Aap Jaisa Koi: Proprio come te

Vivek Soni's directorial debut delivers a competently crafted romantic drama that feels frustratingly familiar despite its earnest intentions. This Netflix original attempts to breathe fresh life into the middle-aged romance template, pairing the reliable charm of R. Madhavan with Fatima Sana Shaikh's spirited energy in a cross-cultural love story that tackles contemporary social issues with varying degrees of success. While the film succeeds in creating genuine moments of warmth and connection between its leads, it ultimately falls victim to the very conventions it seeks to challenge, resulting in a viewing experience that satisfies without truly surprising.

Soni demonstrates solid technical competence behind the camera, crafting a visually pleasant film that captures both the academic tranquility of Jamshedpur and the cosmopolitan vibrancy of Kolkata. The cinematography serves the story adequately without ever achieving the kind of visual poetry that might elevate the material above its generic roots. The production design effectively contrasts the traditional world of Sanskrit academia with the modern sensibilities of contemporary urban life, though these contrasts often feel more schematic than organic. The pacing remains steady throughout, though certain sequences drag when the script indulges in overly explanatory dialogue about societal expectations and gender roles.

Madhavan delivers exactly what audiences expect from him at this stage of his career: a measured, thoughtful performance that invests even mundane exchanges with genuine emotional weight. His portrayal of Shrirenu Tripathi, the reserved Sanskrit professor, captures both the character's inherent decency and his deep-seated insecurities about stepping outside societal norms. Shaikh brings considerable vivacity to Madhu Bose, though her character occasionally feels more like a symbol of liberation than a fully realized individual. The supporting cast, including Ayesha Raza and Manish Chaudhari, provides solid work within the confines of their somewhat predictable roles as family members representing various degrees of traditional resistance.

The film's greatest strength lies in its willingness to address serious topics about patriarchal expectations and the challenges facing middle-aged individuals seeking romantic fulfillment. However, these themes often receive treatment that feels more dutiful than inspired, with conversations that sound more like position statements than natural dialogue. The script, penned by Radhika Anand and Jehan Handa, demonstrates clear knowledge of contemporary social discourse but struggles to integrate these ideas seamlessly into the romantic framework. The result is a film that occasionally preaches when it should simply observe, undermining the very naturalism that makes the central relationship compelling.

Despite these structural weaknesses, the film generates genuine emotional resonance in its quieter moments. The developing relationship between Shrirenu and Madhu benefits from both performers' commitment to finding truth within familiar situations. Their chemistry feels authentic rather than manufactured, allowing viewers to invest in their journey even when the surrounding circumstances feel contrived. The cultural clash between traditional expectations and personal desire provides rich material, though the film's resolution leans toward the overly tidy.

A rom-com movie! Story revolves around a 42 yr old traditional man trying to find himself a girl for marriage n then calling off marriage with the so found girl knowing her to be on a dating site n what follows next is the movie. This is neither funny nor interesting. The first half will bore to the next level. In one instance, they show adultery in marriage is cool if one wants to seek love outside marriage. I personally don't buy it. Movie is less than 2 hours but I personally don't recommend it. Available in Netflix, my ratings 4/10!

A rom-com movie! Story revolves around a 42 yr old traditional man trying to find himself a girl for marriage n then calling off marriage with the so found girl knowing her to be on a dating site n what follows next is the movie. This is neither funny nor interesting. The first half will bore to the next level. In one instance, they show adultery in marriage is cool if one wants to seek love outside marriage. I personally don't buy it. Movie is less than 2 hours but I personally don't recommend it. Available in Netflix, my ratings 4/10!

I watched this movie primarily for R. Madhavan, and he truly delivered an excellent performance. His chemistry with Fatima Sana Shaikh was a definite highlight and widely appreciated.

The film began on a strong note, with each actor doing justice to their role. However, after Curt's arc, the narrative noticeably slowed and unfortunately took on a TV-serial-like tone. Combined with weak dialogues and an underwhelming background score, it became difficult to stay emotionally engaged.

The cinematography stood out, especially in its portrayal of Kolkata's old-world charm. The music compositions and background score were also well-received. However, the integration of side characters felt weak and unconvincing.

While individual performances were commendable, the family chemistry lacked depth toward the end. Although the core message - mutual respect in marriage and relationships - was meaningful, its execution could have been more impactful.

A beautiful woman, a french teacher, falls in love with the simplicity and authenticity of a simple shy nerdy guy, a sanskrit teacher nearly 10 years older to her. The story is about how their love gets tested over some hidden issues in Indian society - one of wielding power over women - not of the domestic violence ones, but the subtle and silent one - that outsiders wouldn't really be able to sense.

For instance, showing decisions taken by the women as permitted by the man. The movie touches upon touchy topics of loneliness of unmarried people, marriages that exist without love for decades, and most importantly genuine, authentic equality between a couple - both the man and the woman.

R Madhavan is as his usual best - playing the boy next door, albeit older as naturally as possible.

Ayesha Raza Mishra plays the role of the loving, but vulnerable, wife who's eyes yearn respect from her husband so well.

After Metro in Dino, and now AJK I am falling heel over head for Fatima Sana Shaikh - Amazing screen presence, nuanced acting - she has done a marvelous job. Couldn't take my eyes off her acting, her presence on the screen.

Positives:

1. R. Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh's chemistry was good and suited the story, which revolves around a 42-year-old unmarried man. The rest of the film builds on their chemistry.

2. I can say the dialogues were at least good, especially the Bengali accent-not like the recent horror films I've seen. They preserved the essence of the words and emotions in a simple way, which didn't sound bad at all.

3. The visuals and cinematography are the third-best aspect. They are beautifully captured. The camera angles and the old charm of Kolkata are used perfectly. It looks authentic and leaves a strong impact throughout the film.

4. Songs.

5. Background score (BGM).

Negatives:

1. Weak screenplay. Even though the duration was short, I stayed hooked only because of the three positives mentioned above.

2. Weak story. It tries to teach something but fails, as the narrative doesn't stick to its point and keeps losing direction.

3. Poor use of side characters. Their integration into the story felt weak and unconvincing.

4. Weak comedy-more of a hit-or-miss case. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't even try to land the joke.

5. Weak ending. The film started on a good note, but the ending felt messy and lacked emotional depth. It left no real impact.

I was so excited for this film, but it turned out to be just average.

Rating: 5/10.