| Naradan | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Aashiq Abu |
| Written by | Unni R. |
| Produced by | Santhosh T. Kuruvilla Rima Kallingal Aashiq Abu |
| Starring | Tovino Thomas Anna Ben |
| Cinematography | Jaffer Zadique |
| Edited by | Saiju Sreedharan |
| Music by | Yakzan Gary Pereira Neha Nair |
| Production company | OPM Cinemas |
| Distributed by | OPM Cinemas |
| Release date |
|
| Running time | 149 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Naradan is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language psychological thriller film directed by Aashiq Abu. The film stars Tovino Thomas, Anna Ben and Sharafudheen in lead roles.
The film was originally scheduled to be released in April 2021, but was postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India. After multiple postponements , the film was theatrically released on 3 March 2022 along with Bheeshma Parvam.
Plot
Chandraprakash, an upcoming journalist working with the channel News Malayalam, is a talk show host and television news anchor with a huge audience appeal. Chandraprakash is under pressure for doing stories that increase the channel's rating from his editor and bosses. When a fellow journalist, Pradeep does a new story and lands a job at News Malayalam, Chandraprakash keeps aside his own moral principles and focuses on being number one. Chandraprakash meets a politician, Babuji, who offers him a chance to start a new channel, Narada News. Investors seeking new revenue streams invest in Chandraprakash. He becomes a kingmaker through Narada, an influential person who is able to provoke social violence. Chandraprakash uses his strategy of fabricated and half-baked stories to meet his ends, beginning the channel with a sting operation on the Minister of Forests, Thomman Varghese. However, things change when a social media celebrity Mudiyan asks some questions to Chandraprakash in a lift, after which he posts the video on social media which led to many trolls. Chandraprakash fabricates a narcotic report against Mudiyan. Since he is innocent, Adv. Shaakira Mohammed meets him and decides to fight against Chandraprakash. Shaakira reveals all the illegal activities Chandraprakash has done to increase TRP in front of the court, which leads to Chandraprakash being arrested and sent to prison.
Cast
- Tovino Thomas as Chandraprakash
- Anna Ben as Adv. Shaakira Mohammed
- Sharafudheen as Pradeep John
- Joy Mathew as Shivadas Kurup, Chief Editor of News Malayalam
- Vijayaraghavan as Babuji
- Balachandran Chullikkad as Vijayan, Pradeep's boss at Vartha 24x7
- Raghunath Paleri as Mohammed Khan, Shaakira's father
- Jayaraj Warrier as Bharathan, CP's father
- Rafi as Pillachettan
- Kunchan as Gurudasan, Minister of Finance
- Dileesh Nair as Kuttettan
- Rajesh Madhavan as Manu
- Indrans as Judge Chothi
- Jaffer Idukki as Fr. Clement Purambokkil (Purambokkil Achan)
- Renji Panicker as Adv. Govinda Menon
- Lukman Avaran as Adv. Ameer
- Vijaykumar Prabhakaran as Mukundan
- Koottickal Jayachandran as MLA Kanjikkaadan
- Navas Vallikkunnu as Nizar
- Fejo as Mudiyan
- Nazlin Saleem as Parvathy
Music
Songs
The soundtrack features songs composed by Sekhar Menon. The Song Thannatthaan was Co-composed by Fejo and Manchild. Rex Vijayan played guitar for Thannatthan.
| Naradan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Sekhar Menon | ||||
| Released | 28 February 2022 | |||
| Recorded | 2020–2022 | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 6:17 | |||
| Language | Malayalam | |||
| Label | OPM Records | |||
| Producer | Sekhar Menon | |||
| Sekhar Menon chronology | ||||
| ||||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Neeyetha" | MC Couper, Marthyan | MC Couper, Marthyan | 2:59 |
| 2. | "Thannatthan" | Fejo, Manchild | Fejo | 3:18 |
| Total length: | 06:17 | |||
Original soundtrack
The original soundtrack is composed and produced by Yakzan Gary Pereira and Neha Nair.
| Naradan | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film score by Yakzan Gary Pereira and Neha Nair | |||||
| Released | 3 March 2022 | ||||
| Recorded | 2020–2022 | ||||
| Genre | Film Score | ||||
| Length | 20:29 | ||||
| Language | Malayalam | ||||
| Label | OPM Records | ||||
| Producer | Yakzan Gary Pereira and Neha Nair | ||||
| Yakzan Gary Pereira and Neha Nair chronology | |||||
| |||||
| |||||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Birth Of CP" | 02:39 |
| 2. | "Call Me CP" | 02:05 |
| 3. | "Countdown To Naradha" | 00:51 |
| 4. | "Blackmailing The Minister" | 02:42 |
| 5. | "I Know Where You live" | 01:08 |
| 6. | "Shakira's Journey" | 02:25 |
| 7. | "Dethroning CP" | 03:27 |
| 8. | "The Magistrate" | 01:25 |
| 9. | "The Power Of Justice" | 03:45 |
| Total length: | 20:29 | |
Production
The film was announced in October 2020. Principal photography began on 25 January 2021. The film's shoot was wrapped up on 12 March 2021.
