What Is the Story About?
The nine different human emotions based on the Indian system form the base of nine stories. They wholly comprise Navarasa.
Performances?
Suriya stands out among the crowd due to his sheer star power. He is the biggest name in the project. But more than that, he brings to the fore his usually unexplored romantic side to the fore, which is a treat for the fans and movie lovers. The casual way with which the whole act is done and yet having an intensity makes it must watch.
Vijay Sethupathy is his intense self. And he brings the effect in a much more calm and cold manner, which instantly makes his act register. Revathy and Prakash Raj further makes his segment overall well-rounded acting-wise.
Delhi Ganesh brings his vast experience to the fore to create the perfect reaction for disgust. Rohini adds her measured calm act to balance him, whereas Aditi Balan ends it on an ideal note.
Sree Raam and Riythvika do well in expressing anger and rage in a predictable plot. Siddharth, Ammu Abhirami and Parvathy Thiruvothy do the same in a different segment.
Yogi Babu gets to narrate a delightful story that presents his casual self. Aravind Swamy is effective as a scientist who did something monstrous without his knowledge. Bobby Simha is fine, but it doesn’t register among the spate of actors due to a weak plot he is part of. Anjali and Atharva are the wasted lot among all. Kishore is alright.
Analysis
The combo of Gautham Menon and Suriya is back after ages. They take us on a predictable but lovely journey together. The simple moments between the lead pair reminiscent of Before Sunrise and Once are a treat to watch.
Karthick Naren proves again that he is a bundle of enthusiasm and energy with his short Project Agni. There is a lot of mumbo jumbo in the way it progresses, but the ending makes up for it.
Vasanth creates a wonderfully nostalgic atmosphere that is sure to strike a chord. He twists it with the disgust and spite inhabited by the central character. The contrasts work well and hit the target.
One couldn’t have thought of a better name than senior director Priyadarshan for laughter. His segment is the perfect fun generator amidst heavy-duty and serious emotions.
Bejoy Nambiar, as usual, makes an impression with his technical fervour and music. The performances, too, are alright, but the whole thing feels very dry, for the most part. It all works out in the end, and the song takes it to the next level, but it is a little too late in the day.
Aravind Swamy makes his directorial debut with Roudhram. The whole thing gives a loud vibe compared to the rest. The predictability and the making, too, is different from the rest, but not better. He has extracted good performances from the cast, though.
Rathindar R Prasad presents his predictable story with conviction, emotions and clarity. It is where Karthik Subbaraj fails. It continues his downward spiral as a director. Sarjun KM’s Thunintha Pin is the weakest link of all despite containing a pertinent and relevant subject.
Music and Other Departments?
Many top names are part of the anthology series Navarasa as music director, but Karthik shines. Of course, it helps him to have Gautam Menon as director and that too for the ‘romantic’ segment. AR Rahman is okay, whereas Santosh Narayanan is wasted. Vishal Bharadwaj offers some variety to the mix. Ron Ethan Yohann gets a subject that is right in his zone and delivers. The cinematography, too, is consistently good across all the shorts. Santosh Sivan’s Roudhram stands out among them, but not in a positive way. The writing is inconsistent. It is expected when we have such a wide variety of genres and content involved, though.
Highlights?
Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru (Romance)
Summer of 92 (Haasya)
Project Agni (Adbhutha)
Payasam (Bibhatsa)
Edhiri (Karuna)
Drawbacks?
Roudhram (Raudra)
Inmai (Fear)
Peace (Shaantha)
Thunintha Pin (Valour)
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes
Navarasa Netflix Review by Binged Bureau