Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal
Malayalam
There is a great deal of stillness in Sharan Venugopal’s debut feature film, Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal or Three Sons of Narayani, almost to the point of uncertainty—an ancestral house that has seen a violent past, a pond that bears witness to its inhabitants, and Narayani, a lifeless mother on her deathbed. The story revolves around yesteryear wounds inflicted on the family and tries to sketch how difficult it is to break the curse of generational trauma. The film was screened at the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival in Indonesia under the Main Competition category.
At the crux of the story is the efforts of a brother, played by Joju George, trying to fulfill his mother’s dying wish of seeing her family reunited. Bhaskar (Suraj Venjaramoodu) is blamed by his elder brother Vishwanathan (Alencier), who believes that their father’s death was caused by Bhaskar’s decision to marry a Muslim woman (Shelly Kishore). When the scars seem to have healed, an incident in the family causes the hostility to resurface.
While all the lead characters are convincing as brothers in a dysfunctional family, it is an incestuous relationship between Aathira (Garggi Ananthan) and Nikhil (Aanandam fame Thomas Mathew) that drives the plot forward. Although incest between cousins can be a sensitive topic linked to social factors, the filmmakers navigate this effectively by taking the time to establish the relationship and avoiding moral judgements.
It is through Aathira that Nikhil learns more about his family, including his “liberal” father. Garggi exudes a sense of rationality and emotional maturity to stay true to the character. Their conversations reveal details to help understand how she is different from the rest of the family. Appu Prabhakar’s cinematography and Rahul Raj’s music make sure that these conversations get the attention they deserve. Jyoti Swaroop Panda’s edit does a neat job of weaving together different perceptions on broken families crisply, while not rushing through the lives of the teenagers.
When Nikhil asks Aathira whether she is doing “social service”, she responds with “social work.” In one scene, she confronts her father for demanding a hefty sum to transfer a family property that was attached by their forefathers. Aathira’s defiance in the face of societal expectations, including even her own mother (Sajitha Madathil), adds depth to the character.
There are instances in the film where property dispute, caste, and sexuality become conflict points. However, not all of them leave a lasting impact. While there are lines ridiculing the idea of food brands being named after Brahmins, the underplay of these caste equations makes the screenplay look like a failed translation of a provocative idea, one that relies heavily on performances.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.