Very mild #spoiler ?
The reaction and responses in the theatre to lines and scenes that would pass off as run of the mill, compared to what the Malayali audience have witnessed over the years in the body of his work as an actor and a star, is proof that with a decent performance and film, Mohanlal can set the registers ringing and leave hearts filled like no one else can. Call him old school but much of the credit goes to Jeethu Joseph who puts his unique insight into the workings of an average moviegoer’s mind, to good use here. Post Drishyam, if you consider Mohanlal’s career a cricket innings, Jeethu Joseph would probably be the one who plays one down and Antony Perumbavoor knows this more than anyone, apparently. Here he delivers again after a string of mediocre films from Mohanlal.
A movie very close to Drishyam 2 in tone and tempo, Neru is not without minor flaws, mostly in characterization, that of the antagonist in particular. Mohanlal and Jeethu Joseph are in good company when veterans like Siddique and Jagadeesh turn in their best and budding actors like Anashwara Rajan almost steals the thunder from the big names around her. Neru is probably the beginning of Mohanlal’s return to box office glory when he ends the year with a bang and gears up for the big bang in Jan’24 that’s Malaikottai Vaaliban and then the afterglow in the making, Barroz. If the positivity on display in the recent flurry of promotions with active participation from Mohanlal and crew are anything to go by, the man is in all likelihood, on a roll.
PS: Couldn’t help wondering if Jeethu Joseph has a thing against young adult males though.
gopakumarpurushothaman 