Movie: Namban
Rating: 3.5/5
Directon: S. Shankar
Star Cast: Vijay, Jeeva, Srikanth, Ileana D’Cruz, Sathyaraj, Sathyan S. J. Surya, Anuya
Story: Abhijat Joshi & Rajkumar Hirani and Chetan Bhagat
Music: Harris Jayaraj
Cinematography: Manoj Paramahamsa
Banner: Gemini Film Circuit
Release Date: January 12, 2012
Story:
It is all about one man's intelligence in exposing the flaws of our educational system. A campus story with characters speaking on friendship, love and laughter. Venkatramakrishnan (Srikanth), Sevalkodi Senthil (Jeeva) and Panchavan Parivendan (Pari) (Vijay), are three engineering students who share the same room in their college.
Venki is studying engineering to pursue his father's wishes over his own wish. Senthil studies to raise his family's fortunes and get them out of poverty. On the other hand, Pari studies for simple passion in machines and devices. Pari is admirable and adrable character who believes that memorising definitions or doing what professors say won't benefit. He understands things and puts them to practice and achieves success in studies. He is more a practical man.
The principal of the college Virumandi Santhanam aka Virus (Sathyaraj) has ideas in total contrast to Pari. He loves other student Srivatsan (Silencer), who memories his lessons and gets good colours.
Pari comes across daughter of Virus Riya (Illeana) and falls for her.For Virus, Pari and his two friends is mere stupid’s. Thanks to Pari, both Venki and Senthil study well. Pari pass out in flying colours. Meanwhile Pari's heroics, wins him the adulation of all around. Pari helps his friends achieve their dreams. But after exams, Pari disappears. Venki and Senthil with Riya in the company begin their search for Pari. What they encounter in their search shocks them. Did they succeed in their mission or not forms the climax?
Performance:
A mass hero like Vijay to do such a role needs amazing guts. A man with great brains, he does all things in a casual manner. Vijay seems to have got under the skin of the character to excel. What more he looks trim fit and fine for the role of a student. Jeeva and Srikanth give him good company. Jeeva looks bubbly and energetic and Srikanth replicates what Maddy did in the original. Ileana is impressive and gets a meaty role to do while Sathyaraj as strict professor and Sathyan in a comical role impresses. A cameo by S J Suryah and Anuya worth a watch.
Highlights:
- Vijay's screen presence
- Shankar's direction
- Loaded with humour
Drawbacks:
- Harris songs
- Predictable storyline
Analysis:
A winner is already in Shankar's hands in the form of Three idiots. He seems to have made it crisply to suit Tamil audience. He has not made any big changes to the script and struck to the original. With Vijay underplaying his emotions and the star cast around playing their part well, Nanban ends up a sweet friend who you love to meet in your life daily.Nanban is a family entertainer with a nice message. It is not only for Vijay fans, but for all the Tamil audience. And it is definitely better than the Original version.
Finally: Must watch