Majnu movie review: Nani makes the script work

A lead who goes through a gamut of emotions and manages to make all of them stand out. Nani and his acting acumen — that is what Majnu is all about. More than the script, it’s the actor who makes the narrative captivating and engrossing.

A boy falls in love with a girl and leaves his job to join as a lecturer in her college. He then leaves her because of a misunderstanding and goes to the big city to become a director. And the boy narrates this entire story in a flash-back to the girl he is currently attracted to. Sounds like a story you have heard before? Yes, but the thrill of both girls being cousins brings out the element of surprise, which makes the second half of the story interesting.

The script is predictable and often seen. Director Varinchi’s script is old and the narrative is sketchy. The plot also falls flat as the film progresses. A twist stands between us and boredom. A twist and Nani — the film’s Majnu.

Let me take a step back here to tell you that the entire film is about Aditya (Nani) who drives the story and manages to rope in other characters. Nani’s performance, in particular, needs appreciation for his multi-tasking. From comic sequences to rhetoric or emotional trauma to mass action, he manages to fulfill each and every demand of the film. Walking on a fragile surface of banality of the script, Nani manages to pull through with his multi-faceted and nuanced performance.

Even the comic tasks assigned to Vennala, Posani and Saptagiri are well executed and are more accentuated with Nani’s combination. The movie is also filled with breadcrumbs of Baahubali’s making with cameo roles by Trivikram and Raj Tarun.

Meanwhile, the two female leads need to explore the mien of their characters more. While both of them give their best shot and make the chemistry work, Suma (Priya Shri) and Kiran (Anu Emmanuel) are set in a singular mode: the former, who was given a little screen-space, stays uber excited and the latter, with a chunk of role in the story, stays with a poker face all through the film.

Music director Gopi Sunder managed to pump up the mood with some great beats. Especially Kanulu Moosi and Jare Jare boost the narrative.