Meg

U Turn got the "strong female lead" right Let me preface this review by saying that this was a brilliant movie - plot, pace, direction, and everything else. Every character in the movie is unique and noteworthy, but Samantha's character, Rachana, felt real to me in a way that most others these days do not. She isn't like the other "strong female characters" that have unfortunately taken over movies everywhere; she does not beat up 20 guys, or "fight" for womens' rights only to hand over control to the hero at the end, nor does she hate all men just because. She is also not a typical Telugu movie heroine; she is not cold at the beginning only to turn all lovey-dovey midway through the movie, she does not wait for other people to save her, and her world does not revolve around the hero. She cries when she is sad or scared, she laughs when she is happy, and she does what she has to to survive. In other words, she is (gasp) human (Whaaat?!). If you replaced Rachana with a male character, the movie would still be exactly the same. Yes! This is what I want to see! People acting like people, regardless of gender. Enough with the unnaturally poetic dialogues, the bragging and crowing about yourself, and the walking away in slow motion as some fierce music plays in the background. Enough with the useless-to-the-plot, airheaded damsels in distress. I want more characters like Rachana (and all the other characters in U Turn): real people with real emotions, that are not fiction tropes or attempts at fantasy wish fulfillment. So, good job, U Turn! This is how you make a movie. Kudos!