Some love stories arrive quietly and stay with you for a long time. Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe is one of those films. After winning over Kannada audiences in theatres earlier this year, this romantic comedy-drama is now streaming from 21 November – ready to be discovered (or revisited) at home.
Directed and written by Simple Suni (Suni) and produced by Mysuru Ramesh under the Ram Movies banner, Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe brings together romance, humour, music, and a very relatable tug-of-war between “true love” and family obligations. At the centre of it all, Vinay Rajkumar leads, and Mallika Singh, Swathishta Krishnan, and Rajesh Nataranga round out the core cast.
If you like to see Drama movies or keep an eye on the new movies, you’ll spot Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe sitting there as a warm Kannada romantic movie with equal doses of melody and mess.
What Is Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe About?
At first glance, the title says it all – “one simple love story”. But the way that simplicity plays out is what makes Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe interesting.
The Kannada film follows Athishay (Vinay Rajkumar), a young man who lives and breathes music. He works under music director Sadhu (Sadhu Kokila), dreaming of the day he can finally compose his own songs and find a voice that matches the rhythm in his head. For him, love and music are deeply connected – he wants a partner whose “voice” and heart beat in tune with his melodies.
On the other side stands Anuraga, or Anu (Swathishta Krishnan), a kind woman who believes in honest, giving love. She will not chase a fairy-tale romance; she seeks someone who wishes good for others and asks nothing in return, period.
Athishay, however, falls hard for Madhura (Mallika Singh) – a modern, spirited woman who seems to fit the musical fantasy in his mind. Through a series of events and an old promise made to his grandmother, fate pushes him into marrying Anuraga instead. The twist is what gives Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe its unique tone:
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Athishay and Anuraga get married
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Both quietly feel their “true love” lies somewhere else
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Neither wants to break the promise or hurt the people who raised them
So they move through married life still questioning what real love is supposed to feel like. The romance film doesn’t treat this as a scandal; it treats it as a very human confusion.
Cast and Characters: Why the Pairings Work
A film like Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe lives or dies on its performances. Here, the casting clicks into place:
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Vinay Rajkumar as Athishay – He brings an easy charm to the role: part dreamy artist, part confused young man trying to balance music, romance and family duty. Critics praised his “haunting” performance and emotional honesty, especially in the final act.
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Swathishta Krishnan as Anuraga – She plays the odd girl in the extended family, raised by Athishay’s father, carrying a backstory that isn’t fully visible at first. Her stillness and small gestures gradually reveal what she feels but doesn’t say.
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Mallika Singh as Madhura – Making her Sandalwood debut, she steps in as the “dream girl” figure, but the script gives Madhura more than just surface-level sparkle. Her scenes with Athishay help us understand why he gets pulled into an idealised version of love.
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Rajesh Nataranga and Aruna Balraj portray Athishay’s parents and hold the narrative steady in a Kannada family space, with worry for their son’s future and vows that bind, not malice.
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As a mentor, Sadhu Kokila brings humour and relief and guards the emotional line that runs through this comedy movie for viewers.
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The supporting cast, including Karthik Mahesh as Ekanjith and a broad joint family around Athishay, fills scenes with motion and detail, so the romance lives inside a larger world.
A Simple Love Story With Layers
On paper, Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe is a Kannada romantic movie about a man torn between two women. In practice, it’s more about three other things:
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Expectation vs reality in love – Athishay’s musical fantasy doesn’t always match the person he actually feels safe with.
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Promises that shape lives – The promise to his grandmother is not just a plot device; it becomes a lens to talk about how older family decisions still decide younger people’s futures.
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The slow, unglamorous side of marriage – instead of only focusing on grand gestures, the film spends time on everyday moments, misunderstandings and quiet care.
Reviews at the time of release called it a “rare love story that is simple yet complicated” and a “fun, light-hearted entertainer” that works best when approached without huge expectations – just as a straightforward, musical love story.
Music, Visuals and Mood
For a drama film where the hero lives for music, the soundtrack has to carry weight. Veer Samarth’s score does exactly that. The album moves through ghazal shades, sufi touches, duets, devotional notes and even a bit of rap – mirroring Athishay’s inner mix of tradition and modernity.
The standout track “Ninyaarele”, sung by Armaan Malik, set the tone even before release – a soft, melodic piece that underlines the ache and longing at the heart of Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe.
With Karthik Sharma and Sabha Kumar behind the lens, the story steps beyond one city, as they shoot stretches in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Rajasthan, and Mumbai. You meet cosy interiors, noisy streets, and scenic views, and they shape frames with warm, gentle light that suits a tender romance.
The film runs under two and a half hours and leaves enough room to breathe. Songs play in full, pauses land, and family scenes take time, and they help you sink into the world each long evening at home.Who Is Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe For?
If you’re wondering whether to add Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe to your weekend list, a quick checklist might help:
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You enjoy Kannada romantic dramas where emotions, not action, drive the story.
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You like watching love grow slowly, with awkwardness and mistakes, rather than only big gestures.
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You’re curious to see Vinay Rajkumar in a role that leans heavily on music and vulnerability.
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You want a family film that families can watch together (it’s rated U/A 13+), with plenty of moments that spark conversation about love, duty and personal choice.
If you tick even a couple of those boxes, this “simple love story” will likely land well for you.
A Last Word Before You Press Play
Under all the songs, jokes and family chatter, Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe keeps returning to one question: Can a “simple” love story survive in a complicated world of expectations and promises?
Suni’s direction, Vinay Rajkumar’s performance and Veer Samarth’s music combine to give you an honest, gently surprising answer. If you’re in the mood for a Kannada love story that feels both familiar and a little different, this is one to line up today.
Bio of Author: Gayatri Tiwari is an experienced digital strategist and entertainment writer, bringing 20+ years of content expertise to one of India’s largest OTT platforms. She blends industry insight with a passion for cinema to deliver engaging, trustworthy perspectives on movies, TV shows and web series.
