Paresh C Palicha feels Malayalam film Naayika leaves you confused.Director Jayaraaj's latest venture,
Naayika,
starring Sarada and written by Deedi Damodaran, is the story of a pioneering actress called Gracy, who acted in plays and later films when it was taboo to do so.
A young documentary filmmaker, Eleena (Mamta Mohandas), is making a film on the life of Gracy, who is now in her dotage and lives with the illusion that she is still in her prime. She gets up every morning and puts on all her make-up, as if she is going to work.
Eleena begins interviewing Gracy with the help of her assistant (KPAC Lalitha) and her manager, played by Jagathy Sreekumar.
The film goes back and forth in time juxtaposing the film industry of the '60s and '70s with the present. It names some real people while leaving us to guess at others from the way they are dressed and their mannerisms.
After struggling in the beginning, Gracy establishes herself as a leading lady of high potential (the young Gracy is played by Padmapriya), working for a studio run by Stephen (Siddique) who is not a good person
to begin with.
She mentions to Eleena in one of her senile phases how Stephen had tried to physically exploit her. From the beginning, Stephen is against the idea of the documentary and tries to dissuade Eleena from going ahead with the project. But when the young girl goes ahead and her work gains momentum and media publicity, Stephen threatens Gracy of dire consequences if she continues to entertain Eleena.
It is predictable that there are skeletons in the cupboard. Before they tumble out, we have a love story to deal with: Gracy had a very strong relationship with Anand (Jayaram hamming in full glory mimicking Prem Nazir), but Stephen compels them to postpone their matrimonial plans until they are through with their commitment to him. In between, Anand dies of an undisclosed terminal illness.
In the end,
Naayika just leaves you confused. Was it an effort to draw a psychological sketch of female actors of yesteryears, or delve into the history of the industry?
Whatever its intentions, it ends up as a cross between a spoof and a mimicry show.
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