Two films released in 2023 have been in the news again, right in time for Valentine’s Day. Ravikanth Perepu’s Bubblegum, starring Roshan Kanakala and Maanasa Choudhary, was released on December 29 last year but began streaming on the OTT platform Aha on February 9. (Also Read: Athadu to Guntur Kaaram: Exploring Trivikram Srinivas’ fascination with broken families)
Sai Rajesh’s Vaishnavi Chaitanya and Anand Deverakonda-starrer Baby was released on July 14 last year but is getting a re-release this Valentine’s Day in theatres. Here are some parallels between the two young love stories that we spotted during a recent re-watch. *Spoilers ahead*
The basic plot
Not to take anything away from the angst-filled plots of these two films, but both Baby and Bubblegum have a friend and a third wheel in the relationship, causing trouble. But the way the male leads deal with these intrusions differs - Baby’s Anand tries to plead and strong-arm his girlfriend while Bubblegum’s Adhi (Roshan) struggles to understand his insecurities. While Jaanu (Maanasa) isn’t judged for her mistakes, Vaishnavi is constantly pushed into a corner.
The turning point
Both Baby and Bubblegum have an act of humiliation changing the relationship dynamics for better or worse. When Anand humiliates Vaishnavi and calls her names, she finds solace in the arms of another man, setting off a chain of horrendous events. When Jaanu strips Adhi down to his boxers in front of her friends, he channels the anger into productivity by making music. In a scene, Adhi even asks Jaanu if she thought he’d turn alcoholic and roam the streets - it’s precisely what Anand does.
{{/usCountry}}Both Baby and Bubblegum have an act of humiliation changing the relationship dynamics for better or worse. When Anand humiliates Vaishnavi and calls her names, she finds solace in the arms of another man, setting off a chain of horrendous events. When Jaanu strips Adhi down to his boxers in front of her friends, he channels the anger into productivity by making music. In a scene, Adhi even asks Jaanu if she thought he’d turn alcoholic and roam the streets - it’s precisely what Anand does.
{{/usCountry}}The class dynamics
In Baby, the central conflict arises when Vaishnavi makes a place for herself among more affluent people than she and Anand. The latter feels left behind. In Bubblegum, Jaanu has always been richer than Adhi. He even changes how he dresses and tries to fit in for her. What also remains common is that the men in both films don’t shy away from getting into physical fights, irrespective of what their partner wants.
The parents
Except for Vaishnavi’s supportive father, Naga Babu, the parents in Baby have a hard time grappling with their children’s lives. Anand won’t talk to his mother; Vaishnavi’s mother pushes her to change her status quo. Naga Babu seems to be the only parent remotely understanding of what’s happening. In Bubblegum, however, Chaitu Jonnalagadda, Bindu Chandramouli, Harsha Vardhan and Anu Hasan pay the ever-supportive parents you would love to have. Adhi’s mom even tells him he must save a little love for himself before giving it all to others.
The conclusion
Where Anand wants Vaishnavi to give up the world for him, Adhi wants Jaanu to do otherwise. Baby feels like a doomed love story from the get-go, and the ending with Anand turning into a new-age Devdas and Vaishnavi getting married to someone else feels like a foregone conclusion. In Bubblegum, however, you have hope for the couple, especially when Adhi and Jaanu refuse to let their egos get in the way. The ending of Bubblegum is bittersweet - they break up but are happy and thriving - it leaves one with hope.
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