Nadunisi Naaygal (2011) User Reviews

watch it once!!

[nvimalan · 5/10 · 20 February 2011]

If you are fond of watching Psychopath thrillers like 'Psycho' or 'Kiss the Girls' or 'Silence Of the Lambs', then you can watch them all in just 2 hrs here in this 'Nadunisi'!!!..There is nothing new can be seen other than what had been seen from these blockbusters.

Movie starts with a self narration and ends with a psychiatrist's advice and an obligation to the society.

We have to really appreciate the lead actor 'Veera' for his wonderful acting..but sometimes his overacting sequences make the people to yawn and laugh!! And of course the courageous step to make a movie without any background music score - is highly appreciated!.

In a few words - the movie is full of plain old 'MPD' craps with usual Kidnap-Kill scenes and there is no other new adventure to talk about!!

Barking Dogs, Seldom bite

[raghavan40789 · 5/10 · 18 February 2011]

Off late, the color of Tamil cinema has changed. It has been a gradual process but the themes that are being handled have become more bold. The creators are no more worried about making films on social taboos and rightly so. The film goers' perspective has changed yes, but dear Gautam, it really doesn't mean people will accept bad treatment, gross screenplay and an over confident film maker.

Story line: There is nothing novel or new about NN. Child abuse changes the hero Veera for life. He becomes a mentally disordered youth and violence and sex becomes a way of life for him. What follows through the rest of the movie is better left untold. Movies like NN can achieve two extremes. A stupendous thriller or a drab disappointment, NN achieves only the latter. The treatment is what separates Gautam from other film makers; sadly this movie is a product of his over confidence and not his intelligence. How else can you explain the lack of even one moment's brilliance throughout the movie??

Technicalities: The only saving grace of the movie is the cinematography which keeps the movie dark throughout. Once again it is a blunder not to have included music.Chilly BGMs would have at least had a few hearts skipping some beats.Veera on his part has given his heart out in the movie. He is a revelation. Be it screaming off his head or chasing women and acting innocent he has done them all with ease. Sameera's role is limited to appearing scared, crying, shouting and repeating these over and over again.

Child abuse, Incest relationship, Murder, Crime of passion, the movie has it all. But the treatment has left a lot to be desired.

Bottom-line: For what your money is worth, please stay away from these midnight dogs.

Why was this made

[ashkg2001 · 5/10 · 27 May 2011]

The major problem with this movie is once you start watching it, you are so tensed that you cannot stop it. You will just continue watching it until the end. But when the movie is finished, you will ask yourself. "Why did I see this?".

The movie by any means is not any worth to see, other than for wasting your time. The direction, camera and acting is so good that you will be just lost in the movie completely. But the movie as such is a real turn off. The psycho killer is so badly narrated. His character does not posses any consistency except that he behaves abnormal. I was really irritated when I finished the movie and my whole day was gone.

One question keep coming to me. Why was this movie made?

Poor attempt at a psycho killer movie

[sgopal_ram · 1/10 · 19 February 2011]

There was so much hype about this movie and I was pretty encouraged by the fact that it was directed by Gautam Menon, a director who has show that he can be in a different league in Tamil movies.

However, his attempt at a psycho killer movie is awful to say the least. The screenplay is so poor and the first half is especially bad. There is no background music or songs in this film that ran for quite a long time, in excess of 2.5 hours, I think.

When psycho movies like this are attempted, the lead character playing the psycho needs to be able to pull off the rule with great gusto. The new face who took on this role in this movie is awful. His attempts at conveying his psychopathic feelings are not at all convincing. In fact, it is quite annoying to watch.

The twist in the movie is so weak that it was largely unnoticed by the crowd. Several people started to make fun of the movie when it lost speed. The only highlight of the movie is Sameera Reddy's performance. She probably has about a 30 minute role in the movie and does well although it doesn't even nearly make up for the other inadequacies in the movie.

