Nerungi Vaa Muthamidathe Movie Review

Cast: Shabeer, Piaa Bajpai, Shruthi Hariharan, Viji Chandrasekar, Lakshmy Ramkrishnan and others

Cinematography: Vinod Bharathi

Music: Madley Blues

Editing: Sabu Joseph

PRO: Nikkil Murugan

Written & Directed by: Lakshmy Ramakrishnan

Produced by: AVA Productions 

Release Date: 31-10-2014

Run Time: 01:54:00 

In a random but important scene in Nerungi Vaa Muthamidathe (NVM), a ‘vettiyan’ pours some liquor on a dead body before setting it on fire because of the ongoing petrol crisis in the state. That’s the subtlety with which filmmaker Lakshmy Ramakrishnan beautifully addresses the issue in the film, without every getting preachy. In an earlier scene, as few workers talk while they pack onions that needs to be transported, one of them says, “Not sure if this load will reach on time. There’s no petrol anywhere”. To which, other person says these crises is only for the poor, it won’t affect the rich. Turns out, there’s enough petrol in the lorry to take the consignment, but where did it come from?

The answer to the question is revealed through the course of NVM, which also has three other stories running parallely. The fact that Lakshmy uses a very peculiar style of narrative to address the subject shows she likes to go against the grain. While I agree the narrative is little confusing to follow as the story switches back and forth constantly, but the approach is creative. Like, for instance, how the songs are used every time the story goes into flashback mode. We hear about the impact of the petrol crisis on radio while the characters are speaking in the foreground or see images of public turmoil only in television. In essence, the crisis runs underneath the stories that are finally linked but there wouldn’t have been a story if there wasn’t a crisis in the first place.

Lakshmy’s directorial debut Aarohanam was labeled as a woman-centric film because it centered on a mother. Hence, in NVM, she proved she can make a commercial film with a male lead, but even here she has a strong female character, once again played by Viji Chandrasekhar. Pia Bajpai shines in her intense role, quite contrary to the bubbly characters she’s played in her career so far. Debutant Shabeer has an important character to essay, and he plays it to the hilt. Thambi Ramaiah provides the laughter in an eccentric role and there’s a reason why he’s annoying with his non-stop nonsense. Y.Gee Mahendran and others chip in with good performances as well.

While NVM could’ve been shorter, there are far too many good moments that make up for the running time. Lakshmy proves how even in commercial cinema can a burning issue be addressed without diluting the core purpose.

Nerungi Vaa Muthamidathe Movie Review Rating:  3/5