Ninnila Ninnila -2021- -

Ninnila Ninnila is a heartwarming, gently told love story that prioritizes emotional honesty over grand gestures. It doesn’t try to reinvent the romance genre, but it delivers its familiar beats with charm, sincerity, and two wonderful central performances. If you enjoy films like 50 First Dates, The Big Sick, or Telugu indie gems like Pelli Choopulu, this one will leave you with a smile.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5)
Recommended for: Fans of slice-of-life romances, anyone looking for a light but meaningful watch, and admirers of Ashok Selvan & Ritu Varma.

Ninnila Ninnila (released as in Tamil) is a 2021 romantic drama directed by Ani I.V. Sasi that explores themes of love, loss, and healing through the lens of culinary art. Core Premise & Plot

The story follows Dev (Ashok Selvan), a genius chef struggling with obesity and muscle spasms, who works at a high-end restaurant in London. He is a social recluse whose life revolves around cooking until he meets two very different women:

Tara (Ritu Varma): A fellow chef at the restaurant who is disciplined, meticulous, and suffers from OCD.

Maya (Nithya Menen): A free-spirited, childlike woman who shares a deep, mysterious connection with Dev.

The narrative weaves between Dev's professional life in London and a poignant backstory, eventually revealing how food serves as a bridge to suppressed memories and emotional closure. Production Highlights

Cast: The film features a central trio of Ashok Selvan, Nithya Menen, and Ritu Varma.

Director: It marked the directorial debut of Ani I.V. Sasi, son of legendary filmmaker I.V. Sasi. Ninnila Ninnila -2021-

Cinematography: Divakar Mani captured the film's "love on a platter" aesthetic with warm, evocative visuals of London and gourmet cuisine.

Music: The soundtrack, composed by Rajesh Murugesan (of Premam fame), features soulful tracks, including a song performed by Nithya Menen herself. Reception & Style

The film is widely regarded as a "feel-good" or "breezy" drama. Critics and audiences praised its:

Subtle Storytelling: Avoiding typical commercial tropes for a more gentle, emotional pace.

Visual Appeal: The high-quality production values and aesthetic portrayal of food.

Performances: Particularly Selvan’s physical transformation and the chemistry between the three leads. Ladies and gentlemen, presenting you Love on a platter

Here are the lyrics for the song "Ninnila Ninnila" from the 2021 Telugu movie Tuck Jagadish.

Song Details:

The film revolves around two individuals with contrasting lives and health conditions:

Their paths cross in London when Dev, trying to overcome his disorder, lands a job at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Tara becomes his roommate, and what follows is a delicate, often humorous journey of two “broken” people learning to navigate love, vulnerability, and the fear of being a burden to each other. The title Ninnila Ninnila—softly, gently—perfectly captures the film’s approach to romance: tender, unhurried, and full of quiet moments.

The story revolves around Dev (Nithiin), a celebrated chef who suffers a spinal cord injury after an accident and becomes confined to a wheelchair. He loses his purpose, falls into depression, and isolates himself.

Tara (Ritu Varma) is a cheerful, quirky young woman who moves into Dev’s neighborhood. She has a hidden medical condition of her own. Through persistence and warmth, she slowly brings joy back into his life, helping him rediscover love and hope.

Shashank/Sam (Ashok Selvan) is the third lead, whose connection to Tara forms the film’s emotional twist. The narrative jumps between the past and present, slowly revealing how the three lives are interconnected.

The film is an official adaptation of the 2016 Korean blockbuster Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned, but with significant creative liberties taken to suit Telugu sensibilities.

Since Ninnila Ninnila was a direct-to-digital release (premiering on SonyLIV in March 2021), it does not have traditional box office numbers. However, its reception was overwhelmingly positive among critics and urban audiences.

Critics praised the film for its "slice-of-life" authenticity. The Indian Express gave it 3.5/5 stars, noting, "It is a quiet film in a loud world." Film Companion called it "a gentle rumination on love and loss." On IMDb, it holds a steady rating of 7.8/10, with many users hailing it as an "underrated gem." Ninnila Ninnila is a heartwarming, gently told love

However, the film did face minor criticism. Some viewers found the pacing too slow, especially in the first half. The nonlinear narrative, while effective, confused a segment of the audience expecting a linear boy-meets-girl story. A few critics also pointed out that the London setting felt too "globalized," distancing the film from its Telugu roots.

Ninnila Ninnila is a measured, sensory film that uses food as an organizing metaphor for memory, grief, and human connection. Its strengths lie in its tactile cinematography, subtle performances, and thematic cohesion; its deliberate pacing and narrative ambiguity will be rewarding for some viewers and testing for others.

Related search suggestions (chef romance; food memory films; Ninnila Ninnila review)

Here’s a write-up for the Telugu romantic drama Ninnila Ninnila (2021).

| Actor | Role | |--------|------| | Nithiin | Dev | | Ritu Varma | Tara | | Ashok Selvan | Shashank (Sam) | | Nadiya Moidu | Dev’s mother | | Vennela Kishore | Physical therapist | | Abhinav Gomatam | Dev’s friend |

Ninnila Ninnila (2021) is a Tamil-language romantic drama with magical‑realist elements directed by R. Sarathkumar (credited as Gautham) and produced by R. K. S. Suresh. The film centers on food, memory, and longing, following an emotionally reserved chef whose life is upended when a mysterious woman enters his restaurant and catalyzes healing through shared meals. The narrative blends romance with subtle supernatural beats, using gastronomy as a metaphor for memory, identity, and reconnection.

Ninnila Ninnila is a gentle, heartfelt romance that prioritizes emotional depth over commercial formula. While it doesn’t break new ground, its sincere performances, beautiful music, and sensitive handling of disability and loss make it a worthwhile watch for genre lovers.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5) – Warm, comforting, and bittersweet. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3