1001 Nunakal

Aayirthonnu Nunakal: The movie title translates to 1001 lies. It is a movie about set of couple gathered at a friend's place due to various reasons. It happened to be the host couple is celebrating their 10th Anniversary and one of their friend comes up with an innovative game. He asks each couple to disclose one of the lie or secret they have kept from their better half. What happens when couples start opening up is rest of the story.

It surely is an interesting plot. The problem is that it takes 40 odd minutes to main plot of playing game. When the closets are opened it is quite relatable as you know these are the secrets what couples usually hide from each other. The impact of lies could have been great and every character should have opened up.

Conveniently, few characters get away without sharing their lies. If the lies were bit more creative in terms of writing and crumbling down their life, it would have added thrill to the narrative.

With many new faces and side actors taking centre stage, they have performed really well. Everyone looks like seasoned actors and credit definitely should go to the director, Thamar KV. He has churned out performances from each actor. The story being set in Saudi, the essence of it surely adds to the narrative.

It had potential to hit it out of the park but due to bit of clumps writing, the impact goes low. It turns out to be missed opportunity making it just a timepass movie.

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1001 nunakal is made as a slow burn drama of relationships and bonds.

The story is dull and the acting is overly dramatic with every bit of artificiality possible. There is nothing engaging in this film, there are a bunch of irritating characters talking nonsense.

Vishnu Agasthya is the only one who put up a honest performance, the rest of the cast was just below average performance.

As i have said the story makes zero sense, why would couples married for long years suddenly decide to tell their deepest secrets just in the name of a game?! I think the writters should try this game once within themselves. Utter nonsense.

If you've watched '12th Man', then 1001 Nunakal is not far from that movie.

The scenario, unfortunately, didn't produce something original; it was the same routine about married friends embarking on a dangerous game that'll shatter their relationships.

DELICIOUS

-The lighting and location worked! It's always a refreshing scenery when movies are shot in the Middle East and Vinay's house was big, well lit, and cozily furnished😃

-All the actors rendered a natural performance making the screenplay look real. Plus, there was a good variety of characters.

Our favorite has to be Benzy; Rashmi K Nair released genuine pain and a tormented spirit, we felt it.

-The film concluded with a powerful reality: "Oftentimes, it's the listeners who decide whether something is a truth or a lie".

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, truth is also in the ear of the listener.

BLAND

---1001 Nunakal was mainly an imitation of many movies of this genre, i.e. Married friends gathering in a nice location and engaging in a ridiculous and costly activity.

It was surprising that the friends who had originally sheltered at Vinay's house due to a fire in their apartments seemed to be more concerned about the game than the loss of their property 😳

The film would have had a greater impact if it had focused on a different activity to bring out the friends' inner personalities and use symbols to pass a message.

Some movies nowadays lack imagination. This is one of that kind. It starts showing many characters around and by the time we understand what they are upto,we end up losing more than half of the movie and also patience! When the plot kind of thickens one knows where it is heading to such that it's gives you ample time to check your phone! The story further drags seamlessly and this is when you start looking around at others sitting near you to see whether they too have the same messed up expression as much you have. Meanwhile when the trauma is 20 minutes away from ending,the story takes a small twist giving us some hope of Paisa Vasool. But it moves from there to nowhere and ends up bluntly. To such an extent the movie ends abruptly,that you scroll back & forth thinking you accidentally pressed the fast forwarding button on your remote! Hope they are not planning a second part to this😇

While as a whole 1001 Nunakal (Thousand and One Lies) may look like a The12th Man ripoff, it has a more magnetic atmosphere. There is not one dull scene in the film that sees a bunch of couples get together. After a night passes, they play a game where everyone has to tell their better half a lie that they told them since they got together. As one would expect, things take ugly turn for some of them, ultimately breaking open our own beliefs about what a truth or lie is. 1001 Nunakal is well-directed and it makes you think. That's what some films are for.

(Watched at the 2022 International Film Festival of Kerala in Trivandrum.)