Naran
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| Naran | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Joshi |
| Produced by | Antony Perumpavoor |
| Written by | Ranjan Pramod |
| Starring | Mohanlal Jagathy Sreekumar Bhavana Innocent Siddique Madhu Bheeman Raghu Salim Kumar Devayani Sona Nair |
| Music by | Deepak Dev |
| Distributed by | Central Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 2005 |
| Running time | 2 hrs 30 min |
| Language | Malayalam |
| IMDb profile | |
Naran (translation: Man) is a 2005 Malayalam movie which tells the story of Mullankolli Velayudhan, a homeless ruffian with a good heart.
This film is based on a story written by Ranjan Pramod, who has already showcased his talent in story weaving in Manassinakkare and Achuvinte Amma.
[edit] Story
Mullamkolli Velayudhan (Mohanlal) is an orphan brought up by the good-hearted chief of the village (Madhu). Velayudhan keeps the evils of the modern world like organised crime, prostitution and even the import of substandard material from the outside world (depicted symbolically by a dubious fish seller from across the river) out of his tiny hamlet. He has even a designed a code of conduct for the local bar that has a thatched roof.
He is the moral police and the conscience-keeper of the people. The character may sound stereotypical and predictable coming from Mohanlal, but there are subtle changes from his past avatars. A toning down of the superhuman image has worked wonders here.
The credit for achieving this miraculous feat should go to writer Ranjan Pramod. He has worked on the story in such a way as to bring the natural abilities of the actor to the fore, even while treading on the well-beaten path.
The first half of the movie moves at a very slow pace, establishing the character and the surroundings, his relationships and his lost love. But the tempo picks up in the second half to culminate in an unexpectedly exciting climax.
Even some of the supporting characters like Kelappan (played by Innocent), who is a father figure to the hero, are well rounded. But one feels sorry for veteran Madhu and actress Bhavana. They simply don't get their due in this film. Salim Kumar's mandatory presence tries to tickle your funny bone and succeeds to a certain extent.
Mohanlal's performance is close to being called impeccable. The naturalness, for which he is famous for, comes through in trickles and flows. But the actor should take care about his ever-growing, rotund frame. He looks very bulky in the vest with a protruding paunch and tattooed biceps.
After film after film showed Mohanlal as a super hero, the Malayalee audience was beginning to tire of watching its favourite actor on screen, as he became a parody of his former self.
Naran is a refreshing change. Although the character is still endowed with superhuman strength, it is a well made film and reminds one of the old Mohanlal, we have all loved watching. One can feel for his character as he goes through the various trials and tribulations throughout the film.
