A1 Express movie review highlights : Sundeep Kishan & Lavanya Tripathi starrer has an engaging first half

Debutant director Dennis Jeevan Kanukolanu's Sundeep Kishan & Lavanya Tripathi starrer

A1 Express

hit screens this Friday.


The sports drama tells the story of Sanju (Sundeep Kishan) who goes to

Yanam

and falls for hockey player Lavanya (Lavanya Tripathi) while there. Ramesh (Rao Ramesh) is a sports minister looking to lease out the ground she plays at for material gain. Her coach Murli (Murli Sharma) struggles to keep the team afloat amid corruption. But Sanju seems to have a past that just might save the day.


A1 Express is based on the Tamil sports drama Natpe Thunai. The first half of the film takes its own sweet time to set up the love story between Sanju and Lavanya, which involves a lot of stalking and eventual mutual attraction. However, the story shines whenever it focuses on the sport & the corruption that surrounds it. Things pick up pre-interval with a whistle worthy scene that reveals a bit about Sanju's past. It remains to be seen if the momentum carries to the second half or if it falls flat.