Loveyapa Movie Review : A breezy take on romance in the digital era

Story: When Gaurav (Junaid Khan) and Baani (Khushi Kapoor) seek approval from the latter’s father to get married, he sets an unusual condition—they must swap their phones for a day. If they get through it without any problems, he will give them his blessing. What unfolds when the exchange takes place forms the crux of the story.

Review: What does trust mean to a generation that thrives on situationships? Can love survive modern-day distractions where temptation is just a click away—courtesy of messaging apps, social media, and endless choices? This forms the crux of director Chandan Advait’s youthful romcom, originally written by Pradeep Ranganathan.

Gaurav “Gucci” Sachdeva and Baani Sharma believe they have a ‘transparent’ relationship, knowing everything about each other—until Baani’s father, Atul Kumar Sharma (Ashutosh Rana), upends their love story. The strict patriarch challenges their trust by making them swap phones, promising his approval for their marriage if all goes smoothly. What follows is a chaotic ride as secrets unravel and misunderstandings mount.

While the premise is entertaining, the movie opens with formulaic romantic scenes between the couple, with the core conflict of the phone exchange occurring a good 30 minutes in. Sneha Desai’s screenplay feels segmented as the first half largely focuses on Baani’s secrets, while post-interval, it’s Gucci’s turn. A parallel track featuring Gucci’s sister Kiran (Tanvika Parlikar) and her fiancé Anupam (Kiku Sharda) adds layers to the narrative—particularly as Anupam’s obsessive phone-guarding fuels suspicion.

The film captures the Gen-Z’s dating landscape and life well. The narrative often feels overextended, but Gucci and his friends scrambling to keep his secrets hidden provide entertaining moments, as Tanishk Bagchi and Suyyash Rai’s trendy soundtrack keeps things lively. Beyond the humour, the film also explores the darker realities of the digital world, touching on fake identities, deepfake videos, and the divide between Boomers and Gen-Z, with lines like “Repair karna seekho, replace nahi” (Learn to repair, not replace). It also sheds light on body-shaming and gendered expectations in marriage—Baani says, “Tu abhi sirf chaubees ka hua hai, main chaubees ki ho gayi hoon” (You’ve turned just 24, but I’ve already turned 24).

Junaid Khan is impressive in his second big-screen outing, effortlessly portraying the foppish young man with charm. Khushi Kapoor also delivers a noteworthy performance as Baani, emoting with ease. Together, they make for a convincing young couple. Grusha Kapoor, as Gucci’s loud, nagging Punjabi mother, and Ashutosh Rana, as the shuddh Hindi-speaking and stern father, are commendable. Kiku Sharda and Tanvika Parlikar lend able support.

The film’s entertaining and youthful take on modern love effectively captures digital-age dilemmas, but a sharper, more focused narrative would have enhanced its impact. For takers of romcom and dramas, this will be an easy-breezy watch.