Here is the uncomfortable truth about independent Tamil cinema in the late 2010s: theatrical distribution was a nightmare. Ispade Rajavum Idhaya Raniyum released on February 1, 2019, to overwhelmingly positive critical acclaim but mediocre box office numbers. It was pulled from most multiplexes within two weeks.
In a typical Tamil film, the heroine would reform the hero. Here, Aanvi amplifies Maaran’s insanity. Their love is a chemical reaction that produces poison.
It reflects the movie's theme of toxic love —where two people are drawn together by an attraction that is as painful as it is powerful.