Nadanna Sambhavam Movie Review

Is Nadanna Sambhavam a family movie? Directed by Vishnu Narayan, this Biju Menon-Suraj Venjaramoodu starrer is a good family entertainer centered on an affluent, unconventional couple who stay in an elitist conservative colony where insecure husbands and unhappy wives project their biases onto the new couple.

[READ: Best Parenting Movie in Hindi]

Nadanna Sambhavam movie: Story

Wondering if Nadanna Sambhavam is a comedy? Scene by scene, through comedy, one realises only the clothes and houses look "modern"; people's mindsets date back to centuries-old, patriarchal biases.

As a loving husband and a caring neighbour, Biju Menon's natural acting skills are in full throttle. The tonality of his voice when he speaks to women is a noteworthy template for men who lack the same empathy and finesse in their social skills while interacting with women in public spaces.

In sharp contrast, Suraj Venjaramoodu strikes a slightly menacing persona. He portrays an arrogant man who is a reactive, confrontational and short-tempered. In his daily routine, he hardly respects his wife's opinions and lacks the courage to have a heart-to-heart conversation with her. When he approaches her, the fear in her eyes is evident.

What happens in Nadanna Sambhavam movie?

The story revolves around life in an affluent housing colony which has a solid patriarchal framework and modernity is confined to clothes, not mindsets. A glimpse of a suave, well-mannered husband who takes care of the home while his wife drives off to work in an SUV is not easy for most people to accept as 'normal'. While wives look at the 'gentleman' with curiosity and awe, their husbands detest him for being unconventional and more importantly, hugely popular with women.

I like how each character in the film interprets the body language of men and women who hold conversations with each other in a light-hearted way - it is always misunderstood! And this is exactly what the protagonist's wife cautions him despite her confidence in her husband, she tells him, "Be careful. Everyone will not understand your ways."

Notably, the issue of conventional biases are hinted at, similar to how biases related to religious identities are probed in Prithviraj starrer, 'Anarkali'.

The way jealousy and insecurity paves the way for a battle of wits forms the crux of 'Nadanna Sambhavam.'

Throughout every scene, including the explosive police station questioning scene, Lijimol Jose showcases artistic brilliance, perfect timing and a deeply touching performance. Her expressions embody an unhappy wife's helplessness, anger and sadness. She speaks very little but her expressions speak volumes about her predicament.

In her own words, "I am invisible" is the best way to sum up her presence.

In a masterful stroke, the narrative swivels between comic dialogues to ease the tension and the gravity of the real issue that no one is addressing directly - a woman's right to privacy! More importantly, the story puts out a bold message to the audience - a woman has every right to share details of her problems with a man she trusts, even if it is not her husband, as long as the respect and platonic friendship is mutual.

This movie is a thought-provoking family entertainer. I find it bold too, like the Parvathy-Kunjacko starrer Take Off and Manju Warrier-starrer Rani Padmini.

In your view, do you agree/disagree with this? What are your thoughts?

And if you enjoyed reading this review, check out these Malayalam movie reviews:

Kondal 

Vikramadityan

James and Alice

Mumbai Police

Spanish Masala

Chandrettan Evideya

Premam

Lavender

Ayyapanum Koshiyum

Ranam - Detroit Crossing

Gautamantey Radham

Theevram

Arike

Sukhamo Devi

Elsamma Enna Oru Aankutty

Bangalore Days

Aye Auto