After the charming Pagglait earlier this year, Netflix’s Meenakshi Sundareshwar seems right up Sanya Malhotra’s alley. The slice-of-life offering, through its leads Malhotra and Abhimanyu Dassani, tells the story of a young couple who find themselves in a long-distance marriage. While the vivacious character of Meenakshi was a big draw, Malhotra says the film’s central theme resonated with her due to her personal experiences. “I believe people will connect to the aspect of a long-distance [marriage]. Since I was in a long-distance relationship, I could relate to the film,” she states.

Vivek Soni’s directorial venture is a classic case of opposites attract as the spirited Meenakshi falls in love with the shy Sundareshwar. “There’s an interesting juxtaposition between Sundar and Meenakshi — he is shy and calm whereas she is confident and outgoing,” says the actor, adding that it was fascinating to play a role that is in stark contrast to her off-screen personality.

“I am an introvert, and take my own sweet time to open up to people. Meenakshi didn’t need time to warm up to Sundar; in their first meeting itself, she was sure that she would marry him. I fell in love with my character from the very beginning.”