Naradan

Naradan is a story revolving around the news media and its current temptation to revolve around ratings and mockery. Although the story is interesting, the direction is amateur. Ashiq Abu who made the beautiful Mayanadhi with Tovino couldn't recreate the magic again.

Tovino did a good job but has his limitations which he couldn't cross. The character demanded a better actor- Fahad, Prithvi or the big Ms would've suited better. Anna Ben who had her moments in previous films was a failure. Both Tovino and Anna at present has star value but the ability to act doesn't resonate with it.

Indrans was spectacular as munsif judge and Renji Panicker as lawyer was ok. Both of them were the only saving grace of the film. The ending was abrupt and disappointing.

Music and editing department of the film was pathetic. The entire film had lag between lines and at times felt like an art film made by a kid with phone camera.

Naradan had the potential to be a compelling political thriller but ends up as a wet cracker. Even the good script couldn't make up for average acting and bad making.

This movie aptly shows how news media and journalism works currently . In the ego and competition battle between channels, somewhere integrity of true news is missing in most cases. Worth a watch.

One time watchable movie, not so good but tovino was good . Everyone performed well except Anna she doesn't match up with the character as it is a lawyer and she look like a school student. Not good at all.

With the spread of media sensationalism conjoint with the growth of social media and the unchecked growth of 'news' platforms, a commentary on the same was the need of the hour and when a director of Aashiq Abu's calibre picked up such a topic, I was keen on what he would come up with. Unfortunately, "Naradan" falters with its insipid screenplay and tepid narrative style that neither entertains nor provokes thought requisite of the important subject matter it attempted to shine a light on.

Tovino Thomas stars as a Machiavellian news anchor, who resorts to sting operations and covering sensationalistic, clickbait news when his career reaches a crossroads. While it is refreshing to see him take up an anti-hero role after the rousing success of "Minnal Murali (2021)", he is given precious little to work with, with the character development happening in jarring flashes and the audience not getting any deep insights into his thought process, motivations, or antecedents.

Anna Ben makes good use of the little screen time she gets, as a steadfast lawyer fighting the good fight and Sharaf U Dheen also makes his mark, as the other side of the coin, a journalist focused on the facts rather than 'dirt'. However, it is Indrans who lingers in the mind with a deeply impactful, searing performance that is another testament to his growing stature as a character actor in Malayalam, after blowing us away with his turn from comedy to more serious roles in earlier films like "Aalorukkam (2018)", "Veyilmarangal (2019)", "Anjaam Pathiraa (2020)" and "Home (2021)".

"Naradan" had its heart in the right place and attempts to tell an important story-that of the dangers of an unchecked media culture running roughshod over citizens' rise to dignity and privacy in today's day and age. With rabble-rousers like Arnab Goswami and Sudhir Chaudhary continuing to bring in the highest ratings despite the jingoistic, sensationalistic drivel they peddle as news, it is time Bollywood also called out these practices.

Ultimately, despite having such a strong, relevant subject, "Naradan" fails to engage beyond a superficial level and falters in its attempts to cover these issues with any real conviction. Not recommended!

Having watched the thriller, it must be said, there are elements in it that are captivating, thought-provoking and powerful, and at the same time, the plot did lack the punch to convey the intended message. Especially, towards the end, the story lost its depth. Casting someone else as judge or an alternative cause to ground CP would have been much better.

Nevertheless, it doesn't bore you.