Anupama reviews Aap Jaisa Koi, the Netflix romantic drama starring R. Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh. Directed by Vivek Soni and produced by Karan Johar's Dharmatic Entertainment, this film explores an unconventional love story between two very different personalities.
In this detailed review for The Hollywood Reporter India, Anupama examines how the film follows the familiar tropes of opposites attracting while delivering a powerful and unexpected twist in its final act. She discusses R. Madhavan's sweet and fumbling performance as Shrirenu Tripathi, a 42-year-old virgin Sanskrit teacher from Jamshedpur, and Fatima Sana Shaikh's lively portrayal of Madhu Bose, a spirited French teacher from Kolkata.
The review covers the film's exploration of progressive vs. conservative values, drawing comparisons to other recent Bollywood films like Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Anupama highlights the excellent supporting performance by Ayesha Raza Mishra as Shrirenu's sister-in-law, whose character beautifully captures the patience and heartache of the average Indian wife.
The review also discusses the film's musical score by Justin Prabhakaran and Rocha Kohli, the nostalgic Bollywood references throughout, and how the title pays homage to the classic Nazia Hassan song from the 1980 film Qurbani. While noting the film's uneven storytelling and overly familiar tropes, Anupama praises the unexpected and moving final act that gives the film its real emotional weight.
