Little Hearts 2024

In 2015 Hyderabad, Nalli Akhil Kumar is a cheerful, easygoing intermediate student whose days revolve around hanging out with friends, chowing down on Kachoris, and dodging studies. His strict father, Gopal Rao, is determined that he clear EAMCET and become an IT engineer. When Akhil fails the entrance exam, his girlfriend Sameera breaks up with him and his father enrolls him in a long-term coaching institute, kickstarting a fresh set of hopes and challenges.

At the coaching center, Akhil encounters Kaathyayani, a reserved NEET aspirant who is under pressure from her physician parents, Krishankanth and Sangeetha, to crack the exam. Akhil instantly falls for her and tries a variety of humorous stunts to win her attention, with the help of his friend Madhu. Kaathyayani initially rejects his advances, revealing that she is three years older and that she has been in long-term coaching for the fourth time. Yet Akhil’s feelings stay unwavering, and he gradually wins her over, leading to a budding romance.

As their relationship grows, the couple faces typical student-life hurdles: bunked classes, wary parents, the dynamics of a busy social circle, and the constant pull between academics and affection. With Kaathyayani’s encouragement, Akhil shifts his sights to a journalism degree and works to convince his father to support this unconventional path. But trouble surfaces when Kaathyayani’s parents learn of the romance. They impose strict limits on her freedom and sever direct communication between the two. Meanwhile, Akhil persuades Gopal Rao to accept his career choice, while Kaathyayani convinces her parents to let her pursue Biotechnology in Bangalore, promising that she will not contact Akhil.

The lovers embark on a long-distance phase, maintaining their bond through WhatsApp video calls and steady communication, all while continuing to support one another’s goals. Over time, both achieve success in their respective fields, and the realization of each other’s family wealth softens the parents’ objections, paving the way for an eventual union. The film concludes with the engagement ceremony of Akhil and Kaathyayani, a moment of joy tempered by the lively subplot of Akhil’s younger brother Nikhil flirting with Kaathyayani’s younger sister Neelambari.