Latest news with #MeenakshiSundareshwar
Mint
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Best Netflix movies for romantic fools: If you enjoyed Aap Jaisa Koi, you'll love these rom-coms
On July 11, Aap Jaisa Koi premiered on Netflix India and instantly captured viewers' attention. If you love moody, mature love stories and consider yourself a 'romantic fool', here are some Netflix movies that you're likely to enjoy. A quiet and soulful tale, 8 Vasantalu (Eight springs) follows a woman's journey through the changing seasons of life and love. Rooted in emotions and cultural depth, it's a beautiful exploration of healing, relationships and rediscovery. If you enjoy subtle storytelling with heartfelt performances and gentle romance, this Telugu gem is a must-watch. Past Lives is a quietly-powerful film. It doesn't follow the typical love triangle or melodrama. It's more about what's left unsaid, what could have been and how life takes us down different paths. The Korean film is gentle and slow-paced, but it lingers long after it ends. The performances are subtle yet moving, especially in the final scene. It captures the pain of letting go with maturity and grace. Vivek Soni, the director of Aap Jaisa Koi, made Meenakshi Sundareshwar with Sanya Malhotra and Abhimanyu Dassani. The newlyweds are forced to live apart due to their jobs. Justin Prabhakaran, a veteran in Tamil movies, composed the music for this film, marking his Bollywood debut. On Netflix, the film received 2.8 million views in the first week. Within two weeks, It became one of the the top non-English watches around the world. A modern retelling of the timeless love saga, Laila Majnu captures the madness, passion and tragedy of soulmates torn by fate. Set in a wintry, poetic landscape of Kashmir, this film dives deep into the heartbreak of true love. Avinash Tiwary and Triptii Dimri starred in this tragic love story, directed by Sajid Ali. Comedian Ravi Gupta, a self-confessed obsessed fan of the film, has said that there is no point of return once someone watches the movie. A classic ensemble romantic musical set in the hustle of Mumbai, Life in a Metro weaves multiple love stories, just like its 2025 spiritual sequel, Metro In Dino. Anurag Basu won multiple awards for Best Screenplay. Irrfan Khan and Konkona Sen Sharma were awarded Best Supporting Actor and Actress, respectively. Kangana Ranaut won at the Stardust Awards, and Shilpa Shetty won at the Zee Cine Awards. Set against the lush greenery of Kerala, Aay is a breezy rom-com that follows a sweet connection between two opposites who meet by chance. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Karthik returns to his village and falls in love with Pallavi. But, caste differences force her into an arranged marriage. With feel-good moments and playful chemistry, this film is a cosy, delightful treat for anyone who believes in love with a local flavour.
News18
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Aap Jaisa Koi Review: R Madhavan And Fatima Sana Shaikh Are Remarkable In This Feminist Love Story
Even through its vintage spark, Aap Jaisa Koi remains a new-age film with a liberal mind and uninhibited voice. R Madhavan shares a sublime chemistry with Fatima Sana Shaikh. Aap Jaisa Koi Movie Review: What a great time for urban rom-com fans! There's Metro In Dino running in cinemas. You could do a movie triathlon with Aap Jaisa Koi and Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan this week. And a few days later, Param Sundari will hit the screens. What a breath of fresh air! But the one film that stands out from this lot is Aap Jaisa Koi. Why you ask? It's themed on the complex and cinematically lesser explored institution of arranged marriages, albeit through a pastel-tinted pair of lenses. And much like Nazia Hassan's iconic Aap Jaisa Koi picturised on the timeless Zeenat Aman, this eponymous film too celebrates the essence of womanhood, her choices and sensuality and beautifully expresses her desires and infatuations. Director Vivek Soni goes back to his comfort zone – arranged/assisted marriages – a theme he sublimely portrayed in his debut film, Meenakshi Sundareshwar. But unlike the Sanya Malhotra and Abhimanyu Dassani starrer that delved deep into the upheavals of a long-distance marriage, this one circumnavigates around the events and the pangs leading up to a marriage. The action too shifts from Madurai to Kolkata-Jamshedpur. But enough of the comparisons! Aap Jaisa Koi is its own film and revolves around Shrirenu Tripathy and Madhu Bose. Shrirenu, fondly referred to as Shri, is a Sanskrit teacher at a local school in Jamshedpur. He's a 42-year-old virgin (yes, it's important that we mention this), who believes that he's bearing the brunt of a curse inflicted on him by his schoolmate Rakhi when he proposed to her. Back in the day, she cursed him that he would never get married and/or have sex. But his sister-in-law Kusum is hell-bent on finding the right match for him and reprimands him for stating his true age in his biodata as that may repel women. This is when Joy, their neighbour, brings them a prospective match in the form of Madhu from Kolkata. Madhu, 32, is Joy's niece and is a French teacher at a language institute. The shy and introverted Shri drives down to Kolkata to meet her. Madhu, unlike most women he has met, doesn't judge him for his looks