#Love Series Review:

Rom-coms in recent times have become embodiments of repetitive tropes. The ‘love at first sight’ trope, in particular, has become the holy grail of the genre, making some of us question the logic behind the magic. For others, there is an instant suspension of disbelief and an unwavering faith in the workings of destiny. Director Balaji Mohan attempts to settle this chemistry-versus-compatibility debate once and for all with his latest Netflix series, #Love. Arriving nearly a decade after his iconic As I’m Suffering from Kaadhal, the series is written for the present times, complete with the glossy production design and visual grammar of a Hollywood-style Netflix show. Yet, somewhere between the chemistry and compatibility, the authentic Balaji Mohan charm seems to have lost its connection. 

Cast: Arjun Das, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Harini S, Gayatri Hariharan, Arjun Chidambaram

Director: Balaji Mohan

#Love is set in the world of modern dating, featuring the very tool that enables it: dating apps. For Aishwarya Lekshmi's Tara, the founder of Found, compatibility is non-negotiable. Matthew, the major shareholder of Find My Bae, considers a lack of chemistry the real deal breaker. In an attempt to prove their respective theories right, the two charming leads sign up for a challenge that brings them closer, but not without its share of complications.

Across six episodes, Balaji Mohan weaves a story spanning 60 days, making the series highly bingeable. As much as the brevity works in its favour, especially for a busy audience, it also proves to be a disadvantage, with too much packed into too little time. Several storylines are introduced but not fleshed out enough. For instance, Tara's friends Sylvia and Arun go through relationship challenges of their own. Although their arcs are progressively handled, they ultimately function more as catalysts for the central story, leaving their own writing potential largely untapped. 

#Love resembles an average English-language series, be it in its first-world problems or the high-society setting it inhabits. As a result, relatability is largely limited to the emotions shared by the two leads. That said, Balaji Mohan does venture into themes seldom explored in Tamil cinema, be it the representation of homosexuality or relationships with an age gap. As we jump from one storyline to another, the series feels sufficiently engaging in the moment. But once it wraps up with an ending that is rather bold, yet likely to trigger the ire of many, we are left somewhat unsatisfied. After spending six episodes debating whether chemistry or compatibility matters more, the series ultimately settles on the rather obvious answer that both are needed in equal measure, leaving us wondering if there was more to the equation that could have been explored. 

While the series settles for equality between the two Cs, it is the chemistry shared by Tara and Matthew that makes the binge-watch worthwhile. Aishwarya Lekshmi and Arjun Das fit the bill to a T, exuding a saccharine romance that gives us butterflies in the stomach. To give credit where it's due, Balaji gives both characters backstories that justify their respective beliefs, making it genuinely difficult to pick a side. In doing so, he ensures that the chemistry-versus-compatibility debate never feels one-sided, even if the answer eventually does. 

While the central story between Tara and Matthew seems to have all the necessary details, some of the side stories are either conveniently written or left unfinished. For instance, while it is heartening to see traditional parents readily accept their child's homosexuality, the ease with which it happens isn't entirely believable. Similarly, Chakri (R Badree) plays a prominent antagonist in the series, constantly causing trouble for Tara, but his arc never really comes to fruition. Arjun Manohar, Tamilselvi, Abhishek Joseph George and Arjun Chidambaram are all promising actors with immense potential, but are terribly underused here. Perhaps Gayatri Hariharan, Harini S and Namita Krishnamurthy get enough space to make an impression and stand out. 

Approaching #Love from a purely entertainment angle, the series works, managing to keep you from picking up your phone for more than five hours. However, it is clearly not Balaji Mohan's best work, especially considering he was one of the pioneers of the web-series space, long before the format became the norm. Ultimately, #Love proves that chemistry and compatibility may need each other, but a Balaji Mohan story needs a little more magic.