‘Couple Friendly’ movie review: Santosh Soban, Manasa Varanasi’s romance drama is mature and heartfelt

Until the early 90s, Chennai (then Madras) served as a common backdrop for Telugu films. However, the subsequent industry shift to Hyderabad gradually altered the geographical canvas of its stories. Despite Chennai remaining a preferred destination for the Telugu community in nearby regions of Andhra Pradesh for livelihood for years, modern-day filmmakers have seldom explored their enduring connection with the city through a contemporary lens. Ashwin Chandrasekar’s directorial debut, Couple Friendly, offers a refreshing callback to Chennai, following two 20-somethings who move from their hometowns to the metropolis to rebuild their lives on their own terms. Siva (Santosh Soban) is stifled by his conservative family in Nellore while struggling to make a career in interior design. His retired father exerts constant pressure on him to find his footing. For a momentary escape, Siva shifts to Chennai for an internship. Meanwhile, Chittoor-based Mithra (Manasa Varanasi) is still awaiting her job offer letter in Chennai and is close to returning home to marry a man of her father’s choice. In an unlikely turn of events, Siva and Mithra turn roommates when their lives have hit rock bottom. Weathering a breakup, Siva has barely paid his rent for months, staring into the abyss while he sleeps on terraces at night, navigating loneliness and rejection on a daily basis. An optimistic Mithra gives a new direction to his life, even as she tastes little luck with her own career. In the first hour, the film unfolds as a typical slice-of-life romance, barely prepping the audience for what comes next. The protagonists find solace in each other’s company as their professional and personal lives merge. The love story evolves through well-crafted situations. Siva and Mithra’s little nothings over calls, growing intimacy while residing in the same room, are innovatively visualised. The duo gradually navigates the highs and lows of a live-in relationship, changing priorities, which also result in a few ego clashes. While the lead couple is rebellious in their own right, doing away with societal norms, the film effectively contrasts their romance with another unconventional relationship — Prithi, a friend of Mithra who falls for a much older man. Throughout, Couple Friendly neatly integrates Tamil into the dialogue of the Telugu-speaking leads — a necessity for their survival in the city. The casting of Tamil actors Livingston and Yogi Babu further lends authenticity to the setting. The film’s chirpy, vibrant vibe extends into the early portions of the post-intermission stretch too, where the parental clashes take centre stage. All of this changes with a drastic revelation that prompts a sudden tonal shift in the storytelling, utilising a trope common in many epic romances (including the recent Hindi film Saiyaara). Though you remain unsure if a simple, intimate film of this nature can handle a heavy plot turn, the director puts such speculation to rest with the sh