Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal (transl. The Three Sons of Narayani) is a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written and directed by Sharan Venugopal featuring Joju George, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Alencier Ley Lopez in the lead roles.[1] The film tells the tale of three distanced brothers who arrive at their ancestral home after decades to be near their dying mother.[2] The film features music composed by Rahul Raj while Appu Prabhakar serves as the cinematographer and Jyoti Swaroop Panda, the editor of the director's National Award-winning film Oru Paathiraa Swapnam Pole edits the film.
| Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Sharan Venugopal |
| Written by | Sharan Venugopal |
| Produced by | Joby George Thadathil |
| Starring | Joju George Suraj Venjaramoodu Alencier Ley Lopez |
| Cinematography | Appu Prabhakar |
| Edited by | Jyoti Swaroop Panda |
| Music by | Rahul Raj |
Production company | Goodwill Entertainments |
| Distributed by | Goodwill Entertainment
Phars Films (Overseas) Yash Raj Films (UK/Europe) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Plot
editVishwanathan, Bhaskaran and Sethu are three estranged brothers who reunite at their ancestral home in Koyilandi, Kozhikode, as their ailing mother, Narayani, nears the end of her life. Sethu, the middle brother, has remained unmarried in the family home, caring for their mother while leading a quiet and often overlooked life due to his learning disorder. Bhaskaran, the youngest, distanced himself from the family after marrying a woman named Nafeesa, a decision that caused a rift between him and his conservative elder brother, Vishwanathan. Vishwanathan upholds traditional values and sees himself as the guardian of the family’s legacy, harboring deep-seated resentments.
As the brothers return home, old tensions resurface. However, amidst the brewing conflicts, a secret love story unfolds between Bhaskaran’s son, Nikhil and Vishwanathan’s daughter, Athira. When Vishwanathan discovers the romance, he reacts with fury, unwilling to accept a union between his daughter and the son of the brother he resents. Bhaskaran, though hesitant at first, supports the couple, seeing in them a chance to heal the divisions that have long plagued the family. Sethu, ever the mediator, tries to ease the growing tension, urging his brothers to let go of their bitterness.
Cast
edit- Joju George as Sethu
- Suraj Venjaramoodu as Bhaskaran
- Alencier Ley Lopez as Vishwanathan
- Garggi Ananthan as Athira, Vishwanathan's daughter
- Thomas Mathew as Nikhil, Bhaskaran's son
- Sajitha Madathil as Jayasree, Vishwanathan's wife
- Shelly Kishore as Nafeesa, Bhaskaran's wife
- Sulochana as Narayani
- Noomi Kashi as Thanooja
- Sarasa Balusserry as Devaki
- Savithri Meloor as Sarojini Amma
- Priya Sreejith as Latha, Bhaskaran's first love
- Ganga as Indu
- Yamuna as Bindu
- Sreelakshmi Meledath as Dhanya
- Jithin as RJ Rajesh
- Kumar Sunil as Adv.Rajan
- V K Ravi as Raman Nair
- Rahul Radhakrishnan as Hari
- Abu Valayamkulam as Dr.Ali
- Beena Geo as Sheela
- Pradeep Kumar as Father
Family Tree of Narayani's family
editDotted lines indicate a love relationship between characters, and dashed lines indicate marriage relationship between characters.
† Indicates a deceased character.
| Chandran† | Narayani† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Viswanathan | Jayasree | Sethu | Bhaskar | Nafiza | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Athira | Nikhil | Thanooja | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Production
editAfter directing the National Award-winning short film Oru Paathiraa Swapnam Pole, Sharan Venugopal, an alumnus of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute wrote a screenplay for his feature directorial debut, based on a premise he had developed in 2018. After completing the first draft, he approached actor Joju George to play the lead role. After getting a green light from the actor, he brought actors Suraj Venjaramoodu and Alencier Ley Lopez on board to play the other lead roles.
He signed Rahul Raj as the composer, Appu Prabhakar as the cinematographer and his film school colleague Jyoti Swaroop Panda as the editor.
The principal photography of the film began in December 2022 and got wrapped up in January 2023.
Release
editThe film had its theatrical release on February 7, 2025.
Reception
editThe film opened to overwhelmingly positive reviews and critical acclaim. S. R. Praveen of The Hindu reviewed the film positively calling it "A character-driven drama marked by its remarkable restraint".[3] Sanjith Sidharthan of OTTPlay reviewed the film praised the film saying "Sharan Venugopal's soothing, simmering family drama is an absolute gem".[4] Kirubhakar Purushothaman of News18 rated the film 4.5 out of 5 calling it "An Incredibly Moving Family Drama Of Homecoming".[5] Meriya Antony from Onlookers Media rated the film 8.1 out of 10 calling the film a 'A Heartfelt Ode to Family Bonds' and concluded saying, “Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal” is a masterpiece that transcends the typical family drama genre. It touches upon universal themes of love, forgiveness, and the enduring bonds of kinship with sincerity and grace. For Malayalam cinema enthusiasts, this film promises not just entertainment but a deeply resonant cinematic experience that lingers long after the credits roll.[6]
References
edit- ^ "Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal director Sharan Venugopal on getting a dream cast for his debut, National Award-winning short film and more | Exclusive". OTTPlay. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Praveen, S. R. (8 February 2025). "'Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal' movie review: A character-driven drama marked by its remarkable restraint". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 10 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Praveen, S. R. (8 February 2025). "'Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal' movie review: A character-driven drama marked by its remarkable restraint". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 10 February 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal review: This Joju George-starrer is an absolute gem". OTTPlay. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal Movie Review: An Incredibly Moving Family Drama Of Homecoming". News18. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ Antony, Meriya (7 February 2025). "Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal Review: A Heartfelt Ode to Family Bonds". onlookersmedia. Retrieved 12 February 2025.