The recently released film Epic – First Semester, starring Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya, directed by Aditya Haasan and produced by Naga Vamsi, has triggered sharply divided reactions among audiences.
While the makers have promoted the film as a youthful entertainer and suggested that it can be watched with one’s mother and sister, some viewers say certain portions made them uncomfortable.
One viewer shared a particularly strong reaction: “The film is being projected as a family watch, but it is not. My 19-year-old daughter and I walked out of the theatre at the interval because we did not feel comfortable watching further. I only want to know whether the makers of this film could watch it with their mothers and sisters. Why promote it as a family film and make us uncomfortable? That is my question.”
The criticism, however, is not simply about the film carrying an ‘A’ certificate.
Another audience member said, “I don’t have a problem with ‘A’-rated content. But these days, I feel an ‘A’ certificate is generally given for vulgarity or violence. This is something different. It deals with the comfort zone of the audience.”
The viewer even jokingly suggested a different classification for such content: “DY — Debauched Youth.”
Questions have also been raised about the film’s references to caste identities.
“Why mention regressive OC and BC caste topics? Are they relevant to the story, especially when the central relationship itself involves two people who become sexually intimate so casually from the beginning?” the viewer questioned.
Characterisation has emerged as another major point of discussion.
One reaction described the female protagonist as “questionable” and asked whether such a portrayal could connect with young male audiences. According to this viewer, this could be one reason why sections of the Gen Z audience reportedly rejected the film.
The makers’ reported appeal at a press meet, asking audiences not to blindly follow reviews and instead watch the film before deciding whether it is good or bad, has also attracted criticism.
“Why should an audience spend money merely to decide whether the content is good or bad?” one viewer asked, arguing that reviews naturally form part of how audiences evaluate any product before spending money on it.
The film’s treatment of its characters and certain intimate scenes has particularly unsettled some viewers.
One critic questioned the director’s handling of the protagonist’s unfamiliarity with basic college terminology, while another objected strongly to an intimate scene, saying, “What is this supposed to convey? Is the director suggesting that such useless and worthless youth go to the US or UK, becoming a shame to India and a burden on foreign lands?”
On the flip side, there are also viewers who have responded positively to the film’s mature themes and unconventional portrayal of relationships.
A netizen wrote, “It is bold and mature. A woman not feeling shy about talking about her periods or blood stains on bedsheets, and a man treating them as normal biological aspects with nothing to feel ashamed about, is a great thing. It could be the beginning of a new understanding of women by men.”
Another viewer shared a more personal response: “I loved the content. It moved me. I connected with my college days.”
A different reaction defended the heroine’s choices and the freedom given to her character.
“I love the way the heroine smokes, drinks wine and becomes physically involved with the guy she likes. That does not make her a bad woman. She is a woman by nature, and she has the freedom to do what she feels. I liked that stance taken by the director,” the viewer said.
Yet another viewer took an even more personal view of the protagonist’s relationship, saying, “I feel envious of the director if this is based on his life story in the UK. One needs to be lucky to have such a confident, dominating and sexually proactive girlfriend from day one.”
These contrasting reactions underline the sharp divide among viewers.
While some see the film’s frank portrayal of sexuality, relationships and women’s choices as progressive and liberating, others find the same treatment uncomfortable, excessive or unsuitable for family viewing.
Ultimately, Epic – First Semester appears to have succeeded in doing one thing beyond doubt: it has given audiences plenty to discuss.