Nasrani

Writer Ranjit and director Joshy mixes all essential ingredients to make a formula film- Mammootty’s larger-than- life image, this time that of a Kottayam Achayan, a rich laid back planter with a fancy name David John Kottarathil, who spends most of his time at the Cosmo club boozing and cracking jokes with friends (Lalu Alex, Bharath Gopi, Manian Pillai Raju, Janardanan, Baburaj etc). He could not marry his lady love a college lecturer Sara Eapen(Vimala), as his father (Captain Raju) accidentally shot her dad (Riza Bava) on the engagement day 10 years back!
David is still very much in love with Sara, and Mammootty’s introduction scene has him landing his helicopter in her college and whisking her away to celebrate 10 years of their love atop a mountain and cutting a huge cake in the presence of his driver cum ‘Man Friday’ Suku (Kalabhavan Mani). Then there is Annie (Mukta) a medical student, Sara’s half sister who is looked after by David, and she is accused by the cops of having taken revenge and killed Benny, a politician in the making for having ditched her best friend who committed suicide!
Benny is the son of M.C Paul,(Vijayraghavan) the powerful kingmaker and former Revenue Minister who runs his own political outfit Malankara Congress ( a take-off on K.M Mani & P.J Joseph) and is a schemer and manipulator par excellence. Earlier due to his machinations, Paul is able to bring down his own minister Ummachan (Jagathy), so that Benny could contest in Kadathuruthy by-election. Benny’s death upsets Paul’s carefully laid out plans, so he along with the cops and the other villainous son Xavier (Biju Menon) bay for Annie’s blood. But our Achyan David John is her protector and one-man army who takes on the might of Kerala Police and Malankara Congress to expose the police- politician-goonda nexus “Live” on Kairali TV and the real killer is also exposed in the climax!
Nasarani reminds you of Joshy’s mass masala multi-starrers of the late 70 and 80’s. The film lacks a tight screenplay and is disjointed, as Ranjit has mixed old wine with recent happenings in Kerala politics, to churn out a sugar-coated family trifle pudding. The film drags towards the climax, and there is even continuity jerk as too many characters are there for no real reasons. Ranjit and Joshy presents their protagonist as a macho man riding on Mammookka’s image, and to be honest that is the only thing that saves the movie.
Mammootty as the wise-cracking Nasrani gets all the plum lines and is quite wacky. He melds effortlessly from casual comedy, soft romance to utter seriousness with consummate ease. Mammookka as Nasarani is the only reason for investing in a movie ticket for this film.