June movie review: stepping into a girl's shoes

"Your first love isn't the first person you give your heart to - it's the first one who breaks it," wrote Lang Leav in her book Sad Girls and it pretty much sums up June. And breaking heart doesn't mean the end of it rather it's the beginning of a much more matured love story.

“I know you are like your mother and you have seen how she treated me. So just love your partner like your mom has loved me,” says Panama Joy (Joju) to June (Rajisha Vijayan) on her big day and we can't help but tilt our heads and nod 'how sweet'.

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First love is usually unforgettable and so is for June. The world of June sprints with the right amount of sweet and unadulterated school romance. Because her parents are least bothered to send her to learn any extra curricular activities, she considers herself as 'worthless' and probably that's why she had a crush on a guy who was equally 'worthless' like her and could barely speak his name during his introduction in the class.

The anxiety, the happiness, the friendship and the first crushes are all well portrayed through the eyes of June. Although the film is presented from a female perspective, the plot evolves through different characters like the class teacher, Mottachi, Noel, Fida, Asura, the Harry Potter looking guy and so on. After her schooling and college, June decides to move to Mumbai and there she meets her first love but life is not as easy as June assumes. She may not have big dreams in life but that does not mean that she can't dream at all. She is independent and chooses an option to have a life she wants.

The innocence which Rajisha presents is cute and delightful. Rajisha deserves special mention as she makes a smooth transformation. Equally good are Joju and Ashwathy, who play understanding yet strict parents of June. Special mention for Arjun Ashokan and debutant Sarjano Khalid. Just like the characters mature over years, so does the performance of both Sarjano and Arjun and they are charming in their own way. The casting deserves a special mention as all characters have ample space and are well etched too.

The movie opened with December, 2016, and shifted back to June, 2006, and then again to present with the narrative but never did it hinder the flow or the feel. Writers Ahammed Kabeer, Jeevan Baby Mathew and Libin Varghese justified the script stepping into the shoes of a girl with neat and sweet moments. But it's the making style of director Ahammed Kabeer that has outshined the simple-predictable storyline. Music was a treat and so were the visuals. With seven songs, composer Ifti and Kabeer have managed the viewers to sit through a few dragging sequences. The art department has added beauty to the overall frames and set the mood for a teenage romance. June hands over an art-piece made by herself to her most loved person and leaves and we realise she is ready to move on.

The touching film is a testament to both girl power and true love that will give you all the feels. Featuring everything we love about school days – the little fights, the makeover scenes, confessions, scoldings, and happy endings - this movie will make you both laugh and cry.

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