Three Sons of Narayani

Somewhere in the middle of the movie, we see a frame frozen for a few seconds, depicting a typical Kerala house with three brothers sitting quietly and discordantly. This frame epitomises the entire proceedings of the film. Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal, meaning "Narayanee's Three Sons" in Malayalam, is a film without a real story, a beginning or a typical end. It is just a slice-of-life portrayal that takes us through a few days in the lives of a discordant family. It feels as if Director Sharan Venugopal set up cameras and sound recording devices in and around the house to showcase the candid happenings there as a feature film!

An old mother (Narayanee) is in her final stages of life on a ventilator. Her three sons, along with their families, come together to be with her in her last days, attempting to bury their past hatchets, at least for the outside world. As their wait unexpectedly prolongs, relationships and intentions unravel. This type of narrative is not new to Indian cinema in general or Malayalam cinema in particular. However, Malayalam cinema excels in this genre by keeping it real, devoid of stars, drama, punch dialogues, lewd comedy, or loud music. This film has none of these elements.

As days pass, apart from the relationship dynamics between the three brothers, there are fleeting references to quite a few other issues-interfaith marriage and its aftermath, caste conflicts in society, adolescent love and breakups, the fraught relationship between a mother and daughter, small-town idiosyncrasies, and the rebellious streak of today's youth, among others. Every character, including the ailing mother who doesn't speak a single word in the film, comes in shades of grey and are as real as possible, thanks to some outstanding performances by the entire cast and impressive camera work.

I am certain that outside of Malayalam cinema, actor Alencier Ley Lopez is not very well known. However, as a character actor, he ranks among the best in the country today, in my eyes. In this film, Alencier, as the eldest son, feels as if he has stepped right out of real life. His performance adds to his already impressive filmography in Malayalam, including films like Thondimuthalum Drikshakshiyum, etc. Suraj Vencharamoodu and Joju George, as the other two sons, deliver equally effortless performances with their restrained portrayals. Even with this heavyweight cast, the ones who stood out for me were Garggi Ananthan and Thomas Mathew, who play the roles of the adolescent kids in the family. Garggi's charming face and her permanently moist eyes serve as a perfect foil for her character in this film. Thomas, as a representative of today's youth grappling with their parents, love interests, and life's purpose, is simply fantastic. Without the stellar cast, this film's straightforward and familiar narrative would not have resonated as effectively.

Director Sharan introduces a very uncomfortable sequence that touches on societal taboos, which could be explosive in a society like ours. He quickly shifts the focus to the core theme, which is the nature of relationships between the three brothers. The screenplay, which moves at a slow pace until then, suddenly accelerates towards the end sequence, which cannot be called the climax, as there is none.

The Director leaves the conclusion to the viewers' imagination, but it is not difficult to infer what might have transpired. At another level, the film echoes the essence of another fine Malayalam film-Ullozhukku (Read My Flash Review here). With numerous undercurrents, this film could easily pass as a sequel to that film, featuring a parallel set of characters!

Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal, streaming on Amazon Prime, is a must-watch if you appreciate realism in movies, as I do.

Rating - 4/5

A small beautiful family drama that resonates with the inner mindset within oneself.

The plot of the story revolves around 3 brothers and the family get together at their native house for spending some last moments with their dyeing mother,cherishing the childhood memories and the eventful insider tales within the closed doors of a family that unfolds forms the storyline.

Beautiful narration by Sharan Venugopal is evident through the intriguing screenplay and grounded dialogues where in the story could be well related by anyone within the immediate circle of family. Sharan has brilliantly portrayed some weird situations that would have crossed the minds at some point of our life so naturally. He has put light on the variance in how people among two generations move on from their past mistakes without a hitch. The director has placed the story in a way to decide who/what is right and wrong from varied perspectives.

Hats off to the filmmaker for bringing a handful of incredible actors for filming this wonderful story. Joju George,Suraj & Alencier has given an outstanding performances of their characters portraying the distinct layers in ease. Impressive performances by Garggi & Thomas of the characters leaving anxiety with their mischievousness. Sajitha Madathil & Shelly has made subtle performances of their characters.

Good Cinematography by Appu Prabhakar in lighting up the curiousness in the story and bringing the innocence & open minds of the villagers aptly onto the screen. Good cuts by Jyoti Swaroop Panda for keeping the family drama very well engaging. Rahul Raj's music & BGM's deserves appreciation for keeping alive the freshness in the story.

A good family drama that gives an insight on the varied depth in family relationships and values.

Narayana's Third Generation - A Family Story

This is a perfect drama-genre movie. It beautifully portrays the essence and sincerity of an ordinary family, showcasing different shades of love. The story revolves around family relationships, their small struggles, and how everything comes together in the end. The film feels very relatable, as it reflects events that could happen in any household.

The movie progresses at a slow pace, maintaining a steady rhythm. It doesn't rely on excessive comedy, but certain moments make you think.

Should you watch it in theaters? If you enjoy slow-paced movies, then yes, you can give it a try. Otherwise, it might not be the best theatrical experience.

Yes, the film is slow, and that is exactly what makes it special. Somewhere along the way, we have forgotten how to appreciate movies that take their time. We have lost touch with stories that feel real, filled with soft emotions, heartfelt conversations, and gentle storytelling. This movie is a quiet reminder of that.

It portrays the imperfections of life, capturing the layered nature of sibling relationships with subtle grace. It touches on the idea of forbidden love between cousins, though that is never the point. At its core, the film is about emotional drift - about how even the closest relationships can begin to feel unfamiliar, like something you once knew but can't quite hold anymore. It's a slow burn, carried not by grand events, but by warmth tucked between conversations, and the weight of what remains unsaid.

Loneliness is woven into the smallest of spaces. You sense it in Joju's character, who masks his ache behind bursts of wit and friction, in the girl who says she hates her mother but only ever wanted to be understood, and in Suraj's journey, shaped more by others' choices than his own. These moments never shout, but they linger long after.

The direction is beautiful, and the writing even more so. The film is filled with moments that feel genuine and unforced. The performances are strong across the board, especially that of Garggi Ananthan, who brings depth and honesty to her character.

In the end, the film leaves a soft sense of 'ranjish' in your heart. However, it does not hit hard, and perhaps that is why it struggled to connect with the theatre audience.

I have been looking forward to watch Narayaneente moonnaanmakkal the moment i saw Joju in the cast but still kept my expectations low and didn't watch the trailer , according to movie critic and youtuber Ashwant kok,one of the success of a movie lies in its ability to draw the viewer into its universe and keep you there without allowing you to drift out ,i whole heartedly agree with this view but kok seems not to be impressed with this movie by the debutante director Sharan Venugopal ,myself on the other-hand was immediately draw into the movie's universe , the cinematography is beautiful ,nothing fancy but it has its warm feel just as the movie demands ,the music and background score compliments well,checkout the aching soulful melodies of 'viral thodum',since time immemorial man is always searching he/she is reaching out towards the other who can somehow fill the void and this movie is a meditation on these themes , on love/separation the movie also touches on social issues centering on behavior of people which is rooted in deep bias and hypocrisy leading to some funny exchanges but it also points out that all this is furthering the misery towards others and themselves .... maybe we are all like that fish trapped in that bowl looking for that grand emancipation...