Nayyi Navelli movie review: Yami Gautam deserved better, and so did we

A still from Nayyi Navelli

Indian folklore is finding renewed popularity in Hindi cinema, with filmmakers exploring stories rooted in ancient legends, gods and demons. Yami Gautam's Nayyi Navelli tried something similar, but did it strike the right chord? Unfortunately no. Directed by Balaji Mohan, the horror comedy offers neither convincing scares nor enough laughs to make an impact. Despite being a brilliant genre in itself, the film is held back by a weak script, poor storytelling and disappointing execution.

What is the story about?

The film opens with Bantu (Anurag Thakur) raising an alarming suspicion: Could the Awasthi family's beloved bahu be a witch? Despite his warning, the family refuses to believe him, holding on to memories of how she transformed their once-chaotic household into a home filled with peace and happiness. As soon as the story unfolds, Yami appears to be part of a realm associated with Ravana and demonic powers. The narrative also draws on the idea of a demon who went to great lengths to acquire power, suggesting the film connects Ravana-inspired mythology with its supernatural storyline. But how does Mohini get involved, and what role does her husband, played by Adinath Kothare, have to play in all this? That's the crux!

Where does the film go wrong?

Honestly, from the very beginning, the film tries hard to make the audience laugh and feel scared, but sadly, it fails to do either. Throughout the runtime, I kept waiting for something intriguing to happen, but nothing really stood out. The film failed to build momentum or keep the audience invested in its story.

The film wastes its first 15-20 minutes on the Awasthi family's chaotic antics and lame jokes, which quickly become tiresome. When Yami Gautam enters the picture, you hope she might be the saving grace of this otherwise weak story. Sadly, she fails to make much of an impact, with even her dialogues falling flat. The second half is even more frustrating. You expect the horror or comedy elements to kick in eventually, given the genre, but the scares never arrive. Instead, the story keeps dragging on without anything interesting happening, making the film an exhausting watch.

Performances

There is no doubt Yami Gautam is a brilliant and versatile actress, and her willingness to experiment with different roles is commendable. Having admired her script choices over the years, I was particularly disappointed by Nayyi Navelli. Adinath Kothare, as Raja Awasthi, delivers a decent performance. The supporting cast, including Sunita Rajwar, Mita Vashisht, Sushmita Mukherjee, Sonal Jha, Aaditya Kulshreshth (Kullu), and Anurag Thakur, make efforts to keep the film's momentum going, but nothing really works.

Honestly, I went in with high expectations, but sadly, those were crushed. In the end, Yami Gautam should have said no to this film, for her own sake and ours!