Aaromaley - Learning Love the Long Way

Aaromaley

Tamil - Comedy / Drama
128 min
JioHotstar

Kishen Das made his debut as a lead with Mudhal Nee Mudivum Nee, a gentle, music-driven nostalgic romance. Aaromaley marks his second major outing as a leading man — a realistic take on modern love.

The story begins with adolescent Ajith (Kishen Das), who misses a planned movie outing with his friends and impulsively walks into the cinema next door. What he ends up watching is Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa(VTV), which goes on to define his understanding of love.

As the years pass, this “filmy” idea of love does him little good. A series of failed, largely one-sided relationships leave Ajith emotionally adrift and professionally directionless. Circumstance pushes him into a job at a matrimonial company. It is here that he meets Anjali (Shivathmika Rajashekar), the company’s ace matchmaker.

What follows — how Ajith works his way into the job, how he negotiates his own romantic ideals, and how he gradually learns to rise in love rather than merely fall into it - is the spine of the film.

Co-written by Kishen Das along with two collaborators, Ashameera and Bipin, and directed by first-timer Sarang Thiagu, Aaromaley is our own Love Actually. Refusing to restrict itself to Ajith’s love story alone, the film opens up space for other love stories too. There is Anjali’s story, Ajith’s parents, a young couple and a particularly engaging thread involving a fifty-five-year-old client of the matrimonial firm, Narasimhan, played by VTV Ganesh.

Anchoring the emotional core of the film is the bromance between Ajith and Sachin (Harshath Khan). Their dynamic is rib-tickling. Sachin is the sounding board, grounding Ajith when his romantic imagination threatens to spiral.

What truly differentiates Aaromaley from a typical romantic comedy is that, while all its characters feel familiar, the nuanced writing elevates them. Narasimhan’s story, Ajith’s mother’s arc, and even the decision to merely skim through Anjali’s past rather than overexplain it lend the film a sense of restraint and maturity.

The performances are uniformly lovely. Kishen Das, wearing a smile and his heart firmly on his sleeve, is charming and sincere. Shivathmika Rajashekar is confident and assured, playing the strong-willed Anjali without ever looking out of depth. Her character is built on emotional intelligence rather than overt attitude.

VTV Ganesh is superb as Narasimhan, balancing humour with surprising poignancy. His storyline, in particular, is one of the film’s quiet triumphs. Tulasi, as Ajith’s mother, gets a couple of beautifully written sequences and remains a warm, reassuring presence throughout.

Harshath Khan, previously known as “kutti Dragon”, is genuinely funny. His timing and energy help anchor the film’s lighter moments.

Technically, the film is competent. It is well shot and neatly edited, maintaining a rhythm that feels just right for its tone. The songs may not have immediate recall value, but they are well placed and complement the narrative.

All credit to Sarang Thiagu for a confident debut. Hopefully he goes on to have a decent career, than becoming another one-film wonder in the highly competitive Tamil film industry.

Aaromaley is a clean, funny, warm, and light-touch film — perfectly suited for a winter night, unassuming in ambition, but generous in feeling.