CHENNAI: Loneliness can become excruciatingly difficult especially in times like these with a pandemic ravaging the world. And for those who live alone, it can be even more difficult. Although the South African film, “Seriously Single,” takes place in a happier, normal period, its protagonist, Dineo (Fulu Mugovhani), is single and so lonely that she is desperate to hook up with any man who crosses her path. A social manager in a Johannesburg firm, she is happy at work and with her close girlfriend, Noni (Tumi Morake). But after two disastrous relationships, Dineo is clearly unhappy. And she commits one mistake that so many men and women with failed affairs do. She befriends Lunga (Bohang Moeko) – on the rebound. Directed by a brother-and-sister team, Katleho and Rethabile Ramaphakela, the movie, now playing on Netflix, infuses comedy into the gravity of the situation that Dineo finds herself in. Lunga is already engaged to marry a girl, but does not tell Dineo, hoping that the new relationship would be nothing else but short-lived – a kind of one-night stand. Dineo has other ideas. Dineo’s relationship with Lunga flies into turbulence, and she turns to Noni for advice and comfort. Noni firmly advocates independence and believes that women do not need men – except for physical gratification. She proudly keeps repeating that she never goes beyond a one-night stand. Otherwise, it can turn into a relationship, leading to possible heartbreak and sorrow. “Seriously Single” turns out predictable characters, but then they add a zing to the plot, and this is what makes the film rise above the mundane. Both women are genially disposed, and the betrayals they face have an element of fun. They are not morose, and there is no need for tissues. There is nothing much to talk about in terms of cinematography, and the imagery is often flat. Little attempt is made to capture the scenic beauty of Johannesburg. But “Seriously Single” stays away from getting serious and offers a lighthearted story of two women who think very differently, only to prove in the end that both were wide of the mark. The twist when it comes after several ups and downs is refreshingly different.