Film

Premam

Name: Premam
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: 2015
Cast: Nivin Pauly, Madonna Sebastian, Sai Pallavi, Anupama Parameswaran, Shabareesh Varma

Romance
Light-hearted

Premam traces three chapters of one man's romantic life across different ages and cities, following George as he encounters three women who each change him in unexpected ways. It's a warm, funny Malayalam film that balances genuine sweetness with sharp comedy, never letting sentiment overwhelm its wit. Perfect for anyone who loves romance that actually feels like life—messy, funny, and full of small moments that matter more than grand gestures.

TMDb rating

3.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy a warm, nostalgic comedy that lingers on the awkward, funny rituals of first crushes and the people who never quite leave your memory.

Skip it if you want a tight plot with a clear throughline, since this one drifts episodically from chapter to chapter and wanders in its middle stretch.

What it asks of you: It runs close to two and a half hours and moves at a loose, unhurried clip, so give it room to meander rather than expecting steady momentum.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

O Kadhal Kanmani2015

A Tamil film released the same year as Premam, equally assured in balancing romantic comedy with genuine emotional depth. Features two leads with real chemistry and a script that trusts the audience's intelligence about relationships.

But The love story moves at a measured pace that some find underdramatic. Strong regional flavor may feel distant if you're unfamiliar with Tamil cinema.

Bangalore Days2014

A Malayalam ensemble romance about friendship and love across three couples. Shares Premam's warm humor, its celebration of regional life, and its refusal to make love simple or neat. Equally accomplished with tone.

But At nearly three hours, it's a committed watch. The multi-couple structure means your favorite pairing might get less screen time than you'd like.

ABCD 22015

A Hindi dance film with surprising emotional depth and a love story that develops alongside stunning choreography. Like Premam, it finds romance in the space between ambition, family, and genuine connection.

But The dance sequences, while impressive, could feel like distractions if you're watching primarily for story. Bollywood's scale may feel excessive compared to Premam's intimacy.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Premam

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Before Sunrise1995

Both films argue that romance is built from conversation and recognition rather than action or fate. Both trust the audience to find someone falling in love compelling without external drama.

Richard Linklater's film is structured almost like Premam's opposite: one night, two people, ninety minutes of pure conversation. It shares Premam's belief that romance lives in dialogue and small moments, and that people become real through how they speak to each other. By removing plot almost entirely, it proves what Premam suggests: falling in love is about recognizing someone.

But Essentially two people talking while walking through Vienna. If you need conflict or traditional narrative momentum, this will feel like nothing happens. Requires genuine investment in overhearing intimacy.

Masaan2015

An Indian indie that braids multiple love stories with real consequences and moral complexity. Shares Premam's ability to be both tender and unflinching about how romance actually feels in a specific cultural moment.

But Darker and more serious than Premam—deals explicitly with grief, class, and social judgment. Some scenes are genuinely difficult to watch.

Kumbalangi Nights2019

A Malayalam film about male friendship and romance in a coastal town, rooted in the same regional world as Premam. Equally funny, equally willing to let characters be flawed and real.

But Darker humor and more cynical about relationships than Premam. The ensemble structure means no single love story gets full focus.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind2004

Both films recognize that what makes love matter is not the outcome but the specific person and the way they altered your shape. Premam shows this through joy; this film shows it through loss.

Charlie Kaufman's film is Premam inverted: instead of three women across a life, it's one woman revisited by a man who has erased her from his memory. Like Premam, it understands that romantic love is defined by specific moments and the particular way someone changes you. The film doesn't ask whether love was worth it—it shows why it had to be.

But Nonlinear structure and science-fiction framing may feel like unnecessary complication. Bittersweet tone never resolves into happiness, which can feel punishing rather than poignant.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind poster

Aftersun2022

Both films argue that love is constituted through attention: how you notice someone, how you sit with them, what you choose to stay present for. Both trust cinema itself—image and duration—to convey emotional truth rather than dialogue or action.

Charlotte Wells' film follows a man across one summer vacation with his daughter, and in its economy of gesture and unspoken feeling, it mirrors Premam's understanding that love—romantic or otherwise—is known through presence and small attentions rather than declaration. It's heartbreaking precisely because it's so quiet, so committed to the specific weight of existing alongside someone.

But No plot to speak of. The relationship is between a father and child rather than romantic partners. Requires comfort with ambiguity and absence of resolution.