AkashVaani Series Review: Kavin, Reba Monica John show is shallow and forgetful

High school sweethearts, or couples in college -- we see them steal glances at each other, walk hand in hand when possible, and go out on secret dates. Some of them make it, tie the knot and begin to live together while others get their hearts broken. But what about those who make it, only to realize later that they have made a mistake? AkashVaani is the tale of one such couple. The show consisting of seven episodes starts with Teena (Vinsu Rachel Sam). She is a young writer who quits her well-paying full-time job to pursue her passion for writing. She suffers from writer's block, so when she receives a hard deadline from the only publisher -- Inbaraj (Livingston) -- who considers working with her, she is desperate for a story.

Director: Enoc
Cast: Kavin, Reba Monica John
Streaming on: Aha

That's when it hits her. She knows of an 'interesting' couple (her classmates) and believes that their story is good enough to inspire her first project. After all, isn't romance the best fodder to attract the interest of the audience? But, the problem arises in both the stories (one that she writes and one on-screen) when Teena's friends' — Akash and Vaani — love story ends up being a dud. A lot of that has to do with the screenplay, which tries exploring the story but, never digs into the intention of the characters deep enough. So there is not enough opportunity for a nuanced performance.  

Once Teena begins to pen her memory of their relationship, she realizes she is short on information. She also wants to hear about Akash and Vaani's love story from the horse's mouth, so when she is unable to reach either of them, she decides to organise a reunion with the help of her friends. As Teena continues to pen down the parts that she and her other friends remember spanning several episodes and the series finally decides to introduce the lead couple. But, by then the damage is done and worse, the show does the bare minimum to make either Akash or Vaani relatable.

The premise is monotonous and the flashbacks that are interspersed with the present are also forgetful. The college romance is far from refreshing, even till the end of the first half of the show, there is no hint of why they separated. By the time, AkashVaani decides to dig deeper, it is time for the show to conclude. They wrap up in a hurry, with no pause or period. The scenes come one after another, and the absence of rhyme or rhythm to the storytelling makes it a tiring watch.

A show that premiered recently with the same theme -- Our Beloved Summer -- worked in a big way because it takes the time to understand its lead characters and the conflicts that they have as a couple. AkashVaani does exactly the opposite and there is no depth to the few conflicts presented in the course of the seven-episode show.

Romance is as much about conversations that resolve conflicts as it is about stealing glances and sharing kisses. AkashVaani has little to no balance between the two, which then robs the audience of the chance to root for either of its characters. In the end, AkashVaani is a forgetful romantic comedy that is stretched out thin to fit the seven-episode timeframe.