Movie: Romanchakam
Rating: 2.5/5
Banner: Bhadrakali Pictures
Cast: Sumanth Prabhas, Ananthika Sanilkumar, Upendra Limaye, Venkatesh Kakumanu, Narendra Ravi, Mani Aegurla, Sai Sohan and others
Music Director: Vasuki Vaibhav
DOP: Pavan Pappula
Editor: Venu Gopal Reddy
Production Designer: Kushi Deepak Wankhede
Producer: Pranay Reddy Vanga
Written and Directed by: Venu Gopal Reddy
Release Date: September 3, 2026
Bhadrakali Pictures, which produced films like “Arjun Reddy,” has bankrolled “Romanchakam,” while Sandeep Reddy Vanga has presented it. That itself is enough to create curiosity. Moreover, the film’s promotions have been appealing. More importantly, Prabhas also supported the film and wished the young actor a big success. Amid this positive buzz, “Romanchakam” has hit the screens.
Let’s find out whether the film lives up to its promise.
Story
Anvesh (Sumanth Prabhas) plans to launch a dating app called Romanchakam while building his startup with his friends. A Chennai girl, Mythili (Ananthika Sanilkumar), connects with him through the app, and their chats eventually lead to love.
To surprise her, Anvesh travels to Chennai and asks to meet her, but she avoids meeting him. A few days later, she surprises him by arriving in Hyderabad.
As they finally meet at a flat belonging to one of his friends, Mythili suddenly goes missing. Where has she gone? Will Anvesh and Mythili clear their misunderstandings and reunite as lovers?
Performances
Sumanth Prabhas has already acted in two films, but this is his first urban-centric role. He plays the role of a young IT professional with ease. He also looks better than in his previous films and remains casual and natural throughout.
Ananthika Sanilkumar looks beautiful, but her character is limited and lacks proper characterization. She is also absent for a considerable portion of the film.
The gang of friends provides several laughs, with the actor playing Chintu particularly standing out and stealing the show. Upendra Limaye, as the police inspector, doesn’t make much of an impact.
Technical Aspects
The film has good production and technical values. The cinematography is adequate, while two songs stand out. The dialogues are humorous and work well in the first half.
However, with director Venu Gopal Reddy also handling the editing, the film lacks sharpness in the second half. Several scenes are unnecessarily stretched, affecting the overall pace.
Highlights
Comedy
Friends’ gang jokes
Two songs
Drawbacks
Lack of a strong conflict
Upendra Limaye’s track
Too predictable at times
Analysis
“Romanchakam” begins on a simple note, introducing the hero and his group of friends as youngsters trying to build something of their own. Unlike the usual portrayal of jobless youngsters in films, Anvesh has a startup and is working on a dating app, while his friends are also tech professionals employed in various companies.
This gives the film a relatable setting, particularly for Hyderabad’s IT crowd. Even the idea of a dating app called Romanchakam feels contemporary and familiar.
The entire first half, which revolves around Anvesh connecting with Mythili through the dating app and the subsequent developments, is fun and entertaining. The youthful vibe remains intact, and the jokes involving the friends’ gang work well. Until Mythili goes missing, the proceedings move at a comfortable pace and offer plenty of moments that youngsters can connect with.
Even the introduction of Upendra Limaye as police officer initially provides some fun, especially when the gang gets involved in trying to find the missing girl. However, the director unnecessarily stretches this track and eventually turns it into a routine commercial Telugu movie episode filled with silly jokes.
Upendra Limaye’s track continues for nearly 20 minutes into the second half and, more importantly, feels completely out of sync with the main story. As a result, after a fun and entertaining first half, the film turns into a routine affair.
Thankfully, “Romanchakam” regains some energy in the final portions. The climax combines emotional moments with a lengthy comedy track built around the confusion involving the brides, and this portion works better than much of the second half.
This is less a romantic film and more a fun film about a gang of friends. The youthful humour works in parts, but the plot and characters lack depth.
Venu Gopal Reddy, who has written, directed and edited the film, could have been more ruthless with the editing, particularly in the second half. Several unnecessary scenes could have been trimmed, including the hospital sequence involving Upendra Limaye, Sumanth Prabhas and Tanmayi.
Overall, “Romanchakam” is a mixed bag. It offers several fun moments and keeps the first half light and entertaining, but the second half is dragged out and the film lacks a serious approach to its core conflict. It is not a total laugh riot, but it does provide a decent dose of fun and can be watched for its lighter moments.
Bottom Line: A Youthful Ride
