Premalu movie review: Naslen, Mamitha Baiju are cute as a button in this charming love story full of delightful moments

‘You could have said that other line too, for a little extra punch? That I would get a better girl than you,’ a ‘heartbroken’ Sachin (Naslen) tells Reenu (Mamitha Baiju) when she rejects his romantic proposal, to earn some sympathy and work his way up through that.

Not skipping a beat, Reenu confidently responds, ‘I highly doubt that. Cos I regard myself quite highly,’ indicating a positive shift in the perception of romance and the representation of women, both on and off-screen.

Girish AD’s third directorial venture Premalu, starring Naslen and Mamitha Baiju in the lead roles, is a romantic comedy set, not in Bengaluru (being very specific here since it is indeed a relief, considering the abundance of Malayalam movies set there) but, in Hyderabad.

The film follows Sachin, an average youngster who has just come to terms with the realities of adulthood and is striving to relocate to the UK to rebuild his life after major academic setbacks, and Reenu, a newcomer in the tech industry who has recently arrived in Hyderabad for her first job at a big firm.

After Sachin’s visa application is rejected, he and his friend Amal (Sangeeth Prathap) head to Hyderabad for GATE coaching while awaiting another opportunity to move to the UK. Just like many romantic films, Sachin and Reenu meet for the first time at a wedding and he immediately develops feelings for her.

However, Reenu’s firm ideals about life and her desired partner make Sachin’s journey to win her heart tough. Complicating matters further is the presence of Reenu’s work ‘bestie’ Aadhi (Shyam Mohan), who harbours a secret affection for her. Whether they will ultimately end up together forms the crux of Premalu.

In contrast to Karthik (Madhavan), who delivers the line ‘I am not in love with you. I don’t want you to be with me; nor do I find you attractive. But I am scared that these might come true,’ to impress Shakthi (Shalini) in Alai Payuthey (2000), Sachin refrains from such attempts. Probably because he wishes to avoid making a fool of himself or simply because he is not afraid these notions might materialise, as they already have.

Unlike many films that slip in heartening romantic moments every now and then to touch viewers, Premalu opts for a different approach and it progresses as the central characters’ lives and relationships do, through very natural and organic moments that are very much relatable.