Narivettai Movie Review: Muddled script, but an important story
Review: Anuraj Manohar's Narivetta comes at a very - for lack of a better word - interesting time. Just days after the top Maoist leader and activists were gunned down in Chhattisgarh, the film looks into the real-life Muthanga incident of early 2003, where protesting Adivasis in Wayanad came under police fire under the orders of the government.
In a non-linear narrative, the film opens with Tovino's character running from the cops and them ambushing and taking him for questioning to a godown. We soon learn that Varghese Peter (Tovino) is also a cop. Why is he there and being held by the police? In flashback, we are given a glimpse into the start of the agitation among the tribals. Not given the promised land by the government and unable to find sustainable work, the leaders finally decide to congregate and protest in the Muthanga reserve.
Parallelly, Varghese's story unfolds; an ambitious and emotional young man, who reluctantly joins the CRPF. He is sent as part of the battalion to monitor the tribal agitation and is irritated by the volatile situation that the cops are in, particularly when a colleague is killed. But he gradually learns some bitter truths about the powers that be, whether it be the administration or the police force. Will Varghese be able to bring justice to his friend and the tribals?
Abin Joseph's script does not have the emotional and cinematic power of Nayattu, which is also about power play and creating scapegoats to take the fall, within the force and adminstration, and Anurag, too, hasn't effectively used the different characters.
Varghese gets his epiphany about the tribal issue too late into the story. Then, he goes through an overly dramatic transformation, which makes the storytelling feel fickle. And maybe the focus was too much building Varghese's character in the early part of the film, that the tribal issue felt a bit watered down. The main character would have been more effective as a voice of the agitation, rather than an outsider.
Cinematographer Vijay has created a visual experience that is definitely big screen. And Jakes Bejoy has been killing it with his music.
Arya Salim needs a special mention for her excellent portrayal of a tribal leader and for bringing to mind CK Janu. It is heartening to see that contentious political issues are being tackled through our films. In that sense, Narivetta is a brave, bold attempt. Amid all our entertainers, we periodically need cinema that shakes up the status quo and makes a new generation think.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Thrillers dominate first half of 2025 for Malayalam cinema
Thrillers have emerged to be the winning ticket for Malayalam cinema in the past several years. Last year, ended with the action thriller Marco, which registered stellar success despite the gory violence. Continuing with the trend, Mohanlal-led thrillers Empuraan and Thudarum too emerged to be among the big successes of 2025. Alappuzha Gymkhana could be the lone light-hearted film, which became a hit this year despite not featuring any violence or thrilling moments. From Empuraan to Tovino Thomas-led Narivetta, here's a look at the thriller films that dominated Malayalam cinema in the first half of 2025. Thudarum, Narivetta From Empuraan to Thudarum, watch the best of 2025 Malayalam thrillers on JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium Empuraan Mohanlal's first release of the year was much-anticipated and proved to be a winner at the box office. The action-packed political thriller follows Stephen Nedumpally aka Abraam Khureshi as he returns to Kerala after Chief Minister Jatin Ramdas floats a new party. But not just Kerala, the film weaves in tales from Gujarat, and Khureshi's international links as Interpol tries to track him down. The film helmed by actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran, also sparked controversies. But even that did not stop the thriller, the sequel to the hit film Lucifer, from becoming a roaring success at the box office. Thudarum Barely a month after Empuraan release, Mohanlal returned to the big screen with Thudarum, another riveting thriller. But unlike the big canvas of Empuraan, Thudarum focussed on an ordinary cab driver Benz Shanmugham. However, the film soon sheds its family drama vibes as the police seize Benz Shanmugham's car, which sparks a series of incidents that are linked back to his loved ones. The film becomes a riveting thriller as Benz seeks revenge after his stepson Pavi is brutally killed. Watch out for Mohanlal once again aces the action sequences in the film, which also features the vile villain of George Sir. Rekhachithram Rekhachithram follows cop Vivek as he tries to identify the victim and the murderer after a skeleton is found buried in the woods. His probe leads him to a Malayalam film set in 1985 which had Mammootty in the lead. Even while incorporating mystery and crime elements, Rekhachithram narrates an engrossing tale that will both thrill