'Nayyi Navelli' review: Yami Gautam's horror-comedy falls flat
Directed by Balaji Mohan, 'Nayyi Navelli' is a disappointing horror-comedy starring Yami Gautam that blends a witch suspicion plot with elements from the Ramayana, but ultimately suffers from weak writing and a dull execution
It is the season of the Ramayana. Of stories of the triumph of good over evil. Even when the epic is not retold outright, its moral framework often finds its way into other narratives. This Balaji Mohan-directed, Yami Gautam-starrer horror-comedy “Nayyi Navelli” falls somewhere in between. The film
It is the season of the Ramayana. Of stories of the triumph of good over evil. Even when the epic is not retold outright, its moral framework often finds its way into other narratives. This Balaji Mohan-directed, Yami Gautam-starrer horror-comedy “Nayyi Navelli” falls somewhere in between. The film
It is the season of the Ramayana. Of stories of the triumph of good over evil. Even when the epic is not retold outright, its moral framework often finds its way into other narratives. This Balaji Mohan-directed, Yami Gautam-starrer horror-comedy “Nayyi Navelli” falls somewhere in between. The film
It is the season of the Ramayana. Of stories of the triumph of good over evil. Even when the epic is not retold outright, its moral framework often finds its way into other narratives. This Balaji Mohan-directed, Yami Gautam-starrer horror-comedy “Nayyi Navelli” falls somewhere in between.
The film revolves around a large Meerut family, into which Mohini (Yami Gautam) marries after falling in love with Raja Awasthi (Adinath Kothare). Only Mohini is suspected of being a ‘daayan,’ a witch, by her brother-in-law Bantu (Anurag Thakur), who is determined to prove the same to the whole family.
The film spends the entire first half establishing the premise before taking an unexpected detour in the second. Ram and Ravan suddenly enter the picture and into the lives of the Meerut family. Mohini, it turns out, is searching for Kaal Sheel, a supernatural stone from the Treta Yuga that once belonged to Ravan. The stone doesn’t quite turn men into monsters; it brings out the monster lurking within them, in this case, Raja.
It’s a very Stree-coded premise, in both look and feel. But does it work? Not really.
As far as the writing goes, the first half stretches a thin premise well beyond its limits, taking far too long to get to the point. The second half, meanwhile, takes the story in an unexpected direction, though not necessarily a more compelling one.
When it comes to performances, Gautam delivers with whatever she is offered, and so does Kothare. Meanwhile, Thakur’s is one of the better performances in the film, which also stars Sunita Rajwar, Mita Vashisht and Susmita Mukherjee.
While the actors try to make the most of what they are given, the writing offers them little to work with, doing little to bring out their characters’ individual eccentricities.
Then there is the Ramayana, an epic told and retold countless times. The premise offers an interesting space to reimagine the story, but the makers do little with it beyond turning it preachy and, frankly, dull. The result is a frustrating watch that is best skipped.
Film: Nayyi Navelli
Director: Balaji Mohan
Cast: Yami Gautam Dhar, Addinath M. Kothare, Anurag Thakur, Sunita Rajwar, Mita Vashisht, Sushmita Mukherjee
Rating: 1/5