OHO ENTHAN BABY REVIEW
Cast: Rudra, Vishnu Vishal, Mithila Palkar, Mysskin, Karunakaran, Redin Kingsley, Nirmal Pillai
Director: Krishnakumar Ramakumar
Rating: 4/5
Alright, so Oho Enthan Baby. What can I say? Went in with low expectations, maybe because my biases were playing tricks on me: an established star launching a family member, a romance film with comedy bits. My brain was signaling “this is going to be just another run-of-the-mill affair” since both these elements have been delivering pretty average films lately. To my pleasant surprise, OEB turned out to be a genuinely fun and touching watch. Part of me was expecting cringy Gen-Z dialogue and super clichéd romantic scenes. And yes, a couple of romantic moments did feel familiar, but nowhere near as predictable as I’d feared. Director Krishnakumar navigates this territory quite skillfully, considering there’s only so much novelty you can bring to romance.
The story follows Ashwin (Rudra), an aspiring filmmaker with a troubled past. His parents constantly fought, both blessed with terrible tempers. Like father like son, adult Ashwin never learned to manage his anger either. Relationships came and went until, at his best friend Rasna’s (Nirmal Pillar) wedding, he meets his match: the sensible and lovely Meera (Mithila Palkar). Crush becomes love becomes relationship, but Ashwin’s anger and self-obsession persist despite being well into his twenties. The breaking point arrives when Meera, at her lowest, reaches out for support. Ashwin, unable to read the room, goes berserk instead. The relationship ends, and she leaves for her medical residency in Manipal.
This unfolds through Ashwin narrating to producer Vishnu Vishal (playing himself) about a potential romantic script he hopes will get funded. It’s cleverly meta, with real personalities like Vishnu Vishal and Mysskin appearing as themselves, complete with insider jokes. After hearing the story so far, Vishnu tells Ashwin he needs to finish his real-life love story by reconciling with Meera. That becomes the film’s emotional climax.
Oho Enthan Baby might feel slightly familiar at first—characters breaking the fourth wall, a director narrating in acts. We’ve seen these devices before. But the narration flows seamlessly, never feeling overly structured or template-like. The comedy consistently lands: from real-life commentaries about “Soori” and “Kenishaa” to Mysskin jokes (made fresher by Mysskin’s actual presence), to Karunakaran and Redin Kingsley being their reliable selves. Everything blends naturally. The romance between Ashwin and Meera is handled tastefully, with Meera’s backstory—being a US citizen whose ex only wanted a green card—adding believable depth. Krishnakumar works hard to keep things fresh within genre conventions.
Rudra, making his debut, can thankfully act—and act well. He delivers a calibrated performance as Ashwin, capturing the character’s immaturity and anger bursts before sobering up to his shortcomings in the final act. Mithila Palkar matches him beautifully, creating a character who’s both intelligent and emotionally authentic without overplaying. The supporting cast, including Vishnu Vishal, Karunakaran, Mysskin, and Redin Kingsley, round things out nicely.
The film looks great too. Strong production values and sleek, modern visuals perfectly suit the contemporary setting. Jen Martin’s songs are definite highlights.
Sure, given the genre, you’ve probably seen variations of this theme before. But it contains enough subtlety to avoid being a dealbreaker. The film acknowledges its conventional elements while finding small ways to make them feel fresh.
Oho Enthan Baby is a fun, breezy romance that deserves a theater visit. It’s proof that familiar stories can still surprise when told with heart and humor.