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118 links:
• KV Guhan interview
• Trailers
• Pre release function
• Trailer launch
• Movie launch
Jeevi
rating: 3/5
Punchline: Room No. 118
Genre: Thriller
Type: Straight
Banner: East Coast productions
Runtime: 126 minutes
Censor Certificate: U/A
Release date: 1 March, 2019
Theater watched: Shiva Cinemas, Guntur
Cast: Nandamuri Kalyan Ram, Nivetha Thomas, Shalini Pandey, Nassar, Prabhas Seenu, Hari Teja .etc
Music: Sekhar Chandra
Cinematographer: KV Guhan
Action: Venkat, Real Sateesh, Anbariv
Art: Kiran Kumar
Dialogues: Mirchi Kiran
Editor: Tammiraju
Story, Sreenply, dialogues & direction: KV Guhan
Producer: Mahesh Koneru
118 links: |
Gautham (Kalyan Ram) is an investigative crime journalist. When he goes to a resort and stays in room number 118, he gets a dream of a girl getting beaten up and murdered in the same room. He realises that it’s recurring. And he gets to experience the episodes that happen in dreams. Rest of the story is all about how he solves the case of the girl whom he dreamt of when he stayed in room number 118.
Actors: Kalyan Ram Nandamuri’s new look is very good. He changed his dialogue delivery and acted very well as the journalist who is obsessed with his recurring dream. It’s a good decision for him to choose a content based film. This film belongs to Nivetha Thomas as she holds the key to entire story. She is exceptional. Shalini Pandey doesn't have much of a role and she fits the bill. Nassar plays a vital role. Prabhas Seenu entertains a bit as the sidekick of hero. Hari Teja is good in an important role. 
Story - screenplay - direction: KV Guhan who is known for his brilliant cinematography has directed this film. Since he is doing film in some other language he has chosen a screenplay-based thriller-formatted film. The basic story of the film is about lucid dreams. The basic concept of Hollywood film inception is an altered form of lucid dreaming. He uses the inception concept for a vital episode of the film in which a wrist watch is used instead of totem (spinning top in inception). Guhan has written an interesting screenplay as he reveals part by part to the audiences at regular intervals. However, the flashback episode is on expected lines. I can draw a similarity between this film and thrillers with ghost as subject. Instead of ghost, the director has used lucid dreams. Guhan has chosen an decent story and narrated with interesting screenplay.
Other departments: Cinematography by KV Guhan is good. Nothing fancy. But, good enough for the theme of a thriller. Background music by Sekhar Chandra is interesting. Dialogues by Mirchi Kiran are apt for the subject. Editing by Tammiraju is fine. Fights are choreographed well. Production values by East Coast Productions are decent. 
Analysis: First half of the film is good. Second half has the central story and its slow. Flashback (central story) of the film is in expected lines. Kalyan Ram who is known for selection of good stories has made the right judgment call with this film by selecting a content based subject. Director Guhan has made 118 with an interesting screenplay. On a whole, 118 makes a decent watch if you excuse logics and a slow second half.