Epic – First Semester Movie Review
Movie: Epic – First Semester
Release Date: 11 Sept 2026
CBFC Rating: A
Run-time: 2h 29m
Cast: Anand Deverakonda, Vaishnavi Chaitanya, Shivaji, Vasuki, Kalyan Shankar, Srinivas Gavireddy and Others
Editing: Navin Nooli
Music: Hesham Abdul Wahab
Cinematography: Azeem Mohammad
Produced by: Suryadevara Naga Vamsi & Sai Soujanya
Writer & Director: Aditya Haasan
Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya, the sensational pair who set the screens on fire with their bold and brilliant performances in Baby, are back together with Epic – First Semester directed by Aditya Haasan. The film is carrying huge expectations as Aditya Haasan is expanding his much loved character Aditya from his superhit web series ’90s A Middle Class Biopic’ to the big screen. With Hesham Abdul Wahab’s soulful music already topping the charts, and the film releasing on September 11th, Epic promises to be a relatable, modern and musical love story.
Plot
Epic – First Semester revolves around the journey of a young introvert who lands in a foreign country much against his wishes. Aditya (Anand Deverakonda), an aspiring director with big dreams but zero exposure to the outside world, is forced by his loving but strict parents Chandrashekhar (Sivaji) and Rani (Vasuki) to go to the UK for his higher studies. A boy who has never interacted with girls in his life suddenly finds himself in a completely new culture. What is in store for him there? How does his life change when he meets the beautiful, bold and emotionally complex Kadali (Vaishnavi Chaitanya)? Their live in relationship, their confusions about love, commitment, pregnancy fears and marriage, and how this first semester of life in a foreign land becomes a life lesson forms the beautiful crux.
Performances
Anand Deverakonda delivers a heartfelt and highly relatable performance. He is exceptional as Aditya. He brilliantly portrays the innocence, awkwardness and hidden fears of an introvert who is suddenly thrown into a foreign land. His body language, his hesitation while talking to girls, his emotional outbursts and his slow transformation into a mature lover are portrayed with utmost sincerity. Anand proves his growth as an actor and carries the entire film on his shoulders with effortless charm.
Vaishnavi Chaitanya is graceful and impactful as Kadali. She brings a lot of depth to a complex character of a modern girl who experiences mood swings and emotional vulnerability. She looks gorgeous on screen and her chemistry with Anand feels fresh and mature.
Sivaji and Vasuki as parents are endearing, bringing warmth. Director Kalyan Shankar as Sinjith and Srinivas Gavi Reddy as Manoj provide nice support and evoke genuine laughs. The entire cast fits perfectly into this youthful world.
Rating – 3.25/5 #Epic Is A Well Crafted MultiLayered Matured Love Story With Strong Emotions . Director #AdityaHaasan Handles The Fragile Elements Involved In A Relationship With Utmost Care & Clarity . @ananddevarkonda #AnandDeveraKonda Makes A… pic.twitter.com/jqnaF19lKp
— BA Raju’s Team (@baraju_SuperHit) September 10, 2026
Highlights
Anand Deverakonda, Vaishnavi Chaitanya Performances
Soulful Music
Beautiful Visuals
Natural Conversations
Drawbacks
Slight Drag
Simple Conflict
Analysis
The first half of Epic is a delightful and breezy watch that beautifully sets up the world. Aditya Haasan starts the narration on a very interesting note, showing the middle class pressure and the funny and emotional situation of forcing a son to go abroad. The campus visuals, the cute first meetings between Aditya and Kadali, and their quick yet convincing transition into a live in relationship are handled with a lot of heart, ending the first half on a lovely, engaging note. The second half dives deeper into the relationship, exploring the real and relatable conflicts of modern youth, PCOD, career insecurities, commitment phobia and the hard realities of love. Instead of adding forced villains, the director keeps the conflict very real and internal, which makes it highly relatable for today’s youth, leading to a bold and thought provoking ending.
On the technical front, the film is a winner. Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music is the soul of Epic. His songs are melodious, soothing and heart touching, and his background score elevates every emotion beautifully, making every scene musical and magical. Azeem Mohammad’s cinematography is outstanding, capturing the UK locations with stunning beauty and making the film visually rich and appealing. The production values are classy and neat. Dialogues are bold and very contemporary. While the editing could have been slightly crisper at places, the overall impact remains strong. Epic – First Semester is a sincere, soulful and musical modern love story that will connect deeply with youngsters and families alike.
Rating: 3.25/5
Bottom-line: A Sincere, Soulful and Musical Modern Love Story
