Kadhalikka Neramillai (2025), A love story that never finds its rhythm

Kadhalikka Neramillai (2025), directed by Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi, stars Jayam Ravi and Nithya Menen in lead roles. The film presents an interesting premise of two individuals separated by cities, time, and circumstances, only to cross paths again after eight years—this time with a child in the picture. Unfortunately, the screenplay meanders without focus, making it difficult to connect with the protagonists. Mangoidiots gives it a Raw rating, primarily for Nithya Menen’s brilliant performance.

The story follows Shriya (Nithya Menen), who breaks off her engagement with Kiran after discovering his infidelity. Meanwhile, Sid (Jayam Ravi) is left heartbroken when his girlfriend suddenly ghosts him. Fate brings Shriya and Sid together accidentally, but they lose touch, only to meet again years later. The question is—will they finally find their way to each other?

Despite having a simple, emotional core, the film takes an unnecessarily convoluted route. Instead of organically developing the relationship between Shriya and Sid, the screenplay distracts itself with side characters, leaving the central romance unexplored. Their feelings for each other are never truly expressed; instead, we hear others stating that they are in love, which never translates into genuine chemistry on screen. This lack of emotional depth becomes the film’s biggest shortcoming.

What could have been a powerful love story—one that transcends time and distance—ends up feeling disjointed, as if watching fragments of multiple films rather than one cohesive narrative. The movie draws clear inspiration from The Switch (2010) but fails to match its charm. Had Kadhalikka Neramillai embraced a lighthearted romantic-comedy tone like The Switch, it might have worked better. The underutilization of Yogi Babu as a comedian is another missed opportunity. Meanwhile, Sid’s character is written so inconsistently that we are left confused about his true nature.

Despite its shortcomings, Nithya Menen shines in her role, delivering an earnest and heartfelt performance. However, her brilliance alone isn’t enough to salvage a film that never quite figures out what it wants to be. The real surprise comes from the young boy, Rohaan Singh, who plays Parthiv—his charming presence and fine acting leave the most lasting impression.

Kadhalikka Neramillai (2025) is available for streaming on Netflix India.