Neru: Is Mohanlal's Legal Drama Inspired By a Courteney Cox Television Film? Here's What We Know! (Watch Video)

Jeethu Joseph might have a commendable track record when it comes to delivering hits with Mohanlal, but there is another, not-so-sweet, aspect to the director's history. Some of his films, including his biggest name-maker, Drishyam, appear to be inspired or influenced by other movies and novels. This trend seems to apply to his latest blockbuster, Neru, currently enjoying success in theatres. Some viewers have drawn comparisons between certain elements of Neru and a 1995 made-for-television movie, Sketch Artist II: Hands That See, starring Courteney Cox of Friends fame. Neru Box Office Collection Day 8: Mohanlal Expresses Gratitude As the Courtroom Drama Surpasses Rs 50 Crore Mark Worldwide!

Sketch Artist II: Hands That See, also featuring Jeff Fahey, is a thriller about a cop attempting to apprehend a serial killer with an unknown identity. The sole survivor of the killer's assault is a blind sketch artist portrayed by Cox. While she hasn't visually seen her assailant, she can identify him through touching facial features. Does this sound familiar?

SPOILERS AHEAD...

Neru, while not a direct copy of Sketch Artist II: Hands That See, has borrowed a specific theme – a blind victim overcoming visual impairment to assist in capturing the right culprit. Scripted by Santhi Mayadevi and Jeethu Joseph, Neru stars Anaswara Rajan as a blind sculptor who employs her skills and impeccable sense of touch to bring her assailant to justice. The plot of Neru differs significantly from Sketch Artist II: Hands That See; it is more of a courtroom drama than an investigative thriller. The film depicts Anaswara's Sara being sexually assaulted by a wealthy brat, played by Sankar Induchoodan, and Mohanlal portraying her lawyer, Vijayamohan, who takes extensive measures to secure justice for her. Additionally, as previously mentioned, while Cox's character Emmy was a sketch artist, Sara is a sculptor.

Watch the Trailer of Neru:

Despite differing premises, certain sequences in Neru bear an uncanny resemblance to Sketch Artist II: Hands That See. For instance, in Sketch Artist II: Hands That See, Emmy identifies the killer from a lineup by touching his face – a similar scene unfolds in Neru where Sara identifies her rapist through touch. Furthermore, both films feature scenes where the defense lawyer attacks the protagonist's character and visual impairment, leading to a test to prove their claims. In Neru, Sara attains justice by sculpting the face of the defense lawyer, played by Siddique, thereby demonstrating her ability to identify people through touch. Neru Movie Review: Mohanlal is Back With a Blast in Jeethu Joseph's Overdrawn Courtroom Drama.

Moreover, in Neru, there is a poignant scene where Sara touches Vijayamohan's face to etch his image in her memory as the man who brought her justice. Unsurprisingly, Sketch Artist II: Hands That See also has a scene where Emmy touches the heroic cop's face to imprint him in her mind. To witness these similarities, check out the video posted on Reddit below.

Posts from the malayalammovies

community on Reddit

While it's acceptable to draw inspiration from others' works, acknowledgment is essential. Unfortunately, Jeethu Joseph has often faced criticism for not doing so, whether it's remaking Ryan Reynolds' starrer The Proposal as My Boss or adapting the novel The Devotion of Suspect X for Drishyam. The inspirations are hard to ignore, yet they aren't officially acknowledged. Even his previous film with Mohanlal, 12th Man, has a subplot too similar to an Italian film called Perfect Strangers.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 29, 2023 06:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).