Bhavana’s return to the silver screen after six years — she was last seen in Adam Joan — with the Malayalam film Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn feels like a warm hug on a cold winter evening. In his 125-minute-long debut film, director Adhil Maimoonath Asharaf has kept it simple but effective. The film also stars Sharaf U Dheen in the lead role.
‘Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn’ translates to my ‘brother had a love story’. The title seems to be in the style of Vaikom Muhammed Basheer’s novel Ntuppuppakkoranendarnnu (My grandfather had an elephant).
Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn is centred around the lives of Nithya (Bhavana) and Jimmy (Sharaf U Dheen) who develop feelings for each other while they’re in school. Their love blossoms over time, but parents play spoilsport when they get to know about the relationship. The couple splits.
Years later, as fate would have it, they stumble upon each other again. But things aren’t as uncomplicated and rosy as they were earlier. Jimmy is wading through marriage pressure from relatives, while Nithya, now a mother of a young boy, is struggling to get out of an abusive marriage. Standing at different crossroads in life, the two navigate their feelings, unresolved conflicts, and transformed versions of love and companionship.
Chances are you might be able to guess the plotline much early on. But there’s more to Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn. Despite its predictability, the broth of messy relationships and love in this romantic drama is the highlight.
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Crackling chemistry
Sharaf U Dheen channelises the vulnerability and emotional depth of Jimmy quite well. But it is Bhavana who shines through. She taps into Nithya’s simplicity and ferocity with utmost grace, while looking beautiful in each frame. The chemistry between the two is crackling and becomes the star ingredient of the film. Be it the awkwardness of meeting your ex, stealing glances from each other, or coming to terms with what they feel — you connect with Nithya and Jimmy, and the familiarity hits home.
In a key scene, Jimmy and Nithya are fighting and the latter split the relationship — with no over-the-top drama. There’s a sensibility of mature romance throughout Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn, and that goes to Asharaf’s credit too.
Finally a mature romance
While Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn advocates second chances in relationships, it struggles to put forth any striking or defining scenes. The background music and song sequences are also weak. If not for the lead characters’ great chemistry and acting prowess, you don’t have much to dwell on.
The way the film switches between the past and present to show the contrast between young and mature romance is among its many strengths. It shows the present as the reality where even a mere possibility of a relationship can seem like a far-fetched dream. Even after knowing each other for many years and having loved a person, reconciliation can be difficult. Asharaf taps into the complexities of mature love poetically.
All in all, Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn, besides being a perfect comeback for Bhavana, is a sweet and engaging romantic story — much like a date with comfort food.