Following Mumbai, Hyderabad becomes the next stop on the modern love bus. Thanks to its excellent ensemble, the six-part anthology gently hits all the appropriate notes while avoiding overly difficult topics like the Mumbai version did.
EPISODE 1- My unlikely pandemic dream partner
The first episode gives out a pleasant scent of old Hyderabad. While recovering from knee surgery, Noori (Nithya Menon) is visited by her mother Mehrunissa, who is not welcome (Revathi). Noori left her parent’s home six years ago to wed a man who her mother did not approve of. The two are now compelled to live together in a home as the entire globe goes into lockdown. For me, this was the only episode that did the Hyderabadi culture full credit, whether it was through the Urdu/Telugu dialect they adopted, the traditional Hyderabadi foods presented, or a variety of atmospheric shots to make the city come to life. Revathi and Nithya Menon both gave strong yet moving performances. It’s worth watching how Mehrunissa’s culinary skills led to their eventual reunion.
EPISODE 2- Fuzzy, Purple and Full of Thorns
‘Fuzzy, Purple, and Full of Thorns’ is a poem. An ex-girlfriend of Renu’s partner, Uday (Ritu Verma), owns a pair of stilettos that Renu (Ritu Verma) finds herself fixated on. She is caught in a catch-22 situation where her boyfriend despises the idea of marriage and keeps an ex’s stilettos in his closet, which exacerbates her relationship concerns. Although the topic at hand is serious, humour is used to convey it. Does that suffice? I have my doubts. Does it only hint at a much deeper issue facing society today? I guess.
EPISODE 3- Why did she leave me there…?
You untie someone if you love them. This ideology underpins this episode. We are introduced to Rohan (Naresh Agastya), a wealthy businessman who is facing the scars from his early years, in ‘Why did she leave me there.’ The episode flashes back to Rohan’s early years with his Ammama (grandmother) and Akka (elder sister). The plot is predictable, yet the story is still a traditional heartbreaker. Advitej Reddy Chaklet, who plays Ramulu (a younger Rohan), and Suhasini, who plays Ammama, compliment each other’s performances in this episode. It is difficult to elicit such intense feelings on film, let alone in front of a veteran like Suhasini, yet Advitej accomplishes it expertly.
EPISODE 4- What Clown Wrote This Script
Fair enough, this is the episode I dislike the least. Although the tale is anchored by the city’s passion for movies, I don’t think the execution is really well. It stars Malvika Nair as a stand-up comedian named Vandana and Abhijeet Duddala as an OTT-focused producer named Ashwin. The story’s muddled depiction of a scenario in which two ambitious young people push their work connection into a personal realm is a major letdown. There are some humorous parts, but they sadly don’t really advance the plot.
EPISODE 5-About that rustle in the bushes
We are prompted to consider whether there is anything like well-intentioned stalking in the penultimate episode, ‘About that stir in the bushes.’ In the father-daughter story, Sneha (Ulka Gupta), the daughter, is attempting to navigate the world of contemporary dating following a failed marriage, while the father makes his own sincere, albeit problematic, efforts to look out for his daughter. The watch’s execution is straightforward, and the edges have been meticulously sandpapered.
EPISODE 6- Finding your Penguin
This episode of modern love in Hyderabad is the strangest of the bunch but also the most informative. Even if the heroine, Indu, is the most intriguing character, the search for one’s soul mate might still be interesting (Komalee Prasad). If I reveal any plot points, I might reveal everything because the reveal at the end is a must-see. The tale is entertaining to see overall.
In conclusion, ‘Modern love Hyderabad’ is like a warming, comforting cup of cocoa on a wintery night in metaphor. Despite some cliches, it’s still worth watching.
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