Directed by: Vivek Soni
Language: Hindi
Cast: R. Madhavan, Fatima Sana Shaikh
Duration: 1 hour 55 minutes
Rating: 4.5/5
With the month of July blooming with romantic releases, Aap Jaisa Koi arrives as a heartfelt gem that stands out with its quiet charm. With R. Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh leading the cast, the film feels fresh and real, going deeper than the usual love story with its heartfelt emotions and layered characters.
The story centres on Shrirenu Tripathi, a Sanskrit professor from Jamshedpur in his 40s, who has never experienced love or intimacy. Everything changes when he crosses paths with Madhu Bose, a confident and modern 32-year-old woman from Kolkata, who embraces her independence and sexuality while finding charm in Shrirenu’s shy, introverted nature.
The movie follows a complex theme of two people who come from completely different worlds, trying to find a connection while living within a patriarchal family.
At its core, the film captures quiet rebellion within everyday life. Early on, a scene shows Shrirenu’s sister-in-law, simply asking for a different vegetable to cook. It’s a small moment, almost ordinary, but it gently sets the tone for the entire story.
From the entrance of bold and unapologetic Madhu Bose (played by Fatima Sana Shaikh) to a quiet, rain-soaked scene that lingers with emotional weight, the film consistently hits emotional high notes. It explores love not as a grand, idealized fantasy but as something awkward, hesitant, real and ultimately transformative. These moments, filled with vulnerability and slow-burning emotion, successfully drive home the core theme of the movie: ‘Sometimes, the only way out of a boring routine is to welcome something new’. The result is nothing short of ‘époustouflant.’
The contrast between the two leads is striking, yet beautifully balanced. She teaches French, a symbol of modernity, independence, and open expression, while he teaches Sanskrit, a language rooted in tradition, discipline, and silence. This contrast adds richness to their interactions and gives the narrative its unique flavour.
Shrirenu also carries with him a strange but poignant belief about his life being cursed, a result of something his schoolmate Rakhi said years ago. This idea of a “curse” becomes a metaphor for the internal fears, emotional barriers and insecurity that many people including him carries, holding them back making them believe they are undeserving of love.
Director Vivek Soni deserves genuine appreciation for the way he handles these layered themes with such subtlety and care. In a season where many romantic dramas tend to blend into one another, Aap Jaisa Koi stands apart. It’s delicate but impactful without being heavy, and emotionally honest without trying too hard.
R. Madhavan delivers one of his most heartfelt performances in recent times, capturing the quiet vulnerability of Shrirenu. His softness, his insecurity, even his awkward silences, make the character relatable and endearing. Fatima Sana Shaikh is electric as Madhu. She brings fire, depth, and wisdom to a role that could have easily been one-dimensional. Together, they create a chemistry that feels lived-in, imperfect, and real.
This film truly deserved a theatrical release. Its pacing, visuals, and tone would have translated beautifully on the big screen, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with big-banner romances. Sadly, its absence from cinemas remains the only real disappointment, because a story this visually and emotionally rich deserves that wider canvas.
The music, too, deserves a special mention. It arrives at just the right moments, never intrusive, always enhancing the mood. It swells in the background of key emotional scenes, wrapping the viewer in warmth, longing, or joy, depending on the moment.
Visually, the film has a distinct aesthetic. The vintage charm of the setting, woven with modern sensibilities, gives it a unique and memorable identity.
Aap Jaisa Koi is now available to stream on Netflix, and it’s a film that shouldn’t be missed. It’s not flashy, it’s not trying to be a larger-than-life love story, instead, it asks a simple question: What is love? And it answers it not with grand gestures, but with small, honest, human moments.
In the end, Aap Jaisa Koi gently reminds us that love doesn’t have to be loud to be meaningful and that not every woman is made to be a “rasoi ki rani”. Some are made to ask for change, to shake things up, and to love on their own terms.
