Ntikkakakoru Premandaarnn Malayalam Movie
Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn starts with the narration of a small girl. She says her brother once had a lover. We feel that a meet-cute moment will come soon afterwards, but director Adhil Maimoonath Asharaf delays it with some family drama. Sharafudheen plays Jimmy, a wannabe vintage car dealer. When Jimmy's younger brother gets married, a relative apologizes to him for not ensuring that he married first, but he responds with a smile. Sharafudheen's subtle expression convinces us that something bugs Jimmy and that he is not quite ready for a relationship. Why? We wonder.
It could be that Jimmy wants to be settled before thinking about marriage. Jimmy's car dealership business is not quite taking off due to a financial hiccup. Then comes a moment that seems like a meet-cute but is an awkward reunion of lovers. Jimmy's old lover Nithya (Bhavana) comes crashing into his life in an old-model Mercedes. It is no coincidence that Nithya's reentry into Jimmy's life happens in a vintage car as well. Now, Jimmy has more than one decision to make and a lot of possible roads to take. This man is not quite at a crossroads, but he seems to be stuck somewhere in life. Nithya, on the other hand, is at a crossroads.
Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn is a modest drama with very little conflict and modest ambitions. A large part of the film is reasonably engaging because the focus is mostly on the two lead actors. There is such good chemistry between Sharafudheen and Bhavana that you immediately buy into their love story. When Jimmy and Nithya meet again, the actors succeed in conveying the sheer awkwardness of the moment. For the good part, the film rides solely on the charm quotient and charisma of the leads, but tedium starts to set in soon.
The major deal-breaker here is the lack of fresh conflicts in the plot. I am glad that whatever little conflict the film has is not related to the caste difference between Nithya and Jimmy. There is no mention of cast here, but the conflicts are as old-school as parents having an issue with their children falling in love and a toxic husband who gets in the way of his wife. The film replaces cliches with another set of cliches. All it does is detract from the feel-good vibes established early in the film with Sharafudheen and Bhavana. Even the little girl's narration, which initially appears charming, becomes a tad annoying after a point.
Now, thankfully, the actors are committed to the cause. In her comeback film, Bhavana is convincing as a vulnerable woman who just does not have her way. It is like Bhavana has never gone away. Sharafudheen is more than just charming as a broken Jimmy who has an issue with communicating his innermost feelings. Sharafudheen has come a long way from his "Girirajan Kozhi" days and proves once again that he can shoulder a film. Ashokan does his best as a failed athlete and a father who makes some harsh life decisions. The slight stutter in Anarkali Nazar's voice at a pivotal point in the film tells you everything you want to know about her character. Even the actor who plays the toxic husband is brilliant.
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