‘Nari Nari Naduma Murari’ movie review: Sharwanand eases his way through a breezy rom-com

Gautham (Sharwanand), a 20-something son to single parent Karthik (VK Naresh), goes out of his way to help his father get married again. Meanwhile, he is in a steady relationship with architect Nithya (Sakshi Vaidya). An unexpected issue arises when her father insists on a register marriage, which could expose Gautham’s past with his ex, Dia (Samyuktha Menon).

At its heart, the film is a confusion comedy. One error leads to a series of lies that makes things worse for Gautham and those around him. By the time he attempts to undo the harm, it seems too late. Or is it? 

The major advantage of the film is the restraint and assurance in humour. The situations are inherently funny, the screenplay is fluid and complemented by witty dialogues delivered by a dependable cast.

Ram Abbaraju is clearly aware of the tone he wants to maintain. The characters care two hoots about being politically correct and revel in their goofiness. Karthik is consistently shamed by those around him for marrying a much younger woman while his son is yet to tie the knot. Despite the ageist shaming, the scenario is milked to the fullest to generate inoffensive laughs.

There’s a smart pulihora reference to suggest something’s brewing between Gautham and Nithya. 

An auto-driver mistakes a woman for being pregnant and leaves her at the hospital, only to realise she is merely overweight! Both the father and the son approach the same tattoo artist — one to get a tattoo of his wife and the other to remove the tattoo of his ex.

Each time there’s a possibility of the film falling prey to such frivolity, the lightness in the treatment and the fuss-free execution come to the rescue. Though the story is essentially Gautham’s, the trajectories of the supporting players, from the three fathers (of Gautham, Nithya, Dia) to the registrar and the junior advocate, are not compromised. All these characters get their due.

Yet, some fatigue sets in as the film finds many ways to delay the inevitable. The flashback episode between Gautham and Dia is just functional. Though the duo is destined to part ways, the reason is too flimsy. The scenes bringing the three leads together at work hardly make an impression. The makers go slightly overboard with the film industry-specific references too.

Ultimately, Nari Nari Naduma Murari rises above your average rom-com because it has something to say beyond its flashy premise. The need for integrity and honesty in relationships is emphasised neatly, giving it adequate depth. 

While retaining his strength in verbal comedy, Ram Abbaraju tries his hand at a style of humour that’s lighter than Samajavaragamana, and is reasonably successful.

This film is right up Sharwanand’s alley. Apart from the self-deprecating humour, he lends Gautham enough gravitas to make the audience empathise with him, despite all his follies. Sakshi Vaidya has an elegant screen presence and looks at ease, while Samyuktha puts forth an assured, confident performance, bringing authenticity to the part.

However, the heavy lifting is primarily done by the supporting cast. Naresh is the showstealer, sporting unapologetically funky tees and having a blast playing a man who finds love at 60. Sudarshan proves to be more than a handful as the hero’s sidekick, while it is relieving to see Sunil making the most of meaty comedy roles of late. Satya tickles your funny bones but is underutilised. Vennela Kishore, Sampath, Srikanth Iyengar, and Siri Hanmanth too deliver the goods.

Vishal Chandrashekhar’s songs don’t interrupt the narrative much; both the female leads get a song each, and there is a ‘Kolaveri Di’ style male pathos number too. ‘Bhalle Bhalle’ is the pick of the lot, thanks to Haricharan’s mellifluous voice and Brinda’s vibrant choreography. Visually, the film remains bright and peppy throughout. The easy-on-the-eye costumes, scenic locations and the props help.

Nari Nari Naduma Murari is a lightweight rom-com with some purpose to its existence besides the mischief, fun and frolic. It remains breezy with plenty of situational humour and caters to family viewing, steering clear of double entendre.