Review: Bookie – Underwhelming Romantic Drama

Movie Name : Bookie
Release Date : Feb 20, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2/5
Starring : Ajay Dhishan, RK Dhanusha, Pandiarajan, Sunil, Lakshmi Manchu and others
Director : Ganesh Chandra
Producers : Vijay Antony,Meera Vijay Antony
Music Director : Vijay Antony
Cinematographer : Ganesh Chandra
Editor :  Vijay Antony
Related Links : Trailer
The Tamil romantic drama Pookie, released in theatres as a Valentine’s Day special, has now arrived in Telugu under the title Bookie. It hit Telugu screens today, and here’s how the movie fares.
Story:
Kailash (Ajay Dhishan) and Asha (R.K. Dhanusha) have been in a relationship for six years. During one of their usual heated arguments, a road rage incident leads to an unexpected breakup. They part ways and try different methods to cope with their heartbreak. What happens next, and whether they reconcile, forms the rest of the story.
Plus Points:
R.K. Dhanusha looks charming on screen and delivers an expressive performance. It is hard to believe this is her debut Tamil project, as she handles emotional moments with confidence and ease. She stands out as one of the main reasons to watch the film.
Ajay Dhishan, nephew of actor-composer Vijay Antony, delivers a fine performance. He performs well in several scenes, and his screen presence is adequate for the role. The chemistry between the lead pair works in parts, especially in a few romantic sequences.
Surprisingly, a couple of songs work well. Vijay Antony’s music provides some relief and makes a few scenes more watchable in an otherwise uneven narrative. The background score also supports certain emotional portions. The rest of the actors appear in limited roles and do what is required within their scope.
Minus Points:
The film lacks novelty. While the narrative moves at a steady pace, the emotional depth and actual story progression feel limited, particularly in the first half. The post-breakup sequences come across as repetitive and may test the audience’s patience, as they offer little development.
The second half is comparatively better and moves in a more meaningful direction. However, it still does not deliver any standout or emotionally powerful moments that leave a lasting impact.
Though the story attempts to reflect Gen-Z relationship dynamics, it fails to create a strong emotional connection with the audience. Despite the lead pair’s sincere performances, the screenplay and narrative flow weaken the overall effect.
Manchu Lakshmi, Sunil, and others have minimal scope, and their characters do not significantly contribute to the progression of the story.
Technical Aspects:
The production values are passable. Ganesh Chandra, who handled both cinematography and direction, delivers good visuals. His work behind the camera is commendable, but as a director, he falls short in creating emotional depth and narrative engagement. Vijay Antony’s music works in parts and helps elevate a few scenes. However, his editing could have been sharper, especially in the first half, which feels lengthy and uneven.
Verdict:
On the whole, Bookie is a routine and underwhelming romantic drama. Though R.K. Dhanusha and Ajay Dhishan deliver sincere performances and a couple of songs offer brief relief, the film is weighed down by a weak screenplay, lack of emotional depth, and uneven execution, especially in the first half. Despite attempting to portray modern relationship dynamics, the narrative fails to create any meaningful emotional connection. With no real standout moments and inconsistent storytelling throughout, Bookie (Pookie) ultimately turns out to be a forgettable outing that doesn’t even work for modern youth.
123telugu.com Rating: 2/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team The post Review: Bookie – Underwhelming Romantic Drama first appeared on Latest Telugu cinema news | Movie reviews | OTT Updates, OTT.