'Modern Love Hyderabad' review: It provides a full spectrum of feel-good emotions

The Modern love bandwagon makes its next halt in the city of Hyderabad, after Mumbai. The six-part anthology does not delve into very complex themes, like the Mumbai version, but subtly hits all the right chords, thanks to its talented ensemble.

EPISODE 1-My unlikely pandemic dream partner
The opening episode is a sweet whiff of old Hyderabad. Noori (Nithya Menon) is recuperating from a knee surgery and has an unwelcome guest, her mother, Mehrunissa (Revathi). Six years ago, Noori left her parent’s house to marry a man her mother did not approve of. Now, the duo is forced to share a house with the world going into a lockdown. Personally, this was the only episode that did complete justice to the Hyderabadi culture - be it the Urdu/Telugu lingo they adopted, the quintessential Hyderabadi delicacies featured or an array of atmospheric shots to bring the city to life. Both Revathi and Nithya Menon have delivered powerful yet poignant performances. Their journey to reconciliation over Mehrunissa’s culinary prowess is a must watch.

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EPISODE 2-Fuzzy, Purple and Full of Thorns
In ‘Fuzzy, Purple and Full of Thorns,’ Renu (Ritu Verma) finds herself obsessing over a pair of stilettos that belong to her partner Uday’s (Aadi) ex. She is dealing with a double-edged conundrum wherein her partner is repulsive to the notion of marriage and has an ex’s stilettos sitting in his cupboard, that pique her insecurities regarding the relationship itself. The theme in hand is serious, but conveyed through humour, Is that enough? I doubt it. Does it merely scratch the surface of a much bigger modern-day problem? I suppose.

EPISODE 3-Why did she leave me there…?
If you love somebody, you set them free. This episode rides on this ideology. In ‘Why did she leave me there,’ we are introduced to Rohan (Naresh Agastya), a successful entrepreneur, battling with the wounds of his childhood. The episode goes back and forth in time showing Rohan’s younger days with his Ammama (grandmother) and Akka (elder sister). The story has a predictable trajectory, yet is a classic tear-jerker. Suhasini as Ammama and Advitej Reddy Chaklet who plays Ramulu (younger Rohan) complement each other’s performances in this episode. To foster such heavy emotions on screen is not easy, that too in front of a stalwart like Suhasini, but Advitej does it flawlessly.

EPISODE 4-What Clown Wrote This Script
To be fair, this is my least favourite episode. I like how the city’s love for cinema anchors the story, but the execution of it is all over the place. It features Vandana (Malvika Nair) as a stand-up comic and Ashwin (Abhijeet Duddala) as a producer who wants to pursue OTT. The one big let-down of this story is its messy portrayal of a situation where two young and driven individuals take their professional relationship to a personal zone. It has some comic moments which sadly do not add much to the story.

EPISODE 5-About that rustle in the bushes
In the penultimate episode ‘About that rustle in the bushes,’ we are pushed into questioning whether there exists something like well-intentioned stalking. In the father-daughter tale, the daughter Sneha (Ulka Gupta) is trying to explore the world of modern-day dating after a failed marriage, while the father attempts to look out for his daughter in his own earnest, albeit problematic ways. The execution is simple with carefully sandpapered edges, making it an easy-breezy watch.

EPISODE 6-Finding your Penguin
The quirkiest of the lot, yet insightful, this episode of modern love Hyderabad has my heart. The quest to find one’s soulmate can be interesting but not as interesting as the protagonist, Indu’s (Komalee Prasad). If I give out the plot details, I might give away the whole story, for the end revelation is a must-watch. Overall funny, the story is a treat to watch.

To round it up, 'Modern love Hyderabad' is like a warm, comforting cup of hot chocolate on a metaphorically wintery night. It has some clichés, but nonetheless a good watch.