Nunakuzhi review: Jeethu Joseph takes a break from thrillers, delivers a wholesome comedy entertainer

The tagline of Nunakuzhi, “Liars’ Day Out,” perfectly captures the essence of the movie. It is a classic comedy of errors, a genre with a dedicated fan base.

Jeethu Joseph, known for his investigative thrillers, ventured into the world of comedy with this film. Audiences familiar with his work may be surprised by how effectively he handles this different genre.

The filmmaker previously directed My Boss (2012), a comedy entertainer starring Dileep and Mamta Mohandas.

In Nunakuzhi, all the actors deliver power-packed performances. Let’s delve into the movie without much ado.

The film features several subplots, with the protagonist Eby Poozhikunnel (played by Basil Joseph) at its centre.

Eby is a young businessman running a company founded by his father. He is an immature person.

Nikhila Vimal plays Eby’s wife, who is unhappy with their marriage. Eby, however, is portrayed as someone who even records their intimate moments.

Rashmita (Grace Antony) and Renjith (Aju Varghese) are a couple fighting a divorce case.

Bhama Krishnan (Siddique), an income tax officer, raids Eby’s firm and seizes his laptop, containing clips of Eby’s intimate moments with his wife. This creates a serious issue for Eby when his wife discovers the videos.

In his quest to retrieve his laptop, Eby mistakenly enters Rashmita’s flat instead of Bhama Krishnan’s, leading to a comedy of errors.

Other characters like Manoj K Jayan (Sunderdas) and his accomplice (played by Binu Pappu) also enter the scene, becoming part of the main story.

Nevertheless, the central plot revolves around Eby’s efforts to retrieve his laptop from Bhama Krishnan, with the comedy arising from the hurdles he faces. How he manages to get his laptop back is worth watching on the big screen.

Related: Basil Joseph’s ‘Nunakuzhi’ trailer promises a comedy of errors

A laugh riot

Nunakuzhi is a thorough entertainer created to make the audience laugh.

Director Jeethu Joseph takes a well-deserved break from intense thrillers but surprisingly delivers a hilarious movie that offers nothing less than entertainment, entertainment and entertainment, from the word go.

Nunakuzhi maintains a steady pace from the beginning and dishes out laughter till the end. The loud background music, reminiscent of English comedy films, enhances even scenes of little importance.

All the subplots contribute to the humour—be it Rashmita’s or the sequences featuring Baiju as a police officer. The scenes involving Baiju, Basil Joseph, Grace Antony, and Aju Varghese in the hospital stand out in the film.

The engaging script, written by Krishna Kumar, skillfully connects all these characters and ensures laughter throughout.

Performances

Nunakuzhi boasts strong performances from all the actors.

Basil Joseph is in top form, proving himself to be a skilled actor. His body language in the comedy scenes is a significant highlight. It’s a trait seen in seasoned actors like Mohanlal, Jagathy Sreekumar, and Sreenivasan.

Grace Antony also delivers a standout performance. After her impressive role in the web series Nagendran’s Honeymoons (now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar), she excels in the role of Rashmita. She even poses tough competition to Basil Joseph in humour.

Siddique, as Bhama Krishnan, offers a solid performance, reminiscent of his role in Chotta Mumbai (2007).

Nikhila Vimal, as Eby’s wife, has a limited role but pairs well with Basil Joseph.

Manoj K Jayan, as superstar Sunderdas, performs well, especially in his interactions with Siddique, Althaf Salim, and Binu Pappu.

Aju Varghese and Saiju Kurup are commendable.

Nunakuzhi benefits from excellent background music and songs scored by Vishnu Syam. The cinematography by Satheesh Kurup is a visual treat, especially during the climax and other key scenes.

The movie is crafted like a series of interconnected events, similar to the superhit comedy films made by Priyadarshan. Jeethu Joseph deserves applause for pulling this off effortlessly.

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Final take

Nunakuzhi is a delightful laugh riot, featuring standout performances from Basil Joseph, Grace Antony, and the rest of the cast.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)