When was the last time you went to watch a simple Tamil rom-com that left you feeling warm and fuzzy? The dearth of good rom-coms in Tamil is real. Sure, we have had the likes of Dragon, Dude, Good Night, Thalaivan Thalaivii, but they all pivoted around either a genre twist, a high concept, or had other narrative aspirations. The reception for 2024’s Malayalam hit Premaluin Tamil Nadu clearly underscored the need for good old-school, simple meet-cutes, and as of now, only Aaromaley, starring Kishen Das and Shivathmika Rajashekar, has come close to fulfilling that urge. Following in those footsteps is this Valentine’s month release, With Love, which promises to be a simple, sweet rom-com that will leave you with a smile and a full heart.
As I sit with the lead actors of With Love for an interview, there are hints of banter about who gets to sit where, which must have recurred throughout the evening. It’s already midnight, and as expected, the youngsters seem quite exhausted, yet there is chirpy confidence and camaraderie, all good signs of a job well done. “We really haven’t had as many rom-coms in Tamil like we used to. Many who have wished me for With Love stated that they have been missing this genre in Tamil,” says Abishan Jeevinth, the director of last year’s blockbusterTourist Family, who is making his debut as a lead actor in With Love. Joining him in the cast as the heroine is Anaswara Rajan, the budding star of Malayalam cinema who is making her Tamil debut as a lead. The Rekhachithram-star believes that ‘love’ as a concept never goes out of fashion in cinema. “Maybe how we tell love stories might get saturated, but not love as a subject. In fact, one can speak so much through love stories, be it a person’s life, their emotions, or how their childhoods shape who they become.”
‘With Love’ cast on their favourite romance films:
Abishan: “Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum. It’s a whole experience. I loved how the male lead wouldn’t change himself for her, and yet, would wish how good it would be if he could. The film travelled in that zone quite beautifully. Even the chemistry between the two leads was quite nice…it’s a comfort watch.”
Anaswara: “One Day is my favourite rom-com. They are friends first, and there’s an emotional arc to their equation. I usually wouldn’t cry much while watching films, but One Day is one of those films that made me weep.”
Anaswara Rajan in conversation with The Hindu about ‘With Love’
| Photo Credit:
VELANKANNI RAJ B
When it comes to making romance dramas, storytellers have largely seemed divided between two opinions: that it is an easy endeavour best suited for beginners, and that love stories are of the hardest kind, as it isn’t easy to convey emotions to new-gen audiences. “It’s difficult to make a relevant love story, one that will reach everyone and connect across generations. You need to be conscious while writing because there’s only a thin line between a cheesy dialogue and an ineffective one,” says Abishan, adding that if the prose gets a tad too poetic, audiences might struggle to relate to it.
In With Love, directed by Madhan, Anaswara plays Monisha, a modern, opinionated girl, who, Anaswara says, “is someone who stays grounded to reality.” Abishan plays Sathya. “He is an innocent boy, and what I like about him the most is how he would apologise instantly when he makes a mistake and take responsibility upon himself.” From the teaser and trailer, both Sathya and Monisha appear as youngsters who carry their hearts on their sleeves. Sathya, in fact, appears quite naive and vulnerable, as someone who struggles to figure out what to say when. Is there a secret to making a character feel vulnerable while ensuring the nuances remain relatable to larger audiences? Abishan doesn’t hesitate to say that he is still figuring it out and urges the relatively more experienced Anaswara to answer. “We will, of course, imbibe the story, but not all films demand a lot of effort. In some films, you would have to dig into the many layers of the characters and see how to perform; in certain films, you just have to perform what’s required without thinking much, and that would be enough,” says the actor.
Actor Kavya Anil on ‘With Love’
Kavya Anil, who appeared in a small role in Bejoy Nambiar’s Por, is making her debut as a lead in With Love. The actor, who has also served as an assistant director, said that it all happened quite organically. “I did a short film called Malargal Kaetten, seeing which they called me for an audition.” In the film, Kavya plays Anisha, who is Abishan’s character Sathya’s school-time love interest. Calling her character a sweet girl, Kavya recollects the euphoria she felt while performing the scene she auditioned for. “It was such a sweet scene, and even after I wrapped, I was still smiling while going back home.” The Notting Hill fan seems quite elated with how the film has panned out. “With Love is one of those beautiful films that would leave you feeling very warm and happy,” she says.
Both Anaswara and Abishan are stepping into a new year after tasting career-defining success in 2025. While Tourist Family continues to turn heads, Anaswara delivered stellar performances in Vyasanasametham Bandhumithradhikal and Rekhachithram. Abishan believes in enjoying success to the fullest, but only up to a mark. “I enjoyed everything that happened with Tourist Family to the fullest; I read all the feedback I got, and I visited many theatres and saw the reactions of the people. At the same time, once it got over, I didn’t think about it again. As of now, I am only waiting for the release of With Love.” For Anaswara, the moments of uncertainty that life in cinema is bound to throw at you balance it out. “I really enjoy my success. I do live in the moment, but there would be this tiny moment at which you would worry about the future, about what will happen next, and there will be this tiny moment when you would regret your past decisions. Those tiny moments would definitely take you out of that zone,” she says.
Abishan Jeevinth and Anaswara Rajan in a still from ‘With Love’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Interestingly, it is the uncertainty of what lies ahead that also seems to thrill the actor in Anaswara. She says that it is something that she is both in love with and afraid of. “The idea that nothing in cinema is permanent, be it the characters, the sets, or the people. You are just having a peripatetic lifestyle; you are constantly going from set to set and from character to character.” She adds that she likes that movement. “There’s this last moment where you look into the mirror, and you are like, ‘Okay, I will no longer play this character.’ Then I would detach from that character and move on. Many may not like that detachment, but I am used to it, and so I think life has been moving quite smoothly.”
‘With Love’ cast on an everyday activity they do with love
Abishan: Video games. I love to play games on my PS5 and I do it with a lot of love.
Anaswara: I like to read and I do it with a lot of emotion. I am currently reading ‘Days at the Morisaki Bookshop.’
Abishan Jeevinth in conversation with The Hindu about ‘With Love’
| Photo Credit:
Thamodharan B
In With Love, Abishan is acting in a feature film for the third time. It’s the perpetuity that the art form offers that inspires him. “I like that these characters are getting documented. No matter where you go in life, how old you become, and even whether you still exist in this world, that character would still live and that quality about acting still inspires me.”
As both Abishan and Anaswara suggest, nothing in cinema is permanent. While actors move on, what remains on screen is what was created with love.
With Love releases in theatres on February 6
Published – February 02, 2026 03:26 pm IST