or age and they realise that they do have a lot in common. Within a few weeks, their marriage gets fixed but a strange event on the day of their engagement breaks all hell loose and it has got to do with a sex-chat app called Aap Jaisa Koi. Through what happens next, Vivek manages to shed the spotlight on the messiness of man-woman relationships, women's desires, misogyny, masculine hypocrisy, morality, feminism, extramarital affairs, gender roles and most importantly, love against a backdrop of pastel-hued Kolkata, piano symphonies, sitar melodies and a whole lot of pauses and silences pregnant with emotions left unsaid. At 1 hour 55 minutes, Aap Jaisa Koi progresses at a meandering, languorous pace. It almost feels like poetry in motion. Certain vignettes are so breath-taking (or should we say 'époustouflant'?) and tender that you may feel like they've been robbed straight off a fancy art gallery. There's a vintage like charm looming large over the narrative. The duo bonds over Kishore Kumar, Ashok Kumar and Madhubala and talk about Jean-Paul Sartre and Kalidas and make the iconic Coffee House their date spot. The transition in the use of colours from muted earthy tones when capturing Shri's life to pastel shades once Madhu comes into the picture speaks volumes. Aap Jaisa Koi doesn't make lofty promises. Neither does it attempt to be something it's not. It's simple, minimal and subtle. And kudos to Vivek for looking at the narrative through a feminine lens, which is something that Meenakshi Sundareshwar can also boast about! The tone and tenor of the story is feministic without making it too didactic. Neither are there no preachy monologues nor high-concept formulas here. Vivek chooses to show more and tell less. He largely also manages to let go of Bengali stereotypes while portraying Madhu's art and culture-oriented family. Justin Prabhakaran and Rochak Kohli also deserve credit for their melodic compositions that string together some tender moments filled with hope and sometimes, even heartbreak. Jab Tu Sajan and Mila Tujhe particularly stand out as they capture the innocent sweetness of a blossoming romance. The screenplay is further elevated by some strong performances. R Madhavan as Shri reins it in and downplays his emotions, often reminding you of his Manu from Tanu Weds Manu. He lets his eyes do a lot of talking and he shares a magnificent chemistry with Fatima Sana Shaikh. As Madhu, Fatima – draped in some stunning organza sarees – is independent and silently feisty and she walks this interesting paradox with maturity. Ayesha Raza and Manish Chaudhary too deserve a special mention. They make for an interesting and relevant sub-plot with Ayesha essaying the role of Kusum, a woman struggling to find her own identity after 28 years of marriage. Her performance will tug at your heartstrings. It's Namit Das, however, who suffers due to an under-cooked character. If anything, it gets reduced to the trope of a Hindi film hero's funny and immature best friend. If Sanya as Meenakshi was as delicate as a fresh jasmine, Fatima as Madhu is a pressing jasmine, an epitome of resilience in a world that doesn't think twice before tossing you into scrap if you don't fit into their idea of a flower. And if you're a lover of old school love and Kolkata, Aap Jaisa Koi is for you. It's a sweet little gem that will stay back with you. It's also not every day that you get to watch a film with age-appropriate casting. And even through its vintage spark, Aap Jaisa Koi remains a new-age film with a liberal mind and uninhibited voice. Sometimes, less is more and this fairly charming love story is a reminder of the same. First Published: July 11, 2025, 12:33 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Scroll.in
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
‘Aap Jaisa Koi' review: An enervating opposites-attract romance
Vivek Soni's Aap Jaisa Koi stars two camera-friendly actors trying to pass themselves off as laggards in love. R Madhavan is Shrirenu, a 42-year-old virgin who has never managed to find a partner. Fatima Sana Shaikh is Madhu, a 32-year-old non-virgin who has loved and lost. Neither actor looks like the sort of person who has trouble getting it on, but a movie has to be made on the opposites-attract principle, so here we are. Shrirenu and Madhu establish a rapport despite being surrounded by the binaries that flourish in romantic dramas, if only to create false tension. He is from Jamshedpur, she is from Kolkata. He teaches Sanskrit, she, French. He is strait-laced, she's free-spirited. It is pointed out that 'if you only read Sartre and not Kalidas you are missing something'. Their mutual passion is doused by a discovery that reveals Shrirenu's limitations. Nobody can blame Madhu for wanting to walk away from the bookish and deadly dull Shrirenu. To give Shrirenu his due, Madhu isn't terribly interesting either. Writers Radhika Anand and Jehan Handa persevere, coming up with ways to flog the supposed differences not just between Shrirenu and Madhu but also their families. But Aap Jaisa Koi, like Vivek Soni's previous film Meenakshi Sundareshwar (2021), struggles to justify itself. Shrirenu's sister-in-law, the put-upon Kusum (Ayesha Raza), has the only promising track in a film that barely gets going. The Netflix release has a few soothing tunes by composer Justin Prabhakaran and magic realist scenes that enliven the pervasive dullness. There is some initially sharp character shading of Shrirenu, who's clueless about how clueless he is. He wishes that his pet mouse will find a partner soon, unable to see that the poor rodent is in a cage. The feeling of being trapped in socially sanctioned roles, the oppressiveness of family ties, the conservatism that influences Shrirenu's thinking – none of these quite come through. Perfectly made-up characters in heavily art directed surroundings enact a pantomime of self-realisation, emancipation and redemption. One of the most inspired moments comes in the end credits, which are based on Kalighat paintings. Play
