The cinematography by Eeshit Narain takes us on a genuine journey. We aren’t just seeing tourist postcards. We go to the bylanes of Bikaner, the quiet ghats of Rishikesh, and the lonely highways of Rajasthan.
In the bustling cacophony of Bollywood’s big-budget romances, where grand gestures often drown out genuine human connection, a quiet, quirky little film slipped onto the scene in 2017. Qarib Qarib Singlle —translated roughly as “Almost Single” or “Single by a Hair’s Breadth”—was not a blockbuster. It didn’t feature car chases, lavish weddings, or dramatic rain-soaked confessions. Instead, writer-director Tanuja Chandra offered something far rarer and more precious: a tender, witty, and deeply observant look at love in the age of dating apps, widows, and the messy, beautiful unpredictability of middle-aged companionship.
is precisely that film. Directed by Tanuja Chandra and starring the unlikely yet electric pairing of Irrfan Khan and Parvathy Thiruvothu, the film didn’t break box office records. Instead, it broke stereotypes. qarib qarib singlle
Qarib Qarib Singlle, Irrfan Khan, Parvathy, Hindi romantic comedy, modern romance, road trip movies, Bollywood cult classics.
Any article on Qarib Qarib Singlle would be incomplete without a deep bow to Irrfan Khan. In a career defined by understated brilliance, his Yogi is a masterclass in controlled flamboyance. He makes the character’s potential creepiness utterly endearing. A lesser actor would have made Yogi insufferable—a mansplaining narcissist. But Irrfan injects him with a childlike vulnerability. Watch his eyes when Jaya laughs genuinely for the first time. Or the slight, almost imperceptible deflation in his posture when he realizes one of his exes has truly forgotten him. He plays Yogi as a man who uses humour as a shield, but whose heart is wide open, ready to be wounded. The cinematography by Eeshit Narain takes us on
(Irrfan Khan), an eccentric, talkative poet who wears his heart (and his bright clothes) on his sleeve. They meet through a dating site and embark on a journey across India—from Rishikesh to Gangtok—to visit Yogi’s three ex-girlfriends. The goal? To see if he was truly as great a boyfriend as he remembers. Why It Stands Out The Irrfan Khan Magic:
This was one of the last few films Irrfan Khan completed before his battle with neuroendocrine cancer became public. Watching Qarib Qarib Singlle today is a bittersweet experience, because Khan was a master of the "pause." but not in a dramatic
is a widowed, risk-averse, corporate professional living in Gurgaon. She is meticulous. She writes pros and cons lists. She wears sensible saris and carries an umbrella even when the forecast says "sunny." She is still grieving the loss of her husband, but not in a dramatic, weeping-under-the-shower way. She grieves by freezing time—by refusing to move forward romantically. She is neurotic, judgmental, and occasionally rude. In short: she is real.
At its core, Qarib Qarib Singlle is a celebration of being "almost single" and the beauty of unfinished stories. It suggests that closure isn't always about a perfect ending but about moving forward. The film resonates with anyone who has ever navigated the world of digital dating or felt the trepidation of starting over.