What With Love is really about — and why it hits differently
With Love, the 2026 Tamil romantic comedy directed by Madhan, opens with a premise that's almost aggressively simple: Sathya, a classic introvert who'd rather be anywhere else, gets dragged into a blind date by his well-meaning sister and ends up sitting across from Monisha — extroverted, warm, the kind of person who fills a room without trying. What neither of them expects is the jolt of recognition. They went to the same school. There were old crushes, half-forgotten corridors, memories neither had thought about in years. The film's 141-minute runtime is essentially the story of two people excavating that shared past and figuring out, slowly and sometimes awkwardly, what it means for their present. No grand villains, no contrived misunderstandings stretched across three acts. Just two people talking, remembering, and falling.
How With Love came together — the cast, crew, and road to release
With Love marks two significant firsts: it's the directorial debut of Madhan, and it's the first lead role for Abishan Jeevinth, who plays Sathya. That's a lot of pressure riding on a single production — a first-time director, a first-time hero, and the kind of intimate story that lives or dies on whether you believe the two people at its center. The film was produced by Magesh Raj Pasilian, Nazerath Pasilian, and Soundarya Rajinikanth Vishagan under the banners of MRP Entertainment and Zion Films, with distribution handled by Prime Media. Opposite Abishan, Anaswara Rajan plays Monisha, and she's arguably the reason the whole thing works — her ease in front of the camera gives Abishan's more restrained performance somewhere to land.
Sean Roldan composed the music, and it's the kind of score that doesn't announce itself, which is exactly right for this kind of film. With Love opened in Indian theaters on February 5–6, 2026, in limited release across Tamil and Telugu markets. Word of mouth — and a notable shout-out from Rajinikanth himself — reportedly gave the film a strong opening push that its modest release footprint might not have otherwise generated. Detailed box-office breakdowns haven't been widely published yet, and aggregated critic scores on major review platforms remain sparse. Hard to say if that's because the film flew slightly under the radar or because the numbers simply haven't been compiled, but the social conversation around it has been consistent and genuinely enthusiastic. Movie OTT tracks streaming availability and audience data for titles like this across platforms, making it a useful stop if you want to follow how the film performs post-theatrical.
The performances that make With Love worth your two-plus hours
What's striking is how much the film trusts its leads to carry scenes that, on paper, shouldn't work as well as they do. The proposal sequence — and there is one, staged with enough sincerity that it doesn't tip into parody — lands because Abishan plays it with genuine uncertainty rather than rom-com confidence. He's not sure it'll work. You're not sure either. That tension is earned.
According to audience reactions compiled by the Times of India, viewers on X/Twitter called the film a "feel-good hit" and praised the onscreen chemistry between the two leads specifically — not just the script, but the actual moment-to-moment dynamic between Abishan and Anaswara. That's a meaningful distinction. Chemistry isn't written; it's either there or it isn't.
The friends-to-lovers arc, which is the film's thematic spine, benefits from the school-reunion framing. It gives Sathya and Monisha a shorthand — shared references, old embarrassments, the particular intimacy of people who knew each other before they knew themselves — that shortcuts the usual getting-to-know-you scaffolding. Some viewers have noted that the story's broad strokes are visible early, that the trailer gave away more than it should have. Fair point. But a predictable destination doesn't necessarily make the journey less enjoyable, and Madhan's direction keeps the tone light without letting it go slack. The comedy works because it comes from character, not situation. Movieott.com's editorial team flagged this one early as a title worth watching for exactly that reason — the craft is quieter than the premise suggests.
Where to stream With Love online right now
With Love is currently available to stream on Netflix, where it landed after its February 2026 theatrical run. If you're outside India, availability may vary by region, so it's worth checking before you settle in. The Where-to-Watch widget at the top of this page on Movie OTT shows real-time platform availability so you're not hunting across tabs. Movie OTT aggregates streaming data across major services — Netflix, Prime Video, Hotstar, and others — so the widget updates as distribution deals shift. For now, Netflix is the primary home for With Love, and the streaming quality does justice to the film's warm, sun-lit visual palette.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Where can I watch With Love online?
With Love is available to stream on Netflix following its theatrical release in February 2026. Regional availability may differ, so checking the Where-to-Watch widget on Movie OTT will give you the most current information.
Q: Who directed With Love, and is this their first film?
With Love was written and directed by Madhan, and yes — this is his feature directorial debut. The film also marks the first lead role for actor Abishan Jeevinth, making it something of a double debut production.
Q: Who stars in With Love (2026)?
The film stars Abishan Jeevinth as Sathya and Anaswara Rajan as Monisha. Anaswara Rajan is the more established screen presence of the two, and audience reviews have consistently highlighted the chemistry between the pair as one of the film's strongest elements.
Q: How long is With Love, and is it suitable for families?
With Love runs 141 minutes — just over two hours. The film is a family-friendly romantic comedy with light drama and no significant content warnings; public reviews have described it as wholesome and suitable for general audiences.
Q: Is With Love based on a true story?
No, With Love is an original story. It isn't adapted from a novel, a real-life account, or a remake of another film. Director Madhan wrote the screenplay, and the blind-date-meets-school-reunion premise appears to be entirely fictional.
Who should watch With Love — and our honest take
If you don't have patience for slow-burn romance, With Love might test you. It's not in a hurry. But if you've ever run into someone from your past and felt that strange, specific mix of nostalgia and possibility — the film gets that feeling right in a way that's genuinely rare. It's a debut from a director who clearly knows what kind of story he wants to tell. Warm, unhurried, occasionally funny in ways that sneak up on you. Streaming on Netflix now, and worth the 141 minutes. Movie OTT rates it as one of the more quietly satisfying Tamil releases of early 2026.
