Single Movie Review: A Fun & Relatable Rom-Com?

Vijay (Sree Vishnu) is a bank employee whose life follows a predictable routine until he spots Purva (Ketika Sharma) at a wedding. It’s love at first sight, and Vijay, armed with the confidence of a man who’s watched too many K-dramas, decides to engineer meetings and win her over. His plan, however, hits an unexpected speed bump: Harini (Ivana), a colleague who has secretly nursed a crush on Vijay, begins tailing him. Her silent, obsessive tracking turns Vijay’s romantic pursuit into a three-ring circus. Meanwhile, Vijay’s boss (VTV Ganesh) adds workplace pressure, and his friend Aravind (Vennela Kishore) provides running commentary on every misstep. Can Vijay break free from the comedic triangle and win the girl he actually wants?

The opening act of #Single sets up its tonal ambition quite well. Caarthick Raju, known for Nenu Local and Ninnu Kori, understands the mechanics of a breezy Telugu rom-com - bright frames, peppy background score, and characters who talk faster than they think. Sree Vishnu leans into his everyman charm; his Vijay isn’t a slick Casanova but a lovable goof who fumbles over words and misreads signals. That vulnerability works, especially in the early scenes where he tries to impress Purva by pretending to be a food critic at a restaurant. The comedy here is light, situational, and relies on Vennela Kishore’s impeccable deadpan.

Where the film wobbles is the introduction of Harini. Ivana, who plays the stalker-with-a-heart, brings a fresh energy - her wide-eyed persistence is both creepy and endearing in equal measure. Yet the screenplay never decides whether to treat her obsession as a joke or a genuine emotional arc. Her scenes oscillate between farcical chase sequences (she follows Vijay into a men’s restroom) and surprisingly tender moments where she watches him from a distance. The dissonance hurts the character’s credibility. By the time the third act arrives, the love triangle feels like a forced loop rather than a natural conflict.

Ketika Sharma’s Purva is underwritten, reduced to a “girl-next-door” with no quirks beyond looking beautiful and being polite. She exists as a goalpost for Vijay, not as a person with her own desires. This is a common rom-com sin, but here it’s particularly glaring because the film spends almost equal time on Harini’s perspective. The male gaze - while expected - feels especially dated in 2026.

The comedy largely saves the day. VTV Ganesh, as the perpetually stressed boss, delivers a hilarious monologue about employee productivity metrics that feels straight out of a Dilbert comic. Narne Nithin appears in a brief but welcome cameo as a rival suitor, and Reba Monica John pops up as a confidante who dispenses advice like an AI chatbot. Vennela Kishore, as always, steals every scene he’s in - his character Aravind’s theory about “single vs. taken” being a binary code is laugh-out-loud funny.

Technically, the film is competent. The cinematography captures Hyderabad’s cafes, parks, and wedding halls with a warm palette. The music, however, is forgettable - no track lingers after the credits roll, which is a missed opportunity for a romantic comedy. The editing tightens the first half but loses grip in the second, where a subplot about a bank robbery (yes, that happens) feels tacked on and disrupts the tonal balance.

The climax tries to resolve the triangle with a twist that’s more convenient than clever. Without spoiling, let’s say it involves a lot of running, a misunderstanding at a beach, and a final confrontation that feels rushed. The film ends on a hashtag-worthy note that screams “social media pitch,” but it lacks the emotional payoff the characters deserved.

Pros

• Sree Vishnu and Vennela Kishore’s comic chemistry is the film’s backbone
• Lighthearted, non-offensive entertainment for family audiences
• Ivana brings a refreshingly quirky energy to her stalker role
• Short runtime (127 minutes) respects your time
• Some genuinely funny situational gags in the first half

Cons

• Love triangle feels lopsided and poorly resolved
• Purva’s character is a cardboard cutout
• Second-half drags with an unnecessary bank robbery subplot
• Music is bland and forgettable
• Predictable plot beats offer no surprises
• Climax is rushed and emotionally unsatisfying

#Single is a perfectly average Telugu romantic comedy that doesn’t overreach but doesn’t inspire either. It knows its audience - folks looking for a no-brainer, chuckle-filled couple of hours - and delivers that bare minimum. Sree Vishnu and Vennela Kishore’s camaraderie elevates the material, but weak writing for the female leads and a saggy second half prevent it from becoming anything memorable. If you skipped it in theatres, it’s a decent OTT watch with some popcorn. But if you’re hunting for a rom-com that actually makes you root for the couple, you might want to keep swiping.