Nadikar Movie Review: Tovino Thomas' Deconstruction of Film Stardom is Hindered by a Weak Screenplay (LatestLY Exclusive)

Nadikar Movie Review: Lal Jr's Nadikar begins with archival footage of the late Prem Nazeer discussing the humility expected from a superstar. He emphasizes that a true superstar should prioritize being an actor first and treat everyone on set with equal respect and reverence. Nadikar revolves around this journey of self-discovery undertaken by a young superstar named David Padikkal, portrayed by Tovino Thomas, who sheds the egoistic trappings that contributed to his superstar image to unearth the actor within himself. While the film follows a predictable trajectory, punctuated by scenes that stand out, it benefits from Tovino Thomas's commendable performance. However, upon exiting the theatre, one can't help but feel that Nadikar is a missed opportunity about a coming-of-age saga that could have benefitted from a tighter script and editing. Nadikar Movie Review: Tovino Thomas and Lal Jr's Collab Receives 'Average' Response From Netizens.

David Padikkal is a popular young superstar with legions of fans, but his last couple of films have failed to make an impact at the box office. Buoyed by his fame, David finds himself immersed in drugs, alcohol, and sex, oblivious to how his lack of commitment to his roles is affecting his performances. It's not until a stern director named Koshi (Ranjith) criticises his acting on set, prompting David to storm off in a huff, that he begins to realise the extent of his problem.

Watch the Trailer of Nadikar:

After some introspection, David understands the need to reconnect with the performer within him. Encouraged by his agent Paili (Suresh Krishna) and assistant Lenin (Balu Varghese), he reluctantly agrees to seek help from an acting coach. Enter Bala (Soubin Shahir), an eccentric acting teacher renowned for his expertise in Russian theatre. Whether Bala can help David rediscover his passion for acting, or if David's pride proves too stubborn to accept assistance, forms the crux of the rest of Nadikar.

An Entertaining First Half

The first half of Nadikar is quite breezy and entertaining as it establishes David's arrogant attitude and wayward lifestyle, and how they affect his performances. There's a touch of HBO's Entourage series, especially in David's second introductory scene, and later in a sequence set in the Middle East, where he relaxes with his aides. A couple of sequences stand out in the first half. The first is the shoot sequence where Koshi and David end up verbally sparring with each other. The scene attains nearly the same intensity as the first confrontation scene between the protagonists in Lal Jr's previous (and still his best) film, Driving License. Another scene that worked for me is when an emotionally vulnerable David calls up his former co-star and ex-girlfriend Ann (Bhavana) for advice and receives a dressing down from her that seems to penetrate his thick ego.

Also, if you are an aspiring actor or have ever dabbled in acting, you might connect with the pre-interval scene where David is coerced to take the stage by Bala. In fact, even in the second half, the scenes that work best are those where Bala guides David into understanding the nuances that bring out a good performance, where the camera placement or which lenses are used don't matter.

The Reference Points?

Nadikar deconstructs superstardom and star-worship, again like Driving License, though not necessarily with the same impact. The message here is that acting on a superstar level is quite different from performing after coming down from the pedestal. In fact, the present era of Malayalam Cinema is the best example of this, where one of Indian cinema's biggest actors, Mammootty, has reinvented himself as an actor in the '70s, while his closest competitor Mohanlal is still trying to shrug off that superstar cloak to regain the complete actor within.

Ignoring the hedonism, I want to believe the reference point of David Padikkal comes from Prithviraj Sukumaran's career trajectory, where he once used to be a wannabe superstar acting in forgettable masala entertainers (Is that Garudasimhasanam a jibe at Prithvi's Simhasanam?) to now being a respected actor who is being hailed for a National Award for his performance in Aadujeevitham.

Yet, despite its incisive commentary on superstar culture and a few good moments, they aren't sufficient enough to elevate a film. Beyond these highlighted instances, the screenplay that binds them together is rather ordinary, failing to provide a truly immersive experience. Some scenes conflicts are thinly written, such as the altercation between David and Bala, triggered by the former's arrogance during a drinking session. David's regret and redemption post that also felt equally vacuous and convenient.

Occasionally, what the film intends as a powerful moment fails to resonate on screen. This is most evident in the protracted climax, where David demonstrates his transformed attitude as an actor in a film-within-a-film sequence. While the concept may have seemed promising in theory, it drags on endlessly on screen. Additionally, since it's a scene within a scene, the emotional impact is diluted. The film also attempts to incorporate David's own flashback here as a means for him to internalise his pain. However, since these flashbacks are sporadically inserted, the emotional depth fails to translate effectively. While it may be a significant moment for the character of David Padikkal, for the audience, it becomes a tedious wait for the scene to conclude and move on.

Speaking of the performances, Tovino Thomas is certainly very convincing when it comes to portraying both David Padikkal's arrogance and humbleness. There was one note I wasn't too impressed with. Tovino is a good actor, but he has miles to go to transcend the next level of acting. So when David Padikkal has to switch himself to being an actor who starts blowing people's minds away with his performance, that depth doesn't exactly come from Tovino's performance. Nadikar Song Kireedam: Tovino Thomas and Bhavana Kiss in This New MC Couper Banger.

Among the rest of the cast, Soubin Shahir gets the next best role, and the actor fulfils it without much fuss. While Bala's character may not be as intricately written as Geoffrey Rush's Lionel Logue in The King's Speech, it serves its purpose in relation to the protagonist's arc. Other actors like Suresh Krishna, Balu Varghese, Chandu Salimkumar, Ganapathi, and Anoop Menon perform competently in their respective roles, albeit with limited development opportunities. Notably, the revelation of one character's homosexuality could have been integrated more seamlessly into the narrative rather than being portrayed in a passing scene.

Ranjith impresses in his short screentime. However, I was unhappy with how Nadikar treated Bhavana's role. Apart from being a reason for a minor ego tussle between David and Bala, she serves little purpose in the film.

PS: Have been noticing some of the recent Malayalam films inserting viral reel moments as a source of callback humour. Considering the short shelf life of such viral moments, I am wondering if these scenes would age well in the years to come.

Final Thoughts on Nadikar

Nadikar is a film where it works in parts, yet the collective whole fails to deliver a compelling and cohesive experience. The performances are commendable, with Tovino delivering a convincing portrayal in the lead role. However, Nadikar ultimately falls short due to its weak screenplay, lacking the necessary depth and substance to truly captivate audiences. After all, even the best performances can only shine with a solid foundation of quality writing.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 03, 2024 10:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).