

9) One-day battings. The trouble with getting in touch with the syllabus, exam schedules…one-day batting…the last minute tensions, supersitions before exams..there r many such finer things regarding academics. Strange to find that such things r absent in the film !!!

10) Library: Every student has his own bond with this place in different different ways. Some people who can’t take a particular book to home as number of books which a student can take is limited one and on the fear of losing it, hiding it some where but still not finding it next time when they want it…etc such scenes shud have been shown.

If Sekhar wud have concentrated on such things, surely this film wud have been much better. If the current Happy Days can bring him Nandi Award, these additions might win him National Award.

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Resemblences:

1) Chandu – Madhu: Pawan – Bhoomika in Khushi. Disturbance that happens between them. Chandu getting close to a junior which irks Madhu is also same as it is in Khushi.

2) Sangeeta character is almost ditto to Sindhu Tulani’s character in MANMADHA. There r striking resemblences in these characters.

3) Cricket match with seniors: Lagaan, bringing GIRL in the challenge: Sye

4) Tyson’s role in elevating friendsihp has resemblences with Vadivel’s character in Prema Desam “entainaa vaaDu mana friend E raa” is similar to “vaaDu neeku friend O kaadO kaani nuvvu maatram naaku friend vi raa”

5) Appu’s character seems to be an inspiration from Kajol’s character in “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”. Especially when Appu watches her TOM BOY look in mirror, her reaction is a straight lift from KKHH.

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Unrealistic things:
This film boasts of realistic picturisaction but it too has many unrealistic things.

1) Girl’s parents agreeing to send their daughters with their friends(boyz) on bikes to Aruku for an outing. Usually parents dont mind sending daughters to picnics or excursions when they go along with whole classmates as a college tour accompanied by lecturers but itz hard to believe that all the parents of girls agreeing to that.

2) Rajesh’s proper being proddutur but even his mom n dad using telangana dialect.

3) Tyson’s room in his house has numerous small mats on the floor. Itz for sure that they just wanted to cover up the floor and did it so. Usually such COVERINGs r not observed in any one’s house.

4) Senior eating an egg which is rolled on ground.

5) Stickers on seats in auditorium in WELCOME function for freshers. I still doubt is there any such college in whole India who take such care to put a sticker of each student’s name on all the seats ????
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– Music:
Though Mickey has given good music when u observe closely this film’s music shud have been still better. Though all songs SOUND good, but surely therez still scope for improvement.
“Arare Arare” is just awesome. Full marks to it.
“Jil Jil Jinga” is good.
“Oh my friend” songs lyrics r great but itz strange that Sekhar used it to show the love element
between the pairs. This shud have been canned such that FRIENDSHIP gets elevated among boys..alone instead of LOVE angle. People r comparing it with MUSTAFA song in Prema Desam but frankly speaking the latter is far better in many terms.
“Farewell song” is not upto the mark except “HAPPY DAYS” humming as far as tune is concerned. Studen’ts NO.1’s “ekkaDO puTTi ekkaDO perigi” song is lot better than this covering all angles. When there was so much scope for an outstanding song on “FAREWELL” Mickey missed it by not utlizing it to the fullest possible extent.
“ye cheekati” song, sounds very good after repeated hearing.
–
FAREWELL song is a big minus in the film. It had lot of scope for excellence. In the scenes before the song itz shown that the lead characters prepare much for the function but atlast they just hold the hands saying HAPPY DAYS.

In the similar situation we did our life time’s best program in our college’s final annual day that we got outstanding response from over 2000 people who watched it and the saga continued for a month till we left the college.
–
Sekhar should have avoided dialogues like “I hate Mech…” it received severe negative response in the hall that some people were not patient enough to wait till Tyson says ‘I Love Mech’ and expressed their anguish.

– Sekhar’s fascination towards TOILET. Right from “DOLLAR DREAMS” to “HAPPY DAYS” the thing that he never forgets to maintain is his love for TOILET. In Anand the most irritating point for me was the so called TOILET humor. Atleast in future, I wish to see atleast one film of Sekhar without this.

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Final Touch:

Sekhar is honest. The way he went to the film’s premiere show, shows his simplicity. Giving up his remuneration for Godavari shows his attitude towards films. This time, his planning is really extraordinary. But at the same time there r many things to be retrospected. Sekhar shud not get carried away with the huge success of HAPPY DAYS as there r many elements in the film that need betterment. He shud give due care for such things in future and bring in still better films.College gives real LIFE to students. In this film also itz shown that students get friends, lovers, jobs..everything but nothing has been shown on what they do for the college in return ? Sekhar has made a film and paid tribute to his college ..itz good but what do the lead characters do for the college ?

In college days only every student comes to know his strengths and weaknesses. Many realize their talents and hone them which indeed change their life for ever. But sadly not much importance has been given to this. Only campus interviews have been projected at last. With “Paiditalli” character he has covered this aspect to some extent but with the lead characters he was always busy with LOVE factor.On showing over 50 to 60% of college life itself this film is heading towards roaring success…imagine the situation if it was taken to 80 to 90% ??? it wud have stood as one of the best ever made films in history of telugu cinema. Sekhar missed a lovely chance in that aspect.

People r comparing it with last year’s blockbuster BOMMARILLU and naming HAPPY DAYS as the blockbuster of 2007. But regarding BOMMARILLU there r very few things that can be said as betterments possible as that film reached peak level of emotions in climax and has moved everyone with excellent climax. In Happy Days cinematic grammar is missing, no strong interval point but still it is entertaining no comments on that but the climax which had good scope for great emotional content with the friends getting departed Sekhar missed a mighty chance here.

Sekhar might win many awards, for this but he might not win an award for SCREENPLAY as the rules say, when u start a film with a character’s point of view there shud not be scenes without he himself not knowing about them. There r many scenes in this film that Chandu is not aware of,with the same flaw TITANIC was not nominated in SCREENPLAY section for Oscar award. This opinion is strongly quoted by Paruchuri Gopalakrishna in his Phd. thesis book. Regarding this, the best film that shows perfect screenplay in this angle is JAGADAM in recent times. In this film every scene is shown in Hero’s point of view.When the audience r with FOR opinion with the film even slight things will impress them. This way this film won the hearts of many but if Sekhar had taken much care, it wud have been much better.Anywayz kudos to Sekhar for turning as SHAKEr of the industry.

Re’-'View’ing is the case with many as people r already awaiting itz DVD’s release for owning it ASAP.
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