I Love Thane, the fifth episode in the series Modern Love: Mumbai, stands out from all others for its storyline, characters, and direction. A composition of Dhruv Sehgal, who is best known for creating and starring in the famous and longest-running Indian Netflix series Little Things, I Love Thane has the same vibes Sehgal adds to his works.
It illustrates the importance of discovering true human connections in a time when people don’t seem to pay much attention to them anymore.
Perhaps the reason that I Love Thane might be more relatable than all other series is the fact that he is the youngest director of all.
All the other episodes were mainly concentrated on the protagonists overcoming certain barriers in their life while this one is realistic and drawn out from human experiences.
The anthology aimed to take the audience on a ride to see the different types of love. Whether it is slow burn or intense, profound or lustful, Love is an essential part of every human’s journey. I Love Thane is no different.
However, miles apart from impressions like flirtatious stares, intimate gestures, and passionate interactions, this episode reflects the patient side of love.
The story follows Saiba, a thirty-four-year-old landscape architect, worried to find a partner and using dating apps to meet people matching her standards. She unintentionally meets Parth, an old-school boy from Thane who is an audit officer, and the two have to work together on a project.
If you have ever used apps like Tinder to find a match, it is natural to establish a facade and strive to look perfect watching every action and word of yours to not disappoint the other person.
Saiba had to do the same but with Parth, she shredded the outward appearance where their platonic and warm conversations were entirely natural and spontaneous.
While infatuation may lead you to believe that being a different person brings you happiness, love is more about revealing your raw side. Parth, who does not have a single social media account and multiple friends to hang out with, explains his life to Saiba just the way it is.
I Love Thane focuses on this communication that steers the two of them to understand each other and observe the connection the two share.
Masaba Gupta, whose acting skills were appreciated after a Netflix series based on her life Masaba, Masaba, did her role well. Ritwik too played the role of Parth wonderfully, showing himself as a detached person who knows what he wants but not in a mainstream way.
Twenty-first-century love stories may make us believe that love lies in being similar to each other however, it is also true that recognizing the differences and respecting them nevertheless, is one of the many traits of love.
Each episode of Modern Love: Mumbai has a unique theme to offer and with such diverse stories it generally becomes probable that people like the one that resounds the most with their experiences.
I Love Thane is one such story that each of us can relate to as we daily get sucked into the loop of online dating apps where the place to accommodate real connections reduces every day.
Also Read: Modern Love: Mumbai Episode 4 My Beautiful Wrinkles Review: Caged Traumas, Forbidden Stories