From coming to terms with the downside of live-in relationships to balancing professional rivalry and personal life with a spouse, recent romcoms in South Indian languages streaming on Netflix explore different perspectives on romantic relationships. We pick five romantic comedies in Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil that offer a glimpse into the complex world of falling in love.
Ante Sundaraniki (2022) - Telugu
Written and directed by Vivek Athreya, this Telugu romantic comedy explores the struggles of an interfaith couple. Starring Nani and Nazriya Nazim, the film chronicles the love story of Sundar (Nani) and Leela (Nazriya), who try to convince their parents about their marriage through a string of lies only to find themselves in more complicated situations. Sundar is from a traditional Brahmin family, while Leela is from a Catholic household. It is a quirky take on the comedy rooted in mindlessly following religious customs and family drama.
Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020) - Telugu
Before Allu Arjun rose to fame as a global star with Pushpa: The Rise, the Telugu romantic action comedy Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo in 2020 was his biggest box office success. Allu Arjun plays Bantu in this film written and directed by Trivikram Srinivas. The film chronicles his sorrow of growing up being constantly subjected to his father’s scorn. However, when Bantu learns of his true parentage, he decides to carve a place for himself within the family where he truly belongs. The film also features Pooja Hegde, Tabu, Jayaram, Sushanth and Nivetha Pethuraj. A Hindi remake of the film, titled Shehzada, starring Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon, has been announced.
Maniyarayile Ashokan (2020) - Malayalam
Shamzu Zayba’s 2020 Malayalam romantic comedy Maniyarayile Ashokan, starring Jacob Gregory and Anupama Parameswaran, follows the life of Ashokan, an eligible bachelor who is desperately seeking a bride. However, bad luck and a series of unfortunate circumstances threaten to make this a distant dream. This is a slice-of-life story with a good dose of humour. It touches upon mental health issues and controversial societal norms. There are cameos by Dulquer Salmaan, Nazriya Nazim and Anu Sithara.
Vaashi (2022) - Malayalam
Vishnu G. Raghav’s Malayalam romantic comedy Vaashi explores the dark side of romance through the lens of a courtroom drama. Starring Tovino Thomas and Keerthy Suresh, the film sheds light on the budding romance of Ebin and Madhu, two ambitious lawyers from different faiths who get married. They are faced with a dilemma when they find themselves defending opposing sides in an important case that deeply affects their beliefs. The case takes its toll on their relationship and values.
O Kadhal Kanmani (2015) - Tamil
Mani Ratnam’s 2015 Tamil romantic comedy O Kadhal Kanmani explores the millennial perspective on romantic relationships and their fear of the institution of marriage. Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menen play a young couple in a live-in relationship that is based on the mutual understanding that they would eventually go their own ways to pursue their ambitions. However, after they witness the bond between their landlord and his ailing wife, they start questioning their own understanding of love. A.R. Rahman’s magical soundtrack and background score add more charm to Ratnam’s masterful storytelling.
