Aap Jaisa Koi Movie Review: Madhavan and Fatima bring soul and subtlety to a tenderly told romance

Aap Jaisa Koi

‘Aap Jaisa Koi, directed by Vivek Soni, was released on 11th July on Netflix and stars R Madhavan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ayesha Raza, Manish Chaudhari, and Namit Das.

A grounded story that feels familiar

There’s something incredibly grounded about ‘Aap Jaisa Koi.’ It’s not flashy, doesn’t scream for your attention, and yet, it stays with you long after. The film unfolds like a familiar story overheard on a lazy afternoon—the kind that smells of soil after rain. Built around real people with real dilemmas, it draws from the tensions of cultural differences, masculine pride, and the quiet chaos of human connection.

What makes it work is its unforced charm. The romance, the humour, even the awkward silences between characters—all of it feels lived-in, almost like you’ve known someone who’s been through this exact story. Story and screenplay by Radhika Anand and Jehan Handa is simple, honest, and filled with moments that quietly stay with you.

A love story routed in routine

Set in Jamshedpur, the film follows Shrirenu Tripathi (R Madhavan), a 40-year-old Sanskrit teacher who is still unmarried and, as he quietly admits, still a virgin. His life is a mix of routine and restraint—watering plants, paying rent to his strict older brother, feeding the caged mouse, and seeking comfort in the warm, maternal presence of his sister-in-law.

Shrirenu’s inner world is gentle, even poetic, but he knows time is slipping away. Nudged by his friend Deepu (Namit Bose), he signs up for an app called Aap Jaisa Koi, a space where people can talk about their feelings and desires without judgement or identity. Just as this virtual escape starts giving him a sense of freedom, he receives a marriage proposal from Kolkata—Madhu Bose (Fatima Sana Shaikh), a French teacher with a liberal Bengali family and a refreshingly open heart. The two begin to fall for each other, and what follows is a gentle love story set between two cities with twists thrown around.

Unspoken rules and double standards

What sets the film apart is how it tackles deeper social biases while never losing its gentle touch. It holds a mirror to the deeply embedded patriarchy of North India, without getting preachy.

The message lands sharply: when a man speaks about his inner desires, it’s seen as natural. But if a woman does the same, she’s quickly labelled as immoral. The story lays bare this hypocrisy and shows how even the seemingly progressive ones often hold on to double standards.

It also captures the underlying tension between culturally different parts of the country—how people from the East are often perceived as more liberal and open, while the North tends to cling to traditional notions of honour and shame. The film doesn't underline these ideas with a highlighter—it just lets them simmer beneath the surface.

When chemistry comes without noise

R. Madhavan slips into the role of Shrirenu like he’s lived it. His quiet vulnerability, his soft-spoken dignity, and that ever-affable smile make him incredibly watchable.

You believe in his awkwardness, in his yearning, and in his slow transformation. Fatima Sana Shaikh brings warmth and intelligence to Madhu. She makes Madhu feel like someone you’d want to talk to for hours—curious, kind, and free of judgement.

Manish Chaudhari is solid as the traditionalist elder brother, Bhanu, who looks at life through a rigid, black-and-white lens. Ayesha Raza brings softness and silent strength in the role of the sister-in-law. And Namit Das, playing Deepu, adds much-needed humour and lightness. He’s the kind of friend every Shrirenu needs—one who pushes you forward but always has your back.

Quiet and refreshingly real

Even though ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ has a quiet, understated tone and doesn’t rely on big drama or loud moments, it still feels meaningful, impactful, and emotionally rich. In fact, its refusal to exaggerate is what gives it weight.

Sure, it might remind you a bit of the Marathi film ‘Hashtag Tadev Lagnam,’ but it confidently stands on its own. The film avoids melodrama; there's no swelling background score to tell you how to feel, no over-the-top arguments. Everything just... happens.

That’s what makes it so refreshing. The world shown in the film feels authentic—whether it's the slower rhythms of Jamshedpur or the cosmopolitan calm of Kolkata.

Even the music, composed by Justin Prabhakaran, lingers softly and beautifully in the background rather than overpowering the story. In many ways, this is the kind of film that directors like Hrishikesh Mukherjee or Basu Chatterjee might have nodded at—not for nostalgia’s sake, but for how it trusts its characters and their ordinary lives to speak volumes.

Rating: 3.5/5

It is streaming on Netflix