'Naaradan' review: An inside view of TRP-hungry media

Naaradan

Malayalam (Amazon Prime Video)

Director: Aashiq Abu

Cast: Tovino Thomas, Anna Benn, Indrans, Sharafudeen

2.5/5

In Aashiq Abu’s ‘Naaradan’, Sharafudeen plays an ethical journalist who rises up the ranks through hard work. During an argument, he tells his underpaying boss, “After a point, a good story requires good salary and enough petrol in the bike.” The scene is an apt reflection of journalism in today’s times.

Right from a journalist’s vulnerable financial situation to the never-ending stress of staying relevant to his constant fear of losing his job, everything in the first hour of the film feels bang on target. Tovino Thomas plays Chandraprakash a.k.a. CP, a star news anchor at News Malayalam. His high-flying career hits a roadblock when his TRP-hungry boss keeps him on sidelines for missing a major exclusive.

Tovino’s portrayal of a brooding and self-obsessed professional is apt. His character trait is revealed in how he chooses money over commitment in his relationship. He has a father who backs his calculated approach to life.

He turns into a sensational journalist who goes any lengths for power and that triggers the film’s downfall. It’s obvious that Tovino’s transformation is a spin off on Arnab Goswami. There is even a crucial scene that resembles Kunal Kamra’s heckling of Arnab on flight.

The writing is silly and Tovino’s dramatic performance feels cartoonish. He tries hard but comes across over the top and the film fails to take the much-needed explosive turns. ‘Naaradan’ then clings on to a case that lands CP in court. The plot is driven by predictability.

The dull colour tones and slackened pace are other dampeners. Anna Benn’s sincere performance as a lawyer is the final positive in a film, which after a point, doesn’t show beyond what we know.