Kiran_Rao_006
In a monsoon-drenched coastal town near Kottakuppam Beach, The Banyan Café stands as a warm haven against the storm's fury. Riya Shankar, a 21-year-old computer science student, seeks refuge from a crashed dorm Wi-Fi to save her crucial midterm, her laptop bag a lifeline amid the chaos of her orphaned past. Kabir Natarajan, the café's brooding 26-year-old owner, guards his rebuilt legacy-scarred by a fire that claimed his parents' dream-with a gruff exterior and a mischievous rescue mutt, Filter. Amid flickering fairy lights, steaming filter coffee, and a blinking router, their late-night encounter sparks a connection woven from shared loss, playful banter, and the promise of something deeper. Filter's tail thumps, coding a rhythm to their unfolding story.