In conclusion, this is just a marketing driven hype that will probably run it's course in the box office and do well in terms of revenue. However, you will be pretty disappointed if you spent your money on this movie. Don't disappointingly say "I should have trusted that IMDb review" after watching it.

worst movie ever in the history of cinema

[eminemprabhu · 1/10 · 22 February 2011]

waste of time, waste of money..........

This movie had very hype before the release.. this movie is about psycho serial killer...... but the thing is the real psycho is Gautham Vasudev Menon the director of this film ...i don't know what made him to make a movie like this like this... worst acting,worst screenplay,worst camera angel ,worst and worst.... everything in this movie is worst... he had copied everything from Hollywood movie.but then also he cant able to make a good movie.

the movie started with a child abuse sex.. the hero was sexually abused by his father at the age of 8.. which made him to become a psycho. then a neighborhood lady take care of him since his father died in suicide. this boy call her as mother.then when he grew up he started to like her and do sex with her and even he use to see her naked when she is bathing.....then she decided to marry and in her first night this boy will kill her husband and accidentally the whole room caught fire..

the rest of the story i cant able to tell since it is very worst...nothing is good in this movie... there are 2 areas where u will like very much one is interval and then lights on when movie gets over..

more over the hero is a multiple split personalty disorder character. surely you will laugh when he switch in between the character if u want to make some one to torture then make them to watch this movie

overall this is movie is total waste........... please don't watch this movie in theater or anywhere........

Experiment Gone Wrong

[ethical_egoist · 3/10 · 1 June 2011]

The film deals with the narration of a man, who as a child was sexually abused by his father and his orgy mates. The incidences of his childhood results in a split personality disorder, with one seeking impulsive revenge and the other seeking love and social acceptance.

The ability of the movie to deliver its promise rested in how effective the director is shifting the personalities and how good the actor is in living them. In that respect, this has to go down as a pretty poorly executed script. The scenes of a boy raping his foster mother or ending up as an predatory killer does not add a flow in itself when everything surrounding that lacks flamboyance. Will the lead character go down in history as the Tamil Alex DeLarge or Norman Bates?...perhaps, if someone else had portrayed that role.

Veera Bahu cannot act. He has the charisma of a kidney transplant. Why was he even chosen for the lead? One cannot help but get the feeling Gautam Menon has underestimated the intelligence of the Tamil audience. I have every mind to give it a 1 star...but it's not often we get to watch psychological thrillers in the Tamil...a 3 star looks more appropriate.

Worst movie I have seen in a long time

[ov_milosz-1 · 1/10 · 9 March 2011]

It is impossible to make a worse film. There are just two good actors in the film - Sameera Reddy and the man who foolishly jumps over the fence and gets killed. Both have very little screen time. Veera, the main actor is absolutely the worst actor I have seen on screen in a long time. And he is in every frame of the film. How did he even pass the screen test, I wonder? Meenakshiamma is another terrible actress. She is also in every other frame.

Towards the end of the movie, there are two girls whose hair is being shorn off. There is no need to do that. After seeing this film, you will come out tearing your hair, shouting Meenakshiamma, Meenakshiamma! It is very sad that Gautam Menon who made Kaaka Kaaka and Veetaiyadu Vilayadu has made such an awful film.

Barking dogs seldom bite

[aegan-ratheesh · 1/10 · 18 February 2011]

The much hyped Nadunisi Naaygal noted especially for its short length and for its absence of music or BGM is not very much impressive in the narration side. Samar/Veera is a kid under the torture of his father and is saved by a woman Meenakshi who later brings him up.He has sex with her and one day she gets married to one of her friends.An enraged Veera kills his husband,a fire accident occurs and Meenakshi is badly burnt.She dies after treatment but Veera lives in the belief that she is still alive.He seduces many girls,kills them,shaves their hair and drowns them in boiling oil.Enters Sukanya(Sameera Reddy) who was Veera's classmate in 10th who is now in love with Arjun.Veera sets his eyes on her,kills Arjun and kidnaps her to his house.How Sukanya escapes forms the crux of the story.

