Naduvan movie review: The lack of a cohesive screenplay in this wannabe thriller is evident throughout out the film

2/5

Story: A workaholic entrepreneur gets the shock of his life when he learns that his wife is in a relationship with his business partner. He plans to finish off both of them, but a few of his employees plan to loot his home around the same time. 

Review: The trailer of Naduvan hinted at the film's story revolving around the lives of a few people who hide their real identity behind masks. The movie, which is set against the backdrop of Kodaikanal, begins with an aerial shot of the hill station. A man who goes out to attend nature's call is taken aback at the sight of a partially charred dead body lying on the road. We are then introduced to Karthik (Bharath), a visibly disturbed family man, who has made up his mind to take revenge on someone who broke his trust. 

Cut to flashback, Karthik leads a happy life with his wife Madhu (Aparna Vinod) and daughter. Though Madhu has been upset with Karthik for a while, thanks to his obsession with his work, they come across as an ideal couple. However, what bothers Karthik is the irresponsible behaviour of Shiva (Gokul Anand), his business partner. Meanwhile, Guru (Aruvi Bala) joins Karthik's company as an employee. He finds that Shiva and Madhu are having an illicit relationship, but decides not to reveal it to Karthik after Shiva threatens to kill him. 

However, unable to hide the brutal truth, Guru writes a latter to Karthik, revealing all details about his wife's infidelity, and escapes to his hometown after quitting the job. Upon knowing the truth, the latter decides to finish off both Shiva and Madhu. At his home town, Guru gets embroiled in a murder case along with his friends. A cop (Yog Japee) asks them to pay a hefty sum to acquit them of the crime they committed in a fit of rage. Guru and friends hatch a plan to loot the money from Karthik's home at a time when the latter plans to kill his wife and Shiva. 

The plot looks okayish on paper, but the execution falters as the story progresses. The characters, except for Gokul, leave little impact. We hardly get to empathize with the lead characters as the manner in which their roles are written lacks novelty. The emotional scenes, too, fall flat making the proceedings unengaging. Despite having no interesting twists and turns in the turn of events, the story actually becomes intriguing with some engaging moments in the third act. But the film loses steam midway which affects the overall narration. 

The role of a workaholic entrepreneur in the film is no challenge to Bharath, yet he puts his best foot forward. Gokul excels in the role of his cunning friend who sleeps around with his wife. Yog Japee and Aparna are okay while Aruvu Bala shows promise, thanks to the way in which he emotes helplessness and naivety. Yuva's cinematography helps the film to bring in the required mood, but the lack of a cohesive screenplay is evident throughout the film. Dharan's music is okayish. Kaalai Adhikaalai song, which appears in the beginning of the film, stands out.

Verdict: Had the makers come up with a tighter screenplay with ample edge-of-the-seat moments, focusing more on the emotional side of lead characters, the movie would have worked as a thriller. Naduvan ends up as a half-baked attempt.  

Naduvan is streaming on SonyLIV.