and move you. Malayalam actors Asif Ali and Anaswara Rajan headline this film, which emerged to be the first hit of Malayalam in 2025. Officer On Duty Another cop thriller, with actor Kunchacko Boban as the fiery Harishankar, who delves into a fake jewellery case only to realise that a far more sinister crime is linked to it. Sinister plots and heinous crimes are exposed as Harishankar probes the case. The film, helmed by Jithu Ashraf, penned by writer-director Shahi Kabir. Packed with twists and some raw action, the film stays suspenseful till the end. Vishak Nair plays the antagonist in the film along with Priyamani and Jagadish. Officer on Duty is streaming on Netflix. Narivetta Malayalam actor Tovino Thomas headlines this action-packed thriller, which focusses on a tribal protest. Tribals have been protesting as the promised land is yet to be allocated to them by the state. But as the police take action, it leads to a tense showdown between the cops and the protesting tribals. An ominous atmosphere engulfs this film, which raises some unsettling questions. Despite the serious subject and political implications, Narivetta succeeded in winning over audiences.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
Actor shares ‘goosebumps-evoking' heroics of an all-women flight crew
An Instagram post by actor Antony Varghese sharing what he described as 'goosebumps-evoking' experience while flying from Hyderabad to Kochi on an all-women crew Indigo flight with two aborted landing attempts, and how the entire passengers erupted in applause when the flight eventually landed at the Kochi airport on Thursday afternoon has gone viral. The flight, 6E 6707, which was supposed to land at the Kochi airport at 12.10 p.m., aborted an initial attempt followed by a second attempt before getting diverted to Coimbatore owing to bad weather. The flight eventually landed in Kochi around 2 p.m. Mr. Varghese was returning after wrapping up the shooting of his latest movie in Hyderabad. What seemed like a routine flight turned into something straight out of a movie as the weather turned 'wild,' he wrote. He said the first landing attempt was aborted just a few feet above the runway, followed by a second more intense one when the pilot made a split-second decision to pull up. 'Without even brushing the runway, she lifted the aircraft back into the skies. Goosebumps,' Mr. Antony's post read. The tension in the cabin was palpable, and the passengers were shaken. 'But the way the crew, all women, handled the situation was nothing short of inspiring,' he wrote. When the flight eventually landed safely in Kochi, the cabin erupted into applause. 'To the phenomenal women in the cockpit and the cabin – your quick decisions, precision, and professionalism turned a terrifying situation into a moment of deep respect and gratitude. Thank you for showing us what true grace under pressure looks like,' Mr. Varghese wrapped up his post, which had received nearly 32,000 likes by Friday evening. Indigo Airline sources confirmed that the flight indeed had an all-women crew but declined to share their details. The Kochi airport authorities said the landing was aborted when India Meteorological department had issued a thunderstorm forecast for the area including the airport.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Time of India
Narivetta OTT release update: What is the status of Tovino Thomas' critically acclaimed Malayalam actioner?
Narivetta OTT release update: Narivetta hit the screens on May 23 and opened to a good response at the box office. It also received rave reviews, with critics lauding the performances and the execution. The actioner was expected to premiere on OTT in late June/early July. However, there has been no announcement so far. Moreover, not even the platform has been revealed. An analyst has now weighed in on the situation When will Narivetta premiere on OTT? Trade analyst has this to say Tovino Thomas' Narivetta was released in theatres over a month ago and emerged as the toast of the town. Over four weeks have passed since it hit the screens but there is no update about its OTT release. In an interaction with Indiatimes, trade analyst Ramesh Bala explained the reasons behind this situation and indicated that the deal has not been signed. 'Sometimes the OTT deals are not signed immediately, so there is a lot of delay in Malayalam. I think the deal is not signed yet for Narivetta. In Tamil, there is a four week window but in Malayalam it can take time,' he told Indiatimes. Interestingly, even Mammootty's Bazooka isn't available on OTT even though it hit the screens in April. This also applies to The Megastar's Dominic and the Ladies' Purse, which was a January release. About Narivetta Narivetta is an actioner helmed by Anuraj Manohar. The movie deals with the issue of state-backed violence against the common man. It stars Tovino Thomas, Cheran, and Suraj Venjaramoodu. Jakes Bejoy serves as the music director. It was shot on a budget of Rs 10 crore and earned Rs 29 crore at the box office.
