‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ trailer: R Madhavan, Fatima Sana Shaikh in a romance of equals 

A 42-year-old Sanskrit teacher bumps into love and has his worldview tripped and transformed in Netflix’s new romantic drama, Aap Jaisa Koi. 

The film, combining old-school charm with Gulzar-like themes of equity and agency, stars R Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh. Its trailer was launched in Mumbai on Wednesday (June 25).

Directed by Vivek Soni (Meenakshi Sundareshwar), Aap Jaisa Koi is set between Calcutta and Jamshedpur. Madhavan plays Shrirenu, a single man in his 40s who starts to re-examine his values when he meets the free-spirited Madhu (Fatima Sana Shaikh). As romance blooms, the meeting of their families reveals troubling fissures the couple must contend with. Can Shrirenu, raised in a traditional, conservative household, accommodate Madhu’s life choices? As he rightly tells him, who is he to decide her ‘limits’? The film emphases ‘barabari ka pyaar’ (love of equality), as Shrirenu and Madhu rethink their connection in a contemporary world. 

Aap Jaisa Koi is written by Radhika Anand and Jehan Handa from a story by Anand. Ayesha Raza, Manish Chaudhari and Namit Das also feature in the cast of Aap Jaisa Koi. 

Speaking about the film, R. Madhavan shared, “Aap Jaisa Koi is unlike any love story I’ve done before — it’s quiet, awkward, and deeply human. Shrirenu is one of the most complex characters I’ve played — someone who longs for companionship and closeness, but doesn’t quite know how to ask for it, yet he is rich with emotion underneath. This film isn’t loud or dramatic — it’s patient, gentle, and deeply affecting.”

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Fatima Sana Shaikh said, “Playing Madhu was incredibly special. We often associate strength and confidence with masculinity, but Madhu embodies these qualities with such softness and femininity… Through this film, I got to dive into different shades of love, and oddly enough, it felt quite therapeutic.”

Aap Jaisa Koi is backed by Dharmatic Entertainment, the digital wing of Dharma Productions. It is set to stream on Netflix from July 11.