Review: Nilavukku Enmel Ennadi Kobam

Film: Nilavuku Enmel Ennadi Kobam (NEEK)
Cast: Pavish, Anikha Surendran, Priya Prakash Varrier, Matthew Thomas, Venkatesh Menon, Rabiya Khatoon, Ramya Ranganathan, Siddharth Shankar
Director: Dhanush
Produced by : Kasthoori Raja & Vijayalakshmi Kasthoori Raja Banner: Wunderbar Films Pvt Ltd
Music : G.V Prakash Kumar
Editor: G.K Prasanna
DOP : Leon Britto
Rating: 3.5 stars

Dhanush’s film Nilavukku Enmel Ennadi Kobam (NEEK) is a breezy, fun-filled cute entertainer that is highly entertaining and delightfully refreshing.

Synopsis:

The film revolves around Pavish, a gifted chef who is the only son to his parents. Pavish is heart broken because of his break up with his rich girlfriend Anikha Surendran. To add to his troubles, she is getting married. Pavish’s parents, thinking they can help him overcome the pain of a breakup by getting him married, find a suitable alliance for him. When they go to meet the prospective girl along with Pavish, they are in for a surprise as she happens to be Priya Prakash Warrier, Pavish’s classmate from school. What happens then is what NEEK is all about…

Analysis:

The film is a well thought out comedy, which guarantees laughs almost every minute. Pavish, who plays the lead role, does a neat job. He resembles Dhanush and it is easy to see why Dhanush chose him to play the lead.

Mathew Thomas, who plays Pavish’s close friend, just steals the show with his live wire performance. His character has been written in such a way that it evokes pity at times and at other points, delivers humour. The beauty of this film is that all characters have been written in such a way that they all get adequate space without having to jostle with one another for space and attention.

There is a third character, a passionate romantic that is played by Venkatesh Menon. All three male characters consistently keep delivering jokes that make you laugh your guts out.

Anikha Surendran, who plays an exceptionally rich girl with simple tastes, is just adorable. Priya Prakash Warrier delivers a commanding performance and is equally pleasing to the eye.

NEEK might appear to be a simple romantic comedy for those looking to just be entertained. It certainly entertains you thoroughly. However, there is more for those who care to look a little deeper in this film. It is a film that can be best described as actually being a fine mix of the traditional with the modern.

Some aspects of the film are on the same lines as that of Dhanush’s earlier films. For instance, the lead character’s name is Prabhu. Remember the lead character’s names in Polladhavan and Naane Varuven? Then, in this film, the hero’s dog is called Harry Potter just like how it was called in Vellai Illa Pattadhari. The hero, like in most other Dhanush’s films, is from the middle class. But that is as far as the similarities go.

What Dhanush has done with the story is just brilliant. Without turning preachy, he puts across certain points on relationships that show that youngsters today are more mature than their predecessors.

There is a scene in the film where a girl has a conversation with the hero, who has turned up to attend the wedding of his ex-girlfriend. At one point, she asks him who he will choose if at all he can only choose one – his friend or his lover. The hero, without any hesitation, picks his friend. For a very long time, Tamil cinema has always rated spouses over friends. They have shown that for a man, a wife comes first, even before his friends. At best, we have had films that have shown heroes struggling when having to pick one among the two.

All that has changed with NEEK. Gently, but firmly, Dhanush’s writing in this film shows that this generation has got its priorities in order.

The climax is another great change that seems to have been ushered in by this film. The Thali sentiment has been done away with. And more importantly, there are no villains in the film. Explaining it more will be a spoiler and so, I shall stop with just this.

Leon Britto’s visuals are a delight to watch and G V Prakash’s music a treat to the ears.

Verdict:
NEEK is an absolutely delightful rom-com that is bound to make you laugh and at the same time, understand how relationships work in present day and age. Highly recommended!