What’s “Romanchakam” about?
A youngster, Anvesh (Sumanth Prabhas), runs a startup and plans to launch a dating app named Romanchakam. During the testing phase, he gets connected with Chennai-based girl Mythili (Ananthika Sanilkumar). After chatting and developing a romantic bond over several days, an incident brings them closer.
Mythili eventually arrives in Hyderabad to meet Anvesh. Thrilled by her surprise visit, he takes her to a friend’s flat and asks her to freshen up while he steps out for an hour. But when he returns, Mythili is nowhere to be seen. All she has left behind is a small note.
After a series of fun incidents and tense moments, Anvesh finally manages to find her. Why did Mythili leave without telling him? And will the two eventually get back together?
Analysis
Romanchakam may sound like a word associated with romance, but it actually means goosebumps. The title has relevance to the story, but the plot itself is rather thin. A simple love story about a boy and girl who connect through a dating app, face misunderstandings and eventually find their way back to each other is not necessarily a problem. The real challenge lies in building an engaging narrative around it.
Writer, director and editor Venu Gopal Reddy attempts to overcome this limitation by relying heavily on humour, youthful situations and the chemistry between the characters.
The first half is fairly fun and engaging. The film opens with Anvesh’s gang and their banter, and some of the exchanges between the friends work really well. Chintu, in particular, gets some of the better lines and provides several laughs.
The romantic track is also handled neatly in the first half. Anvesh and Mythili getting connected through the dating app, his surprise attempt to meet her in Chennai, her unexpected arrival in Hyderabad and the subsequent romantic moments are presented with a youthful touch and supported by songs. The narrative then shifts gears towards the interval, ending on a suspenseful note. Overall, the first half manages to strike a decent balance between romance and humour.
The problem begins after the interval. With the story offering very little to take the narrative forward, the director resorts to a series of routine episodes. Most of these portions fail to generate the same interest as the first half. The film meanders through the middle portions and takes too long to get back on track.
Thankfully, the final 20 minutes bring some life back into the proceedings. What initially appears to be a confusion-driven drama eventually turns into another humorous episode, and the film becomes entertaining again. However, the second half remains uneven and drags in several places.
What works in the film are the occasional good laughs, the youthful romance and the songs. What doesn’t work is the thin storyline, uneven narration, routine post-interval portions and editing, which could have made the proceedings tighter.
Sumanth Prabhas looks comfortable in his role and fits well into the urban youngster character. Ananthika Sanilkumar has limited screen time, but her appealing screen presence works in her favour. The friends’ gang provides several entertaining moments. Upendra Limaye, however, doesn’t quite fit into the world of this story.
The technical department has done an adequate job, with the songs adding to the film’s youthful appeal.
Bottom Line:
Romanchakam works in parts, particularly for its youthful humour and romantic appeal, but its uneven second half keeps it from becoming a consistently engaging entertainer. It may find better acceptance among youngsters, especially for Gen G youth, who connect with its urban dating-app romance and casual humour.
Rating: 2.75/5
By TC Staff
| Movie Name | Romanchakam |
|---|---|
| Cast | Sumanth Prabhas, Ananthika Sanilkumar, Upendra Limaye, Venkatesh Kakumanu, Narendra Ravi, Mani Aegurla, Sai Sohan, others |
| Director | Venu Gopal Reddy |
| Producer | Pranay Reddy Vanga |
| Music Director | Vasuki Vaibhav |
| DOP | Pavan Pappula |
| Editor | Venu Gopal Reddy |
| Release Date | 2026-09-03 |
