‘Nunakuzhi’ Film Review: Baiju Santhosh Breathes Life into This Formulaic Comedy Thriller

The narrative unfolds through four interconnected threads, each bringing in a fresh array of characters and challenges.

We’ve seen comedy thrillers where multiple storylines converge through a series of mishaps to form a cohesive whole. One of the most iconic examples in Malayalam cinema is ‘Ramji Rao Speaking.’ It’s fitting that Jeethu Joseph’s latest film opens with a title track reminiscent of the song ‘Kalikkalam Ithu Kalikkalam’ from the remarkable 1989 debut by Siddique-Lal. ‘Nunakuzhi’ attempts to weave together various narrative threads into a chaotic yet entertaining experience, but it ultimately falls short in several areas.

The plot unfolds through four interconnected threads, each introducing a fresh cast of characters and their respective complications. Right from the start, the film hints at a wild ride where logic takes a backseat to sheer entertainment. The first thread features Eby Zacharia (Basil Joseph), a lazy, privileged managing director of the Poozhikunnel Group. His troubles begin when a senior income tax official (Siddique) confiscates his laptop, which contains private videos.

What follows is a frantic chase for the laptop that spirals out of control, leading Eby to a random house (Grace Antony) and triggering a series of misadventures. Basil’s portrayal of Eby is both funny and frustrating, as he embodies an entitled character caught in a difficult situation, though his performances are becoming increasingly predictable.

The second thread delves into the chaotic divorce proceedings of Rashmitha (Grace Antony) and Renji (Aju Varghese), where reality is stretched to comical extremes. Grace does an admirable job portraying Rashmitha as a woman on the brink, although her exaggerated reactions can sometimes feel out of place.

However, it’s in the third thread that the film starts to lose its direction.

Fortunately, ‘Nunakuzhi’ maintains a brisk pace, running for just over two hours, with enough action and events that it seldom feels slow or repetitive.

However, the film lacks unexpected twists, especially when compared to the previous works of Jeethu Joseph and KR Krishna Kumar, such as ’12th Man’ and ‘Kooman.’ As the story progresses, it becomes fairly predictable. In the end, ‘Nunakuzhi’ had the potential to be sharper and more entertaining if it had focused on refining the screenplay and cutting out unnecessary elements.

**Movie:** Nunakuzhi
**Director:** Jeethu Joseph
**Cast:** Basil Joseph, Grace Antony, Nikhila Vimal, Baiju Santhosh, Siddique, Manoj K Jayan, Azees Nedumangad, Althaf Salim
**Rating:** 2.5/5