Narivetta

I always said, Tovino is the Crime thriller genre king. When it comes to story selection from mollywood Tovino wears all the hats!

Just watched "Narivetta" and I'm absolutely blown away by your performance! The way you portrayed the character's internal conflict, his journey from reluctance to a deep understanding of justice, was incredibly powerful. It's such a bold and essential story that "Narivetta" tells, and your acting truly brought its important message to the forefront.

You made me feel every bit of his struggle and his eventual resolve.

Thank you for giving us such a powerful and thought-provoking performance!

Whether this message finds you or not, as a fan, I felt compelled to share how deeply your portrayal resonated with me.

Verdict: Semi-Hit.

This movie is claimed to be inspired by 2003 Muthanga protest by tribal community at Kerala. The entire movie is about the protest of Tribal men for their rights vs Atrocities of police on them. Movie is quite slow, first half is very shallow. Second half makes it a little worth it. This movie reminded me of 'Jai Bhim' Telugu movie which was centred around similar concept but that was brilliant. But this movie showcases nothing about the in depth struggles of Tribal community. Originally a Malayalam movie dubbed in all South Indian languages including Hindi. Available in SonyLiv, my ratings 6.5/10!

Review: Narivetta - 7/10

First, my thanks to the entire Narivetta team. I wasn't fully aware of the real-life incident the film is based on, as I typically don't follow such news. That unfamiliarity made the storyline feel fresh and engaging. Though I recognized the real-life figures, their on-screen portrayals were both compelling and convincing.

The film moved at a steady pace with no noticeable lag. The scenes were thoughtfully crafted, and the storytelling held my attention throughout. One creative choice that felt unnecessary was the use of timestamps-they didn't add much value, in my opinion.

Casting was a definite highlight, lending a refreshing vibe to the film. The first half flew by, likely because I was deeply immersed. While the second half didn't lag, it did feel like the energy and narrative momentum dipped slightly.

The natural tone of the scenes-especially the dialogues among the Muthanga people and the realistic settings-added authenticity. That said, the performance of Tovino at the protest sequence felt out of place. Tovino's performance in that part leaned too much into melodrama, breaking the film's otherwise grounded feel.

The portrayal of relationships-mother-son, uncle-nephew, and romantic-was heartfelt and thoughtfully done. Certain emotional scenes stood out for their depth. Priyamvada Krishnan was particularly impressive, thanks to the nuanced writing of her character. Her dialogue exchanges with Tovino felt organic and real.

Cheran's performance reminded me at moments of Padmasree Murali, one of my all-time favorite Malayalam actors-not in terms of comparison, but in spirit. Cheran delivered a solid performance true to his role. Arya Salim showed great potential, and her performance was notably strong. Suraj Venjaramood, playing a key role, was effective, though I expected a bit more given his character's weight in the story.

The protest (or "war") scenes were executed with surprising clarity and control-an area where many films falter. Tovino, overall, performed well, though those particular scenes felt a bit overacted.

In summary, Narivetta is a well-crafted and absorbing film with a few minor flaws but a strong emotional core.

As always, this is just my personal perspective.

Sheejith Payyaratta.

Rating - 3.5/5

A socio political drama set on the backdrop of a tribal forest area questioning the political authoritative powers against their cruel atrocities on humanity.

The plot of the story revolves around a young struggling guy who had to join Police force succumbed to family pressures and how he discovers his real purpose of life therein forms the storyline.

Hats off to the writer and director for showing the grit to pull off a politically sensitive story inspired from true events that happened in the landscape of Kerala. The story shows us how the patience and rights of the underprivileged strata of the society is tested by the bureaucratic power. The filmmaker has portrayed his political stand like in his previous outings and highlighted the fact that the powerful people can influence on what the public should be known. The story narration through the realistic narrative approach lost its traction towards the climax wherein the lead actor takes a transformation in his character shade.

Good performance by Tovino and he has moved through the character with distinct layers in ease. Suraj Venjaramood has given a subtle and composed performance. Impressive performances by Cheran & Arya Salim.

Anuraj has given a technically brilliant movie that can be best enjoyed in theatres. Vijay has captured the scenic beauty of Alleppey and the raw earthy landscape of Wayanad without losing its essence. Shameer Muhammed has chopped the movie into a realistic drama with good songs & background score by Jakes Bejoy. Art team deserves appreciation for setting the premises in the forest area. Good sound design by Renganaath Raave and Vishnu P C best enjoyed on Atmos screens.

A good watchable realistic drama on the life of underprivileged from the POV of a cop.

Narivetta is a powerful and bold Malayalam film that brings to light the harsh realities still faced by lower caste and tribal communities in the 21st century. It courageously portrays the dark side of the police force, highlighting the systemic injustice and brutality that continues to affect marginalized people.

The film delivers a raw and emotional narrative, without sugar-coating the violence or the silence of the system. However, amidst this darkness, Tovino Thomas shines brilliantly as a symbol of humanity. He plays a police officer who defies the norms of a corrupt system. Instead of blindly following the orders of a tainted force, he takes a stand for justice-not for personal gain, but for the memory of a fallen colleague.

Tovino's character brings out the inner conflict of a man torn between duty and morality. His portrayal is deeply moving and layered, showing that even within flawed institutions, there can be individuals who choose the right path.

The film's message is clear and powerful: silence in the face of injustice is complicity. Narivetta is not just a film-it's a statement, a mirror to our society, and a call for introspection.