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Naran
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'Naran' Mohanlal Shines

By P. Sreekumaran
Film critic, ApunKaChoice.Com

Malayalam megastar Mohanlal has an uncanny knock for bouncing back from the brink. He has done it a number of times in the past. Well, the versatile actor has done it again, with the Joshi-directed Naran, his latest film.

It was a make-or-break kind of situation for Mohanlal. If Naran had flopped, it could have raised serious questions about the megastar’s staying power. He need not worry. Naran has had a fantastic opening, and is on the way to becoming a super hit.

A

part of the credit for the success story that Naran is due also to veteran director Joshi and scriptwriter Ranjan Pramod. Both have made judicious use of the huge talent that is Mohanlal to come up with a movie that appeals to the common man. Here is a character that they can relate to, unlike the larger-than-life characters Mohanlal has essayed in Udayon. No wonder, Udayon flopped because the character Mohanlal played therein left the audience cold.

The story unfolds in a village called Mullankolli. Velayudhan (Mohanlal) is an orphan who is brought up by Valiya Nambiar (Madhu) a good Samaritan of the village. Velayudhan grows up into a young man who cannot stand injustice.

In fact, everyone in the village, including local moneylender and politician 'member' Kurup (Jagathy), are scared of him. He is hated also by Gopinathan Nambiar (Siddique), son-in-law of Valliya Nambiar who wants to be the monarch of all that he surveys.

Velayudhan listens only to the Valiya Nambiar and to some extent Kelappan (Innocent), who looked after him as a child. Velayudhan’s popularity is anathema to Kurup and Gopinathan who bring goondas from outside the village to kill him, but their efforts prove futile.

The hero is not without any romantic inclinations. He has a liking for prostitute Kunnil Shanta (Sona Nair), ex-flame Janaki (Devayani) and Kelappan's daughter Leela (Bhavana). But Kurup and Gopinathan make life miserable for Velayudhan, who has to fight against heavy odds. How he manages to thwart their machinations forms the remainder of the film.

Producer Antony Perumbavor, director Joshi and writer Ranjan Pramod have managed to make a hit for Onam with Mohanlal in the lead. Deepak Dev’s music is a bonus. Special mention must be made of the Kavadi number. The locations of Hogennakal and Pollachi look extremely good, thanks to excellent camera work of Shaji and the artwork of Joseph Nellikal.

At the end of the day, it can be said with certainty that Naran has undone the damage films like Chandrolsavam and Udayon had done to Mohanlal’s career. The megastar is back with a bang, thanks to his brilliant performance as the protagonist. He has scaled new peaks in histrionics, especially in the department of dialogue delivery, which is a treat to watch. It is not for nothing that he is regarded as one of the top actors of Indian screen. If you are a Mohanlal fan, you will enjoy Naran immensely.

Verdict - Worth watching for Mohanlal’s acting prowess.

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