Fresh romantic track, genuine humour make Naslen-starrer 'Premalu' a fun watch

Girish A D, who previously helmed 'Thaneer Mathan Dinangal' and 'Super Sharanya', is back with yet another romantic comedy in 'Premalu'. While the movie may seem like an extended version of his previous hits and even retains the same flavour, it manages to stay fresh in narrative and style.

If 'Thaneer Mathan Dinangal' was set in a school and told the emotions of a teenager, 'Super Sharanya' describes the life of a college student; 'Premalu', bankrolled by Bhavana Studios (backed by Fahadh Faasil, Dileesh Pothen and Syam Pushkaran), is about a fresh-out-of-college youngster who tries to find a footing professionally, while hopelessly falling in love.

Despite the very predictable storyline, what works for the film are the humour, interesting romantic track and the actors' performance. The new Naslen-Sangeeth Pratap combo, as Sachin and Arun, is wonderful on screen. (Though the Naslen and Mathew Thomas combo worked wonders in 'Thaneer Mathan Dinangal' and even to an extent 'Jo and Jo', the team-up was beginning to get tiresome.)

At a time when romcoms are suffering due to the dearth of genuine humour, 'Premalu' manages to connect with the audience through its neat, funny dialogues. Also, its high-relatability factor works wonders for the film. The conversations between friends, the relationships with colleagues and the struggles of those trying to feel significant in life, look real.

Though there are very few emotional moments, it shares a certain vibe with Vineeth Sreenivasan 'Hridayam'. Naslen, who has had some forgettable outings recently, makes an amazing comeback of sorts with this film. He is in his element as the charming wannabe boyfriend.

Mamitha Baiju, who stole the limelight in 'Super Sharanya', is fabulous as Reenu, an IT professional. Shyam Mohan's performance as Adhi too is solid. Ajmal Sabu's filmography captures the essence of Hyderabad well and gives the audience a good view of the contrast between the city and villages on the outskirts.

The music by Vishnu Vijay is a huge plus for the movie. Better than Super Sharanya, 'Premalu' is almost as charming as 'Thaneer Mathan Dinangal,' but in a different way.