The sparkle in the love story Meenakshi Sundareshwar loses its sheen despite a well-begun start

Nonika Singh

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It opens on a heart-warming note, introducing us north Indians to Meenakshi temple in Madurai and how it’s the very abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati’s wedding, who are also known as Meenakshi and Sundareshwar. And when the lead pair too has the same name you know their union is but imminent.

So, never mind the mix up in an arranged marriage set-up where the prospective groom’s family lands up at the wrong (right!) house, they are ordained to marry. And live happily ever after? Well, the love story has to have a villain and in this case it is called long-distance relationship. Spouses staying in different cities to meet career goals is not an unheard of reality in today’s world. But the film is far from a reality check. Certainly, the film starts on a sparkling note, has an old world charm, which warms the cockles of your heart. We love Sanya Malhotra, her ebullient spirit and her lovely Kanjeevaram sarees in particular. Not to miss her fan-girl moments, as she is a die-hard Rajinikanth fan. Actually Sanya, who is getting better with each film, is a treat to watch from beginning till the finish.

And boy does she get her Thalaivar act on point! Abhimanyu as Sundreshwar too gets his act right. Now diffident now aspirational, he is that earnest man, an engineer by profession who

does not want to join his family business of sarees. With a domineering father threatening him with, “I will make you match sarees with falls,” finding a job is paramount to him. As long as the couple is together, be it when they meet for the first time or post marriage, the glow in their relationship and in the film remains intact. Once Sundareshwar moves to Bengaluru for a job in a company, whose owner strangely wants his employees to be single, much of the sheen wanes, if not vanishes completely. The tricks the couple separated by distance devise to make the marriage work are neither amusing enough nor insightful. The playacts they indulge in, in their bid to keep the chemistry alive, is more of a charade.

Instead of proffering expert advice on how to keep long distance marriage going, the only wisdom we get is how communication is the key to relationships. The tips handed out are kind of passé.

Clearly, the film does not delve deeply into the complexities or complications that can arise when spouses have to stay in separate cities. The problem is not that the film is not serious enough.

A light-hearted look at a lovesick couple too can work wonders. For there is nothing like a well told love story just sailing on the strength of celebratory power of love.

Strangely, while the film gets its cultural flavour right, music by Justin Prabhakaran too has the necessary tang, the love and the conflict between the couple turn insipid. Even though there is an ex lurking by, things remain well within control. The juxtaposition between two disparate cities, Madurai and Bengaluru, could have been better explored too. Distance does not add to the lure or allure of the narrative.

Besides, but for the lead actors, other cameos come out flat. Mercifully, while Sundareshwar might keep saying, “movies put me to sleep” this one is not exactly a snooze fest.

But nor does it have enough potency to give you sleepless nights. This love-struck couple does not make us awestruck. Streaming on Netflix, passable fare, it defies the classic well begun… dictum.