Release
The film was originally scheduled to be released in April 2021, but was postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India. The film was later scheduled to release on 27 January 2022, but then postponed due to spreading of Omicron. The film was then released on 3 March 2022 along with Mammootty starrer Bheeshma Parvam.
Reception
Naaradan received generally positive reviews from critics and audience. Bollywood Life gave 4.5/5 and wrote "Tovino Thomas and Anna Ben deliver the most stinging MASTERPIECE on TRP-hungry journalism". Times of India gave 3.5/5 and wrote "A closer look at TRP chasing newsrooms". Firstpost gave 3.5/5 and wrote "Tovino Thomas, Anna Ben land a slap on the face of India’s fake-news-peddling media". The News Minute gave 3.5/5 and wrote "Tovino-Aashiq Abu film shows reality of new age journalism". Indian Express gave 3.5/5 and wrote "Tovino-Aashiq Abu film shows reality of new age journalism". Pinkvilla gave 3/5 and wrote "Tovino Thomas shines on screen as a news reporter in this thrilling story". Ottplay gave 3/5 and wrote "Tovino Thomas' anti-hero act makes Aashiq Abu's slow-burning thriller gripping". Behindwoods gave 2.75 and wrote "Naaradan keeps you hooked with a tight screenplay on modern-day journalism".
References
- "Naaradan". British Board of Film Classification. 15 March 2022. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- Soman, Deepa. "'Naaradhan,' starring Tovino and Anna Ben, is a thriller – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- "'നാരദനു'മായി ആഷിഖ് അബു; ടൊവിനോയും അന്ന ബെന്നും ഒന്നിക്കുന്നു". Mathrubhumi. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- "Tovino Thomas, Anna Ben roped in for Aashiq Abu's Naradan". OnManorama. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- "Thannatthaan MP3 Song Download by Fejo (Thannatthaan (From "Naradan"))| Listen Thannatthaan Malayalam Song Free Online". Gaana. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- https://www.kerala9.com/reviews/naradan-movie-review-naradhan-failed-to-create-an-impact-a-movie-that-makes-fun-of-journalism/
- "Neeyethaa (From "Naradan") (Full Song) – Dj Sekhar, MC Couper, Marthyan – Download or Listen Free – JioSaavn". 28 February 2022.
- "Thannatthaan (From "Naradan") Song Download: Thannatthaan (From "Naradan") MP3 Malayalam Song Online Free on". Gaana. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- "Naradan (Original Sound Track) by Yakzan Gary Pereira & Neha Nair".
- Madhu, Vignesh (24 October 2020). "Naradhan: Tovino Thomas and Anna Ben in Aashiq Abu's next". onlookersmedia. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- CUE, THE (25 January 2021). "ടൊവിനോയുടെ നാരദൻ തുടങ്ങി, സ്വിച്ചോൺ ചെയ്ത് റിമ, ക്ലാപ്പടിച്ച് അന്ന ബെൻ". The Cue (in Malayalam). Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- "Tovino Thomas and Anna Ben to star in Aashiq Abu's Naradan". Filmfare. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- "TOVINO THOMAS WRAPS UP HIS NEXT 'NARADHAN'". Indiaglitz. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- "ആഷിഖ് അബു – ടൊവിനോ ചിത്രം, 'നാരദന്' തുടക്കം". Mathrubhumi. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- "Naradhan First Look : 'മിന്നല് മുരളി'ക്ക് ശേഷം ടൊവീനോ; ആഷിക് അബുവിന്റെ 'നാരദന്' ഫസ്റ്റ് ലുക്ക്". Asianet News. 19 December 2021.
- "ഒമിക്രോൺ വ്യാപനം; ടൊവീനോയുടെ 'നാരദനും' വരാൻ വൈകും" [Naradhan movie release postponed due to covid omicron threat]. Malayala Manorama (in Malayalam). 15 January 2022.
- "'നാരദൻ' മാർച്ചിൽ തീയേറ്ററുകളിലേക്ക്; റിലീസ് തീയതി പുറത്ത് വിട്ടു". Mathrubhumi. 4 February 2022.
- "Naradan movie review: Tovino Thomas and Anna Ben deliver the most stinging MASTERPIECE on TRP-hungry journalism". Bollywood Life. 3 March 2022.
- Soman, Deepa. "Naradan Movie Review: A closer look at TRP chasing newsrooms". Times of India.
- "Naradan movie review: Tovino Thomas, Anna Ben land a slap on the face of India's fake-news-peddling media". Firstpost. 4 March 2022.
- "Naradan review: Tovino-Aashiq Abu film shows reality of new age journalism". The News Minute. 3 March 2022.
- "Naaradan review: Tovino Thomas shines in thriller about exploitative journalism". Indian Express. 4 March 2022.
- "Naradan Movie Review: Tovino Thomas shines on screen as a news reporter in this thrilling story". PINKVILLA. 3 March 2022. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- "Naradan review: Tovino Thomas' anti-hero act makes Aashiq Abu's slow-burning thriller gripping". Ottplay.
- "Naaradan is a Tovino show, with a razor-sharp focus on his character's development and barely any focus on side characters. With a more comprehensive character development, the film could have been better. Nevertheless, it's a gripping entertainer for the weekend". Behindwoods. 3 March 2022.