The new technology of natural sounds makes the film more effective like watching in close.Veera has acted well and surely has a bright future.But the film is a big letdown and audience are laughing at many scenes especially at the climax.

Watch the movie at your own risk!!!!!

A Rip off maybe but What the hell!!!

[shriramrox · 7/10 · 8 April 2011]

I was quite surprised to hear a number of negative reviews when the movie came out but I wanted to see for myself and decide. It proved a good decision as the movie delivered. It achieved exactly what it wanted to achieve. Gautham Menon has proved time and time again that he is a great story teller and an crisp screenplay writer. Child abuse is a tough subject to handle especially in Kollywood and he had handled it with great aplomb. The lead Veera comes out of this movie with huge credit. He has handled it so well and not to mention the bold career choice for his breakthrough movie. Manoj Paramahamsa deserves special credit for his cinematography and excellent many close ups . This movie turns in to a thriller after first half and keeps the audience at the edge of their seats. Everybody should pay full price to watch this movie. Kudos to Menon and the producers for their support to bring a controversial subject to Kollywood. It is kind of an awareness movie too and it delivers on all cylinders.

Not much worth to watch

[Kadher_mohideen · 2/10 · 4 July 2020]

I already watched this story in kamala hasan's "sigappu rojakkal" movie which was released 1978.

Gautham Menon breaking a whole new ground in Indian cinema.

[pravinraaj-mba · 10/10 · 18 February 2011]

Can a thriller be made without background music and abrupt sounds. Yes it can be and with success, that's what Nadunisi Naaygal proves above all. Goodbye to songs, dances, overused themes, needless characters and Indian movie Cliché. Newcomer Veera, as a person with split personality disorder shines in enacting a suave man and doubling up as a savage serial killer. Dialogues are measured and helps in reflecting the brutality of a serial killer. Samar's dialog's accentuate his complete detachment from reality and social life. When the police inspector kills the dog Samar sets on him, Samar questions him "Are you so inhumane to kill a dog?".

With no help from adrenalin pumping audio, Manoj Paramahamsa's camera and Anthony's editing are the sole elements apart from the storyline to raise the viewer's anxiety. All these elements make the viewer's hearts race continuously for 90 minutes. Director Gautham Menon has also thrown light on two unexplored themes in Indian cinema. The child sexual abuse the life of the criminally insane. Nadunisi Naaygal, not for the faint hearted, but yes for the people, who want to witness Gautham Menon breaking a whole new ground in Indian cinema.

A bold experiment for sure !!!

[kavipriya19 · 7/10 · 4 March 2011]

Every bold work which comes ahead of time(a time where we fail to identify or accept the existence of acute evils like Child Molestation in the society) goes through some level of brutality – an unfair response . And Nadunisi Naigal is no exception.

As a director, Gautham Vasudev Menon has handled your subject with a lot of responsibility. Most of the times, we find it difficult to vocalize our thoughts , because it takes some time to grapple with reality. It is like going through a phase of Cognitive Dissonance. Because most of the times a "Yes" does not mean a Yes and a "No" does not mean a No. And all that it takes is some level of empathy towards the subject and a deeper understanding of our own opinion.

Veera Bahu who plays the role of a moral imbecile is an interesting find . The onus on Veera is obvious who is literally in almost every frame .His deep voice and delivery in the latter part of the movie deserves a special mention. Sameera has proved to be a natural actor and she has managed to grapple with the toughness the role demands. Swapna Abraham who has shouldered a bold role is beautiful , charming and deserving. She is definitely a winner.

Nadunisi Naigal as a movie cannot be liked or disliked. Nadunisi Naigal is an experience.

Kudos to your true grit Gautham !!!

