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Join UsStar Cast: Nayanthara, Ajmal Ameer, Manikandan and ensemble
Director: Milind Rau
What’s Good: Nayanthara living up to her ‘Lady Superstar’ tag and leading the pack, while Milind Rau gives her an almost baked platform enough to prove her point.
What’s Bad: The almost baked platform, of course. By the way, this is also a remake, so you know. But I won’t be as harsh as Narappa; Netrikann takes efforts to have its unique soul.
Loo Break: not when the visual crescendo is at its peak. Take one when the villain is telling his back story because, by this time, you have already predicted it. Stop spoon-feeding.
Watch or Not?: Nayanthara fans won’t even wait for this review to come out, and they have a treat too. If you are not one of them and want an opinion, give it a shot with no expectations, you will come out happy.
Language: Tamil (with English subtitles)
Available on: Disney Plus Hotstar
User Rating:
Durga (Nayanthara), a CBI officer, is the most courageous and righteous, at least the introduction hints to. One night a ride back home with her brother and a small mistake takes his life, and Durga is left blind after the accident. An aimless blind girl then one day becomes the only ‘eye’ witness to a serial killer and begins is the cat and mouse chase. The plot might look old, but there are good moments. Read on.
Netrikann Movie Review: Script Analysis
Netrikann means ‘the third eye’. The movie is adapted from the Korean movie ‘Blind’ which already has multiple versions across the globe. Sonam Kapoor is doing the Hindi version, by the way. So what does Nayanthara with Milind Rau add to this already told tale? Emotions!
Rau, by this point, knows the fodder that creates a perfect masala film for his audience and how to equip a female superstar to make her save the men. A star of Nayanthara’s position, who is already called Lady Superstar, can only do justice to a part changing the dynamics for an industry or country as a whole, who have worshipped machismo on screen. She is blind, but also courageous. She doesn’t need a man to save her, but she is saving multiple. You go, team! I am up for this.
Milind Rau writes Netrikann as an ode to his Lady Superstar and equips her character with the best layers. She is an orphan who feels responsible for her brother’s death. On top of it, she is blind now and cannot have her CBI Job. He creates a blank canvas to paint a new story and begins the dark phase of the film.
Enters James (Ajmal Ameer), who is a pervert and has some weird kinks. Busting him down and saving the girls he has abducted becomes Durga’s mission. While the villain is written too one tone, and all he got is s*xualising every woman possible, he gets nothing more. Of course, there is humour too. At a point where Durga acts like she can see, it is fun to watch.
But the film falls prey to predictable nature. We know the badman is a pervert, and circumstances have multiplied the monster inside him. The makers give a predictable flashback, and that kills the essence. We know by this point, don’t spoon feed. Likewise, when the chases happen, which are choreographed quite nicely, why is there no one around? It’s a city and also pre-COVID era, where are the people?
Netrikann Movie Review: Star Performance
A leading actor as a blind Durga saving her brother Gautham from a serial killer with her sharp mind might look easy to think for a writer, but for a producer to invest and team to expect that it will bring the same applause as a man saving the day brings is noteworthy. Nayanthara is here to prove her power as a bankable star, and she manages to do that quite nicely.
The blind act looks a bit shaken when it begins, but once the film progresses, Nayanthara does too. Also, watch out for her when she plays a blind girl acting that she can see, skilfully done.
Ajmal Ameer gets to play the pervert, and he looks one (a compliment). But when he has to do the same thing 10 times, it does get repetitive. But Ajmal manages to create the much needed spooky vibe.
Manikandan, who plays Manikandan is an instantly likable character and the film deserves him. His arc from being a ridiculed officer to the most respected deserved more meat, though.
Netrikann Movie Review: Direction, Music
Milind Rau’s focus throughout is, of course, his muse Nayanthara. He uses the staple technique to create the thrills of the thriller and does an excellent job at it. One complaint, though, in a chase sequence when Gautham tells Durga to show her surrounding on a video call, and he notices the killer sitting in front, why did no one from the team ever suggest he should take a screenshot?
The music of the film makes little to no sense due to how it is placed. Crooned by Sid Sriram in his melodious voice, the songs deserve better.
Netrikann Movie Review: The Last Word
Netrikann is definitely a strong step towards a powerful portrayal of women in Tamil cinema. Watch it for that. There are loopholes, but you can cross them if you want to.
Netrikann Trailer
Netrikann releases on 13th August, 2021.
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