Meenakshi Sundareshwar trailer: A sweet separation for Sanya Malhotra and Abhimanyu Dassani's newlyweds

Maybe the post-pandemic period would be a good time to release a film about long-distance relationships. With the setting being South India, there is enough space to bring in some idosyncracies, if not some stereotypes, into the storytelling. For Vivek Soni's Meenakshi Sundareshwar, the crux of the tale lies in Sanya Malhotra and Abhimanyu Dassani's young couple striking a balance in their lives.

The trailer for the film begins with the wedding of Malhotra's Meenakshi and Dassani's Sundareshwar. With entire families invested in the success of their marriage, the two do not have time to even get to know each other completely before tying the knot.

This trust is further tested when Sundar lands a job in Bangalore, which means pursuing a long-distance relationship. With prying family, the struggle of living apart right after marriage, and the desire to try new things to keep the relationship fresh, the couple have to find ways to nurture their love. Yet, there is always the sense of insecurity, of being left behind while the other succeeds, which comes in the way of Meenakshi and Sundareshwar's love story.

The trailer is bright, fresh and sweet but filled with tropes. The portrayal of a generic Tamil family by painting a range of customs with a broad brush might work for an audience up north but may not be totally authentic. Another point of contention is the absence of any spoken Tamil in a family which lives in Madurai. Or, perhaps, that will be explored more in the film itself.

Sanya Malhotra and Abhimanyu Dassani look the part of a young couple finding their way out of the uber-conservative families they are tied into. The trailer does offer a peek at a light-hearted complex romance involving a young married couple and promises quirkiness with the film's casting and setting choices.

Produced by Dharmatic Entertainment, Meenakshi Sundareshwar will be released on Netflix on 5 November. Watch the trailer below and let us know if you are keen to watch this film.