DeAr Movie Review: A Promising Premise Let Down by Uneven Storytelling

Director: Anand Ravichandran
Cast: G.V. Prakash Kumar, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ilavarasu, Rohini, Kaali Venkat
Music: G.V. Prakash Kumar
Cinematography: Jagadeesh Sundaramoorthy
Editing: Rukesh
Produced by: Varun Tripuraneni, Abhishek Ramisetty, G. Pruthviraj under Nutmeg Productions
Release: April 11, 2024 | Language: Tamil
Streaming on: Netflix

Story & Themes

DeAr sets out to explore an unusual premise — how a minor domestic irritation spirals into an emotional chasm between a married couple. Arjun (G.V. Prakash Kumar), a newsreader and a light sleeper, finds his peace shattered when his wife Deepika (Aishwarya Rajesh) turns out to be a chronic snorer. What begins as a playful inconvenience soon escalates into a full-blown marital crisis.

Anand Ravichandran’s idea is intriguing: to turn something trivial into a study of empathy, ego, and the fragility of relationships. The script, however, wavers between insight and indulgence. Instead of staying tightly focused on the psychological tension between husband and wife, DeAr detours into extended family melodrama — an irritable brother, intrusive in-laws, and generational expectations — that often dilute the core emotional conflict.

Moments of quiet power do emerge, particularly when Deepika’s father (Ilavarasu) stands up for his daughter in a restrained yet moving confrontation. But such flashes of authenticity are overshadowed by a finale that leans too heavily on speeches and sentiment, offering reconciliation without emotional buildup.

Performances

G.V. Prakash Kumar delivers a sincere performance as the weary, irritable Arjun. His frustration feels believable in the early scenes, though his emotional register becomes repetitive as the film progresses. Despite being both actor and composer, he never quite finds the internal rhythm the role demands.

Aishwarya Rajesh, as Deepika, brings grace and subtlety to a character that often feels underwritten. Her ability to convey hurt and restraint elevates many otherwise thinly written moments. Unfortunately, the screenplay rarely lets her drive the narrative; she remains reactive to Arjun’s turmoil rather than an equal participant in it.

Among the supporting cast, Ilavarasu shines with understated dignity, while Rohini lends warmth to the family scenes. Others like Kaali Venkat and Thalaivasal Vijay provide competent turns but are confined to the margins.

Technical Merits

Visually, DeAr is modest but competent. Jagadeesh Sundaramoorthy’s cinematography captures the intimacy of domestic spaces — sleepless nights, half-lit arguments, and silences that feel heavier than words. However, the visual storytelling rarely rises above the functional.

Rukesh’s editing struggles to maintain pace, especially in the second half where narrative loops and emotional redundancies set in.

Musically, G.V. Prakash Kumar’s own score adds moments of relief but lacks memorable highs. The songs feel supplementary rather than organic to the storytelling.

Box Office & Streaming

At the box office, DeAr underperformed, collecting an estimated ₹1–1.7 crore during its theatrical run. Despite mixed-to-poor reviews, the film found a second life on Netflix, where it streamed from late April 2024, drawing modest curiosity for its unconventional theme.

Verdict

DeAr is a film with a tender heart and a scattered mind. Anand Ravichandran deserves credit for attempting to dissect marital tension through something as mundane — and relatable — as snoring. But the screenplay’s lack of focus and tonal inconsistency leave the film stranded between slice-of-life realism and soapy melodrama.

Had the writing stayed truer to its intimate conflict — the sleepless nights, the guilt, the slow erosion of empathy — DeAr might have been a quiet triumph. Instead, it settles for sentiment over subtlety.

⭐ Rating: 2.5/5

Bottom Line: A well-intentioned domestic drama that snores louder than it speaks.