Keratam

Keratam is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language coming-of-age drama film directed by Gautham Patnaik and produced by S. V. Babu. The film was simultaneously made in Tamil as Yuvan by director R. N. Saran. The film stars Siddharth Rajkumar, Aishwarya Devan and Rakul Preet Singh in the lead roles. A remake of the Kannada film Josh (2009), the films featured music composed by Joshua Sridhar and were released in August 2011. The bilingual version had Rakul making her Tamil & Telugu language debuts respectively.

Plot
Siddhartha "Siddu" / Bala is the son of an honest government employee, who has seven friends and lives a happy life. Siddhu / Bala and his friends complete their PUC and join the college. As they grew up, Siddhu develops feelings towards Geetha / Meena. Siddhu / Bala clashes with a senior student called "Robo" due to Robo teasing and harassing Geetha / Meena. During a fight with Robo, Geetha / Meena and Siddhu / Bala's parents learn about their feelings.

The friends warn Siddhu / Bala to forget his love and concentrate on career, but Siddhu /Bala ignores it. They desert him and Geetha / Meena also listens to her parents and decides to concentrate on studies and becomes a doctor. At this juncture, Siddhu's father retires and agrees to shed the money as bribe to get a government job to Siddhu / Bala. However, Siddhu / Bala fails to turn up to the interview and loses the job. Siddhu / Bala harshly behaves with his father, which leads Siddu / Bala to be thrown out of the house.

Siddhu / Bala falls in love with Sangeetha / Meera and proposes to her, but Sangeetha / Meera rejects him, and Siddhu / Bala realizes his mistake for abandoning his career as his love is infatuation. Siddu / Bala learns that his friends have become best achievers and are invited to their college function. Siddhu / Bala arrives at the stage and tells the speech about not to become like him and also promises his parents that he will take care of them. The friends reconcile with Siddhu / Bala and encourage him to achieve something in life.

Production
A remake of the Kannada film Josh (2009), the bilingual Telugu and Tamil project was launched by Kannada producer S. V. Babu. It marked the acting debut of Siddharth Rajkumar, a nephew of actor Krishnam Raju and a cousin of Prabhas. The film also marked the debut of actresses Rakul Preet Singh and Aishwarya Devan in the Tamil and Telugu film industries, and it became the first project the actresses had signed in either language.

The Telugu version of the film was directed by Gautham Patnaik, the brother of renowned music composer R. P. Patnaik. The Telugu version has been shot in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Goa. Production for the Telugu film was completed by June 2011.

The director of the original Kannada film, Shivamani, was approached to make the Tamil version but his refusal meant that newcomer R. N. Saran worked on the project. A song for the Tamil version of the film was shot in August 2011 in a secluded area of Goa, where the team of Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981) had earlier shot.

Soundtrack
Songs composed by Joshua Sridhar.
 * Keratam
 * "Sometimes Nelapaina" - Vijay Prakash, SuVi, Vijay Narayan, Rita
 * "Saadhyamena" - Karthik, Shweta Mohan
 * "Hey! Oka Merupai" - Benny Dayal
 * "Vayase Nidura" - Naresh Iyer, Padmapriya
 * "Nidure Chedire" - Karthik
 * "Fashion Show" - Vijay Narayan, Rita
 * "Nee Navvula" - Deepu, Gayathri

Lyrics by Viveka and Kabilan.
 * Yuvan
 * "Thear Ival Eval Kattumum" - Benny Dayal
 * "Vanmegam Enn Vazhili" - Karthik, Shweta Menon
 * "Nilave Naanum" - Naresh Iyer, Padmapriya
 * "Fashion Show" - Vijay Narayan, Rita
 * "Nizhalum Tholaivil" - Karthik
 * "Sollu Petchu Ketka" - Vijay Prakash, Rita, Vijay Narayan

Release
Regarding the Telugu version, a reviewer from The Hindu noting that "The film has been handled well but is very formulaic." Regarding the Tamil version, a critic from Dinamalar praised the film's intent while calling the film's comedy scenes a minus point.