Skip to main content

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.

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:

Comments

Most LOVED Posts

Best time to light diya

Want to know when is the best time to light diya or deepam at home? In most Hindu homes, 'deepam' or 'diya' is lit at least twice - once in the morning and then in the evening. For both times, brass is considered to be auspicious for lighting deepam or lamp at home. Clay diyas are auspicious for lighting at home. On Fridays, it is considered auspicious to use ghee in a silver lamp. When Should I Start Lighting Diyas? The symbolic shift begins from darkess to light. Therefore, in the evenings, light diya before sunset to usher in divine blessings into your home. Can we light diya with sunflower oil? No, do not use sunflower oil for lighting diya. Can I use cooking oil to light diya? No, you should not use cooking oil to light diya. Which oil to use for daily diya? Use sesame or gingelly oil for daily diya. What to burn in a diya? Use ghee or sesame oil or mustard oil. Can we put coconut oil in diya? Yes, you can put coconut oil in diya. Which deepam oil is best for poo...

How To Light Diya: Big Mistakes To Avoid

Wondering how to properly light a diya? What are some common mistakes to avoid while lighting diya at home? As a child, I used to watch my grandmother light the Nilavilakku or the traditional lamp at home. Back then, I didn't understand its deeper significance. [READ: Why Malayalis Light Nilavilakku ] Lighting a diya or a lamp embodies our inner journey from darkness to light. T he transition represents a deep metaphysical truth: the triumph of light over darkness. Are you lighting your diyas wrong? Use these tips! [Source: Pexels.com] How To Properly Light A Diya At Home 1. Never place your diya or lamp on the floor to light it in your pooja room. Keep a Thaali/Plate under it. You can keep a small brass plate under the lamp. Don't use that Thaali/Plate for any other purpose once you use it for this purpose. 2. Don't put your diya or lamp in any place where it is not clean earlier. Before you place the diya or lamp, make sure ...

Does something bad happen if the diya goes off?

Is it bad if a diya goes off? This is a frequently asked question among people who light the evening lamp or diya regularly in their puja room. Cultivating the attitude 'Everything is Divine Prasad', which embodies Prasada Bhakti , is a good way to minimise negative thoughts with regard to one's way of worship.  When we light the lamp in our homes, imagine you are sending out divine love to the world.  When you burn the incense stick, imagine you are burning away all negative karma within each family member and offering it before your Ishta Devata. [READ: How To Light Deepam at Home and  Why Malayalis Light Nilavilaku ]                                                     [Image by Sachin Yadav @ Pixabay] What Happens When A Diya Goes Off? Many consider it as a 'bad omen'. For a devotee who worships Ishta Devata, everything represents Divine Gra...

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being bor...

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? How to properly light a diya? Should diya face god or us? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. The lamp or the diya always faced the deity or Ishta Devata. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. [READ: How To Light Diya - Big Mistakes to Avoid!] [ Let's Connect on Facebook ] As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hyg...