Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn Movie Review: Sharafudheen shines in this cheerful film about second chances

Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn Movie Review: Sharafudheen shines in this cheerful film about second chances

The two leads complement each other well, right from their first scene together, where they both convincingly portray the awkwardness of meeting an ex-lover
Rating:(3.5 / 5)

It is inspiring to see how Sharafudheen's career peaked from being a comedian doing side-kick roles to becoming a bankable lead actor. Eight years after being noted for a hilarious proposal scene in Premam, Sharafudheen gets another proposal scene in Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn, and this time, his charming presence is not a side note, but the central core. This largely safe film is bolstered by Sharafudheen's refreshing chemistry with Bhavana, who is making her comeback to Malayalam cinema.

Cast: Bhavana, Sharafudheen, Saniya Rafi, Anarkali Nazar

Director: Adhil Maimoonath Asharaf


Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn is a film about second chances. At the crux of it are two childhood sweethearts—Jimmy (Sharafudheen) and Nithya (Bhavana)—forced to part ways as teenagers, trying to get back together years later. Jimmy and Nithya are desperately seeking second chances individually as well. Jimmy in the form of a profession that he is passionate about and Nithya from an abusive marriage.

Debutant filmmaker Adhil Maimoonath Asharaf, who has written, directed, and edited the film, shows much promise despite a few inconsistencies. Jimmy is almost in a relationship with another woman, Fidaa (Anarkali Nazar), and that's when his ex-girlfriend, Nithya, makes an unexpected appearance. At this point, there was a solid scope for an intense love triangle, but it's refreshing how this film handles it. There's hardly any fuss or drama as Fidaa gracefully moves on and encourages Jimmy to pursue what he truly wishes for, both in his personal and professional life.

In what seems like an earnest attempt to infuse some freshness in storytelling, the makers employ screenwriting techniques like fourth-wall breaking and multiple narrators. It all seemed interesting initially, but they were very few and far in between that it didn't have a strong purpose in hindsight. Much of the narration is done by a young girl named Mariam (Saniya Rafi), and there's an adorable sibling bonding between her and Sharafudheen's character that lightens up the first half. However, the narrative becomes slightly stretched in the latter half, and it only gets undermined by the inclusion of a romantic song at a crucial moment. Although Bhavana and Sharafudheen make a good-looking pair, the song looked totally out of place.

The two leads complement each other well, right from their first scene together, where they both convincingly portray the awkwardness of meeting an ex-lover. Their chemistry only gets better as the narrative progresses, with good help from some sensible writing. Particularly commendable are the seamless conversations between the long-lost couple. On her comeback, Bhavana plays the role of an independent single mom with much grace. Her character in the film, like her real self, battles a traumatic past and fights valiantly for her justice. It is not a challenging character per se, but one that's right up her alley.

While Bhavana's character is well-rounded, the same cannot be said about Sharafudheen's Jimmy, a potentially solid character that remained untapped to a large extent. There's a scene in the film where Jimmy opens up about his inability to communicate freely with people due to the lack of human interaction during his 6-year-long Dubai exile. It would have added another dimension to the character if the film had explored more of this aspect rather than restricting his condition to a single line. Despite such shortcomings in writing, Sharafudheen manages to shine. There's something 'nice' about the actor. Here's a guy who can be brutally ruthless (remember Varathan?), but also has it in him to be the ideal nice guy; something that Jayaram did convincingly during the late 80s and 90s. In Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn, he shares wonderful chemistry with not just Bhavana, but with all his co-actors. The scenes between Sharafudheen and Anarkali, with Saniya tagging along as the third wheel, are all genuinely enjoyable. Similarly impactful is the father-son bond with Ashokan, who plays a tough dad.

Ticking all other boxes—pleasant visuals, soulful music, and vibrant costumes—deemed mandatory for a feel-good film, Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn instills a sense of contentment and hope.

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