Book Review: Ram C/o Anandhi by Akhil P. Dharmajan

Ram C/O Anandhi by Akhil P. Dharmajan is not your typical love story. Set in the heart of Chennai, this contemporary South Indian romance delivers a chaotic, layered narrative filled with flawed characters, emotional turmoil, and sharp wit. As a Malayalee reader, I was excited to dive into a story that speaks to the South Indian experience in all its complexity- love, revenge, identity, and everything in between.

Ram C/o Anandhi by Akhil P. Dharmajan Book cover

Author: Akhil P. Dharmajan
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Themes: Messy modern love, revenge and redemption, found family
Trigger Warnings: Transphobia (verbal, societal), Toxic family dynamics, Gaslighting

**This was a gifted copy by Blogchatter. There was no obligation to post/give this book a certain rating.

When I first heard of Ram C/O Anandhi, I’ll admit, I was intrigued. A desi romance with a Tamil setting, quirky characters, and promises of drama and plot twists? Count me in! But what really caught my attention was the cultural backdrop. As a Malayalee, I’m always excited to see stories set in South India that don’t fall into overdone tropes. There’s something about the aroma of filter coffee, paatti’s wisdom, and the bustling lanes of Chennai that instantly feels familiar, even when it’s messy. Especially when it’s messy.

Also, can we take a moment to appreciate that this isn’t your average shiny fairy tale? This book promised realness, and boy, did it deliver.

Book Review: Ram C/O Anandhi by Akhil P. Dharmajan

Imagine walking into a rom-com, expecting cutesy meet-cutes and swoon-worthy declarations, and instead being handed a plate of hot idlis with extra sambar and a dash of chaos. That’s Ram C/O Anandhi for you.

Ram Aravind is our bright-eyed aspiring filmmaker who moves to Chennai to chase his dreams. Enter Anandhi—a no-nonsense receptionist who doesn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat. Their meet-cute? More like meet-cringe. Think spilled coffee, misunderstandings, and the kind of tension that makes you smirk through your teeth.

But here’s the thing—just when you think this will follow a predictable rom-com formula, it swerves. Dramatically. There’s love, sure, but also betrayal, revenge, unresolved trauma, identity issues, and unexpected emotional gut-punches.

Every time I felt I had the story figured out, it twisted again. Like a Malayalam serial that finally grew a spine.

The Characters

Ram is a classic dreamer. A bit messy, very moody, and the kind of guy who means well but keeps tripping over his own ego. You want to smack him and hug him, often in the same sentence.

Anandhi? Oh, she’s something else. She’s not your typical heroine waiting to be rescued. She’s tough, layered, and holds her ground. And no, she’s not perfect either; which makes her real. Their chemistry isn’t insta-love; it’s more like slow-burning resentment that accidentally catches fire.

Malli, the transgender character, stole my heart. Her presence is quiet but powerful. Her story is handled with care, dignity, and depth, without reducing her to a token character. And Paatti? Honestly, I need a book just about her life and life lessons. She’s the soul of this story.

Themes

This isn’t just a romance; it’s a messy, imperfect, all-too-human story about love, identity, and navigating life’s curveballs.

Love here isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. It’s clumsy, complicated, and often painful.
Revenge plays a central role, but it isn’t cartoonish. It’s deeply personal and reveals just how far people go to protect (or avenge) the ones they love.
Identity and acceptance: especially with Malli’s story, hit hard. It’s a quiet reminder that representation matters, and that real stories aren’t always easy, but they’re necessary.

And underlying all of it is this question: Can you really love someone else if you haven’t faced your own demons yet?

Writing Style

The book reads like a movie and not just because Ram is a filmmaker. The pacing is tight, the dialogue crackles, and you can practically hear the background music swell during dramatic moments. The writing is smart, sometimes snarky, and always emotionally grounded.

It doesn’t spoon-feed you emotions. It lets you feel them- awkward, raw, unfiltered. I loved that.

Also, the dialogues? Chef’s kiss. Sharp, sarcastic, and so rooted in South Indian sensibilities. You’ll chuckle, you’ll pause, and sometimes, you’ll go back to reread because it hits that close to home.

In a gist, here’s what you can expect from this book.

💫Messy 💫Real 💫Emotional 💫Relatable

Yes. If you’re someone who:

✔️ Loves stories rooted in reality
✔️ Craves desi drama without Bollywood gloss
✔️ Wants to see diverse characters that aren’t caricatures
✔️ Doesn’t mind a little messiness along with the romance

…then Ram C/O Anandhi deserves a spot on your reading list.

It’s not a fluffy fairy tale. It’s a story that feels lived in. Real, raw, flawed and all the more beautiful because of it.

Read it, laugh at it, cry a little, and maybe, just maybe, call your paatti afterward.