A family full of strife, a new bride and a brother-in-law who suspects something is wrong. ‘Nai Naveli’ has all the makings of a fun horror-comedy. Directed by Balaji Mohan, the film begins on an entertaining note, with lots of family drama and strange situations that propel the story forward. The question is, will this film be able to maintain its beauty?

Star rating: 2/5 stars
Director: Balaji Mohan
Starring: Yami Gautam Dhar, Anurag Thakur, Adinath M. Kothare, Sunita Rajwar, Mita Vashisht
Highlights: Anurag Thakur’s excellent comic timing and initial family drama are the main strengths of the film.
Weaknesses: Weak script, illogical mythological aspect and mediocre visual effects made with AI.

Nai Naveli: Story and Writing
Yami Gautam Dhar plays Mohini, who moves to her new home in Meerut after her new marriage. Her brother-in-law Bantu (Anurag Thakur) is convinced that Mohini is not what she seems. Much of the comedy in the beginning of the film comes from this suspicion and the family’s reactions to this strange situation. It is in these parts of the film that one feels the most natural. The family feuds and misunderstandings feel familiar, and the comedy is at its best when the characters interact with each other.

Anurag Thakur’s work in these scenes is truly amazing. He has shown natural comic timing in the character of Bantu, making even simple conversations hilarious. In fact, even though the jokes are not that effective, Anurag Thakur manages to carry the entire story. The film could have done a lot more with its character but it left its mark with what it got.

The story starts to get a bit bleak when it mentions a stone called ‘Kal Sheel’, which is associated with the Ramayana and the mythology of Ravana. The film gradually shifts its focus to the supernatural conflict, and the family drama that initially made the film entertaining recedes. Unfortunately, this new twist in the story isn’t all that interesting.

New Novel: Writing and Directing
Mixing mythology with comedy isn’t a bad idea, but the two things never mesh well here. As the family scenes begin to form a rhythm, the film takes a turn in another direction. The result is that there are some good moments in the story, but they fail to leave their full impact. The family scenes have a familiar rhythm, while the mythological sections feel like they belong in another movie. Instead of adding depth to the story, they disrupt its flow. The result is an unbalanced entertainment that repeatedly strays from its strongest points.

Also there are many parts of the story, which the makers try to connect, but they never connect properly. Why is the ‘king’ on the other side of the road, what are the ages of the characters, how Diwali came before Dussehra and the part of Hanuman – all these combine to make the story illogical at many places.

Also, there is a common problem with mythological films. Be it Kajol’s ‘Maa’ character or Yami Gautam’s ‘Nai Naveli’, using AI generated scenes to tell old stories seems quite lazy and without any creativity. It looks like giving ‘prompts’ (instructions) to the AI, rather than actual filmmaking. Balaji Mohan disappoints by relying too much on these scenes, and also fails to add mythological elements to his story.

‘Nai Naveli’: Acting
Gautam Dhar had very little scope to work. ‘Mohini’ is at the center of the story, but the character is difficult to understand properly. Acting places feel the same; Their expressions look the same even in different situations. It’s not entirely a lack of artistry; She is given very little opportunity to develop her character in the script itself. Still, the film needed a strong protagonist, especially when a major part of the story depends on him.

Adinath M. who played the role of ‘Raja’. Kothare is also disappointed with the script. He proves his mettle in emotional scenes, but the film doesn’t give him a chance to fully shine. Sunita Rajwar and Meeta Vashisht add life to the family setting, but the rest of the cast doesn’t get anything special to leave a deep impression. There are many characters in the house, but the film uses their interactions only to set up the next misunderstanding, and shows nothing more.

‘New entrant’: The technical side
The film does not get much help from the technical side either. Some of the visual effects look gimmicky, and it’s all the more ironic when the moviegoer is expected to accept a supernatural world. Instead of fully immersing yourself in the story, these scenes repeatedly remind you that you’re just watching a stage spectacle. The songs also do not leave a special impression. They neither add anything to the atmosphere of the film nor provide any memorable musical moments to be remembered.

This film of about 2 hours and 18 minutes could have been shortened a little. The problem is not only its length, but that too much time is wasted on parts that do not help the story move forward. This family comedy had the potential to be a tight film, but its screenplay hindered itself time and time again.

Final decision
‘Nai Naveli’ had the potential to be a great horror-comedy if it had stuck to its origin story and family drama instead of trying too many things at once. The film has been given 2 out of 5 stars for the laughs in the first half and Anurag Thakur’s excellent performance. To watch or not to watch? If you are fond of Anurag Thakur’s comic timing and light-hearted family dramas, you can watch this once, but don’t expect heavy logic or great drama.