Maragatha Naanayam
Director: ARK Saravanan
Cast: Aadhi, Nikki Galrani, Ramadass, Anandraj, Daniel Pope, Arunraja Kamaraj and Sangili Murugan
Rating: 3/5
Debutant director Saravanan’s Maragatha Naanayam is a laugh-out-loud horror comedy with a terrific fantasy twist, which pays off handsomely. In an industry where horror-comedies have become repetitive and boring, it’s a relief to see a film that proves that it’s still possible to make a film in this genre that feels fresh and at the same time is largely entertaining. It’s one of those films that kicks every horror cliché out of the window, yet succeeds in delivering the thrills.
The plot revolves around the hunt for a rare, historical artifact called Maragatha Naanayam, which is guarded by the ghost of its first owner, king Irumporai. In order to procure it, Aadhi and his best friend seek the help of three ghosts and the events that follow are downright hilarious. It’s a whacked out comedy where even the silliest scene works in the most unimaginable and inventive way. Even the romance, which in the beginning makes us cringe, is given an unexpected twist and it works big time, evoking laughter throughout.
The film takes its times to set up its characters and initially, the pace at which it shifts genres makes us wonder if the film will work. Once the plot kicks in, we are convinced about the switch in genres and the jokes flow like a river. Unlike most horror-comedies, the humour is not in bad taste but quite wacky and funny.
{{/usCountry}}The film takes its times to set up its characters and initially, the pace at which it shifts genres makes us wonder if the film will work. Once the plot kicks in, we are convinced about the switch in genres and the jokes flow like a river. Unlike most horror-comedies, the humour is not in bad taste but quite wacky and funny.
{{/usCountry}}Even though the film features a battalion of actors, everyone gets their due and the screen time to shine in their respective roles. Nikki Galrani is easily the pick of the actors and her role comes with the biggest, most unexpected surprise and it’s sure to sweep audiences off their feet. Aadhi, Ramadass, Anandraj and Daniel Pope also get meaty roles and they do full justice to their parts.
The film has some wonderful comic stretches. While some gags are unnecessarily stretched, you don’t make a fuss because you walk out with a grin on your face. The heist and chase element, however, don’t quite make an impact, almost falling flat. Nevertheless, these shortcomings are not something one needs to worry about because the film scores really high on the comedy and horror angles.
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