Couple Friendly

Last updated

Couple Friendly
Couple Friendly.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAshwin Chandrasekar
Written byAshwin Chandrasekar
Produced byAjay Kumar Raju P
Starring
CinematographyDinesh Purushothaman
Edited byGanesh Siva
Music byAditya Ravindran
Production
companies
VR Global Media
UV Concepts
Distributed byDheeraj Cinema
Release date
  • 14 February 2026 (2026-02-14)
Running time
121 minutes [1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTelugu

Couple Friendly is a 2026 Indian Telugu-language romantic drama film written and directed by Ashwin Chandrasekar. The film was produced by Ajay Kumar Raju P under the banner UV Concepts and VR Global Media. [2] The film stars Santosh Sobhan and Manasa Varanasi. [3]

Contents

Couple Friendly was released in theatres on 14 February 2026, coinciding Valentine's Day.

Plot

Cast

Production

Ashwin Chandrasekar wrote the script in Tamil, and it was later translated into Telugu, with the crew improvising the dialogues in Telugu. [4] In May 2025, Santosh Sobhan said in an interview that the filming for Couple Friendly is in the final stage. [5] The film was shot in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. [6] The film's distributor, Dheeraj Mogilineni, [7] claimed it received an A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification solely due to its title. [8]

Release

Couple Friendly was released theatrically on 14 February 2026. [9] [10]

Reception

The film received critical acclaim towards critcs and audience who praised Santhosh Shoban and Manasa Varanasi's performance,Ashwin Chandrashekar's screenplay,direction, cinematography,editing, background score and songs by Aditya Ravindran.

Sandeep Athreya of Sakshi Post rated the film 3.25/5 stars and wrote, "While the second half may not fully match the emotional depth of the first, the film’s honesty, grounded storytelling, and the lovely chemistry between the leads make it a worthwhile watch." [11] Yashaswini Sri of The Indian Express rated the film 3/5 stars and wrote, "Ashwin Chandrasekar's latest offers genuine moments and strong performances but suffers from familiar plot and jarring tonal shifts." [12]

Srivathsan Nadadhur of The Hindu wrote, "Couple Friendly may not boast a novel plot, but its narrative rhythm is refreshingly mature and modern. It treats both its protagonists as equals and values the minutiae of their lives as well as the big dreams." [1] Jalapathi Gudelli of Telugucinema.com rated the film 2.75/5 stars and wrote, "“Couple Friendly” works because of its engaging first half and emotionally effective climax. The twist feels familiar due to recent Bollywood blockbuster, yet the treatment and sincere performances make it a decent watch." [13] A critic from Eenadu reviewed the film. [14]

References

  1. 1 2 Nadadhur, Srivathsan (14 February 2026). "'Couple Friendly' movie review: Santosh Soban, Manasa Varanasi's romance drama is mature and heartfelt". The Hindu.
  2. "Celebrities confident Santosh Sobhan will score big". Telugucinema.com . 13 February 2026.
  3. Harsh, B. H. (8 August 2025). "Couple Friendly teaser: A chance encounter paves way for a passionate relationship between two strangers". Cinema Express.
  4. Kavirayani, Suresh (6 February 2026). "Manasa Varanasi finding her frame". The New Indian Express.
  5. Ramya, Vennapusala (6 May 2025). "Santosh Sobhan: The art of storytelling has always spoken to me". The New Indian Express.
  6. Sistu, Suhas (12 July 2025). "Santosh Sobhan's 'Couple Friendly' gears up for bilingual release". The Hans India. Archived from the original on 16 July 2025. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  7. "Dheeraj Mogilineni acquires Telugu distribution rights of Couple Friendly". Cinema Express. 6 January 2026.
  8. Kavirayani, Suresh (4 February 2026). "Dheeraj Mogilineni: Couple Friendly got A certificate because of the title". The New Indian Express.
  9. "Couple Friendly set for Valentine's Day theatrical release". The New Indian Express. 11 January 2026.
  10. "Santosh Sobhan and Manasa Varanasi's Couple Friendly trailer is out". Cinema Express. 3 February 2026.
  11. "Couple Friendly Review: Honest Relationship Drama That Works Well". Sakshi Post . 14 February 2026.
  12. "Couple Friendly movie review: Santosh Sobhan-Manasa Varanasi's romance works despite familiar territory". The Indian Express. 14 February 2026.
  13. "Couple Friendly Review: A decent romantic drama". Telugucinema.com . 14 February 2026.
  14. "Couple Friendly Review: 'కపుల్‌ ఫ్రెండ్లీ' రివ్యూ.. ప్రేమకథ మెప్పించిందా". Eenadu (in Telugu). 14 February 2026.