Calling Neram a dark comedy would be an insult to that particular genre of cinema as well as to this debut art work/experiment by Alphonse Puthren. What did Puthren do? Simply put, Neram is a story of an unemployed hero who needs money to pay his bills, please his potential father-in-law and most importantly save himself from an usurer who would kill for his money. To make it simpler, a Run Lola Run meets hundreds of ‘meet the deadline or be dead’ movies and Puthren has smartly bailed himself out by quoting the legendry Quentin Tarantino “I steal from every movie ever made.”
Nivin Pauly’s performance seemed to be in place unlike his flawed lip syncing throughout. Nazriya, on the other hand, seems to be a promise amongst the new girls. Lalu Alex and Shammi Thilakan are as good as you expect them too. Manoj K Jayan, appearing late into the story, gives the pop corn munching audience some real reasons to laugh. The discovery has to be Simhaa who portrays the role of Vettiraja and does utmost justice to the role of a villainous usurer.
The narrative seemed amusing and the so called “black comedy” tickled in bits and pieces. The slow motion and the regular flashback along with the interesting background score by Murugan was innovative. As the movie proceeds the same innovation becomes repetitive. Puthren has done a great job on the editor’s desk and cooked up a crisp package.
Puthren seems to be a thankful person for he has thanked everyone–literally. In the starting credits he has thanked people from the industry, the people he grew up with and even his last ex girlfriend. A very unusual presentation and that makes this one stand apart from rest of young movies.
Neram is a story that revolves around time and its disparities. In bits and pieces this one has been a good one or as they say “It is Time Pass.”
JayKay is @TheFraudMallu on twitter. He is a Conceptualizer, Guerrilla Marketing Geek, Event Manager and Midnight Chef
