As the musical romantic love story Couple Friendly gears up for its theatrical release on February 14, heroine Manasa Varanasi has expressed strong confidence that the film will connect with both young audiences and families. Starring Santosh Soban as the male lead and Manasa Varanasi as the female lead, the film is presented by UV Creations and produced under the UV Concepts banner, with Ajay Kumar Raju P as co-producer and Ashwin Chandrasekhar as director. The film is releasing simultaneously in Telugu and Tamil as a Valentine’s Day special, with Dheeraj Mogilineni handling distribution in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
In a recent interaction, Manasa Varanasi said the team worked on the film for several months and that the release moment feels special for everyone involved. She shared that after her previous film Devaki Nandana Vasudeva, she waited for the right script and was drawn to Couple Friendly because of the passion she saw in the director and the team. According to her, the makers set out to create something fresh and magical rather than follow routine love story formulas.
Manasa plays the role of Mithra, a lively, talkative and spontaneous young woman from a middle-class background who moves to Chennai in search of a job after completing her degree. She said Mithra’s impulsive nature and fun personality bring several entertaining moments in the film, and her popular catchphrase “Chepta Chepta” will be heard multiple times, adding a light-hearted touch. She added that the character will make audiences laugh while also relating to the everyday struggles of young people trying to build their careers in a new city.
Talking about the story, Manasa said Couple Friendly breaks away from the usual boy-meets-girl love story template. The lead characters, Shiva and Mithra, come from different towns, different backgrounds, and have different goals, and their meeting itself is shown in an unusual way. The film also explores the concept of live-in relationships with a fresh perspective, reflecting how today’s youth think practically and weigh their choices carefully before taking major life decisions. She believes this contemporary approach will help the film connect strongly with urban youth while still being relatable to family audiences.
Manasa praised Santosh Soban as a dedicated and energetic co-star and said working with him made her performance better. She revealed that the team even conducted workshops to prepare for their roles and that the set atmosphere was fun and professional. The film, she said, has many entertaining moments and emotional beats that make it a complete feel-good entertainer.
Addressing the discussion around the film’s title, Manasa said she did not understand why there were objections to the title Couple Friendly, as the phrase can have positive meanings and simply reflects the friendly bond between the lead pair. She added that the film is not just meant for youth, but also has elements that families can enjoy together, making it a clean and relatable Valentine’s Day release.
Manasa also spoke about her journey from beauty pageants to cinema, saying that pageant training made her comfortable in front of the camera, which eventually drew her toward acting. She revealed that while her family was initially concerned about her entering the film industry, they have gradually become supportive as they understood her choices and passion for cinema.
She addressed the presence of a few intimate scenes in the film, clarifying that the team maintained professionalism and ensured the scenes were shot in a poetic and tasteful manner. She said she was initially hesitant but felt comfortable due to the respectful working environment created by the director, cinematographer and co-actors. Manasa emphasized that glamour does not necessarily mean exposure and that the romantic moments in the film are presented aesthetically without being vulgar.
The actress also described shooting in Chennai with a guerrilla-style approach as a new and refreshing experience, where scenes were filmed in real locations with people moving around naturally. She added that the director ensured the dialogues suited both Telugu and Tamil sensibilities, making the film feel authentic in both languages. With Couple Friendly ready for release, Manasa said she is keen to explore more youthful entertainers with meaningful messages, along with thrillers, mysteries, romantic comedies and feel-good films in both Telugu and Tamil cinema.
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Manasa Varanasi: ‘Couple Friendly Will Win Both Youth and Family Hearts’
