‘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 sheer tenderness of the storytelling.

While an element of predictability sets in during the final segments and the proceedings lean into melodrama, the minimalism in the execution and the striking visuals more than make up for it. The dialogues rarely go overboard or overstates the obvious. The equation between Siva and his brother, and his sister-in-law’s tryst with IVF, adds significant value to the narrative, subtly foreshadowing the events in the couple’s lives.

Considerable effort goes into establishing Chennai as an invisible witness to their journeys. Cinematographer Dinesh Purushothaman captures the city through rain-soaked muddy streets, busy roads, and popular landmarks without making them feel touristy, alongside panoramic views from the terraces, tracing the couple’s mundane realities.

Its free-spirited vibe is enhanced by Aditya Ravindran’s spectacular, breezy soundtrack. The album features several ballads, soothing melodies, complementing the story’s inward tone and its changing contours through an eclectic mix of voices — Pradeep Kumar, Kapil Kapilan, Sanjith Hegde, Shakthishree Gopalan and Santhosh Narayanan, among a few.

The seamless blend of music, montages and dialogues contributes to the rich sensory experience. Through Santosh Soban, you appreciate Siva’s gradual transformation from a boyish youth to a responsible man. The actor’s three-year-long wait for a worthy lead role finally pays off, and you notice how well he has come of age with the poise, the diction and his ability to hold dramatic scenes.

Manasa Varanasi is the yin to his yang, playing an ambitious modern girl with a quiet strength — showcasing both Mithra’s resilience and vulnerabilities with an adept mix of assurance and innocence. Both leads share a terrific on-screen camaraderie that brings a palpable believability to their companionship, a testament to the film’s mature relationship dynamics.

Goparaju Ramana and Rajeev Kanakala exhibit flair with the Nellore and Chittoor slangs, cast as caring yet stubborn fathers who take time to embrace change. Livingston and Yogi Babu pack a punch with their brief yet impactful cameos, while Sriranjani is highly effective as a mother caught between her husband and daughter’s banter.

Couple Friendly may not boast a novel plot, but its narrative rhythm is refreshingly mature and modern. It treats both its protagonists as equals and values the minutiae of their lives as well as the big dreams. The key to the film’s impact is in the timing of the central conflict and the dignity with which it handles it.

Ashwin Chandrasekar’s film proves it is possible to make an engaging mainstream romance saga that speaks to the masses without diluting the story.

Published – February 14, 2026 10:23 am IST