Indian Express
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Vivek Soni on Aap Jaisa Koi: ‘Any story told through the personal lens will touch people's heart'
Exuding old-school charm, the upcoming 'Aap Jaisa Koi' is a modern love story in which 'a buttoned-up older man falls for a feisty young woman'. Directed by Vivek Soni, it follows the story of Shrirenu (R Madhavan), a reserved Sanskrit teacher, and Madhu (Fatima Sana Shaikh), a spirited French instructor as they navigate layered family ties. The film produced by Dharmatic Entertainment will premiere on Netflix on July 11. Soni, who has earlier helmed 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar' (2021), featuring Sanya Malhotra and Abhimanyu Dassani, and is set to direct Ananya Panday's 'Chand Mera Dil', talks about directing R Madhavan and his creative process. Excerpts: Tell us about your journey from making social drama 'Bawdi' (2012) to directing a rom-com feature. I made 'Bawdi', a short film, as part of my film direction course from Whistling Woods International. I co-wrote 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar' with my friend Aarsh Vora. We developed it with Dharma and later Netflix came on board. In the case of 'Aap Jaisa Koi', Netflix approached Dharma with the story that's written by Radhika Anand and Jehan Handa. When they shared it with me, it was a 10-page-long story; I loved it. Both my feature films are love stories at heart and speak about different aspects of life. R Madhavan returns as a romantic hero after a gap. How did he come on board? After we finished writing the screenplay, we approached him and he liked the story. He is an actor who balances warmth and nuance in his performance. He also fits into the age bracket of the character — above 40. Have you done the de-aging for him? No. He just shaved his beard. Did you do any workshops for Madhavan and Fatima? We did readings together. I follow the process of meeting the actors individually first, going through the script, scenes and character graph. I did that separately with Maddy Sir and Fatima. Then we sat together and went over the script and details. It might come across as a cliché but the entire 36-day shoot with them was memorable. Your films 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar' and 'Love Storiyaan's Love on Air' (2024) episode, as well as 'Aap Jaisa Koi' are set in different parts of the country. The location is one of the most crucial aspects of the story. Before starting any project, I take into account the kind of landscape I am getting to explore through the story. This determines the costumes, sounds and visuals. With 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar', I explored Tamil Nadu. When I did 'Love Storiyaan', I got a chance to shoot in Meghalaya. For 'Aap Jaisa Koi', I wanted to explore Kolkata. Do you think romance as a genre lacks freshness today? There are good romantic stories told in Malayalam and Tamil cinema. When people go to a theatre, they want a spectacle. It is also about what's being consumed. However, I believe any story that's told through a personal lens is going to touch people's hearts. What are the things on top of your mind while you are writing or developing a project? One thumb rule is to give it a personal touch. For example, if it's the scene of a man proposing to a woman, the act should not come across as generic. Their individuality should reflect in that scene. From growing up in Rajasthan to making films in Mumbai, how did you make that journey? I'm from Rajasthan's Bhilwara. After I finished my schooling there, I lived in Kota to prepare for engineering. From 2004 to 2008, I studied at Hyderabad's ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education. After that I moved to Mumbai and worked in advertising. Later, I joined Whistling Woods International to study direction for two years. Are you inspired by any particular filmmakers? Since my childhood I have been a movie-buff. While preparing for this film, I revisited the works of filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray, Rituparno Ghosh, Aki Kaurismäki, Wes Anderson, Billy Wilder, Wong Kar-wai and Paul Thomas Anderson. It was an intuitive decision.
New Indian Express
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
R Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh's Aap Jaisa Koi release date out
R. Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh's romantic-drama Aap Jaisa Koi now has a release date. The film will start streaming on Netflix from July 11. The film has been directed by Vivek Soni who also helmed the romantic-comedy Meenakshi Sundareshwar (2021) for Netflix. It has been backed by Dharma Productions.