For your sadistic pleasure...!

[sribornagain-394-460163 · 5/10 · 13 June 2012]

The pack may be glossy, state of the art, wonderfully colored, attracting to the eyes, produced with aid of latest of technologies. But in the end of the day if the pack contains only poison, then what is the use of making the pack so sleek & lustrous , never mind the statuary warning written in an illegible font in one corner of the pack. That sums up Gautham Vasudev Menon's latest offering "Nadunissi Naaygal " .

Technically the movie is on par with the best of bests. Right from the first shots of the movie it is clear that technical team of the movie has done a fabulous job of it. Manoj Paramahamsa's cinematography is top notch , especially the coloring & the gloss as well some of the novel camera angles he has tried , awesome is the word. Art direction & DI of the movie makes the movie watching experience grand.

If only Gautham Vasudev Menon , the writer has thought of something novel & new , the end product would have been one of the best done in the country. On the contrary by taking recourse in to the old sadistic thrillers of the yore & joining the bandwagon of portraying the mentally ill persons as dangerous & psychopathic, Gautham has done no good for those who are working tirelessly for to alleviate the stigma associated with mentally ill & mental illness. The disclaimer in the end does no good as enough harm has been done already.

As far as acting goes except Sameera Reddy who has done a decent job as the damsel in distress , amateurishness is writ large as far as the rest of the cast are concerned. It is as if the other actors were given old "psycho" movies for them to rehearse before they started filming the movie.

Veera tries to imitate all those cult psychologically challenged roles like that of Kamal Hassan of "Sivapu Rojakkal " , Pratap Pothan of "Moodupani" , Dhanush of "Kadhal Kondaen" , Simbu of "Manmadhan"...so on. Swapna who plays the caretaker & godmother of the protagonist , is graceful in her normal avatar but suddenly turns hopelessly out of place in her other role of the instigator.

That Gautham has managed to keep up with the thrills sans background music is a laudable achievement in itself & his courage and gumption in this regard warrant a standing ovation. Also as far as the screenplay goes , movie is lucid & travels at an optimum pace with no place for yawn in between.

The problem with the movie is the content & hence it doesn't stand a chance in the box-office because it right away shoos away family audience as well as female audience. And finally anyone who compares this movie with "Sivappu Rojakkal" must be despised with cause it was done aesthetically which is what missing here in " Nadunissi Naaygal".

On the whole , "Nadunissi Naaygal" is technically brilliant but thematically appalling.

Bottomline : For your sadistic pleasure...!

Rip off.

[eas-rao · 2/10 · 18 February 2011]

Its a rip off from Psycho and Primal Fear tweaked here and there to portray as "shudder" original stuff. The film is well executed of course as he is a film maker who knows how to do the the execution with the correct dose of style and emotion. But the abject copying of such high profile films shows the maker in poor light. This is not the first film he has done that is a copy of major Hollywood films as well. Really what is the big deal in taking a great story, tweaking it to suit the local audiences and presenting it to the unaware? The big deal is to make money. With a new cast, old story and a previous hit, this movie is tailor made to fill the coffers.

Brave attempt that needed a wider audience

[naveensankaran18 · 8/10 · 5 February 2015]

Its a daring attempt by GVM and it is well scripted thriller. It may be an inspiration or something else but this is fresh and its all the audience want. Don't know why many criticize this movie. Veera is amazing; backbone of the movie. Rest of them did complete justice to their role. If you don't like the genre, don't criticize the movie for it! as simple as that!! People need to have a broad mind in order to see this movie. If you appreciate Sigappu Rojaakal, then this movie is for you.

Dark cinematography scores well for the movie.

Note: Just wanna share the moments Tamizh audience missed. The epic one being Anbe Sivam.

Underrated

[mugunthanselvaraj · 8/10 · 27 April 2020]

It's a very interesting psychological thriller by genius Gautam Menon but it was not well received at that time