'Hi Nanna' Movie Review

'Hi Nanna' Movie Review

Cast: Nani, Mrunal Thakur, Priyadarshi, Baby Kiara Khanna, Jayaram, Nasser, Shruti Hassan, Angad Bedi and others.

Music: Hesham Abdul Wahab

Cinematography: Sanu Varghese

Producer: Mohan Cherukuri, Dr. Vijender Reddy, Teegala Murthy KS

Writer - Director: Shouryuv

After a rustic mass film like 'Dasara', Natural Star Nani has arrived with a soft and classy emotional drama titled 'Hi Nanna'. Mrunal Thakur is the heroine in this project while Shouryuv is making his directorial debut. The trailer and songs were highly impressive which raised the expectations. Let us dive into the review to find out if 'Hi Nanna' reached those expectations or not.

Story:

Viraj (Nani) is a fashion photographer in Mumbai who stays with his daughter Mahi (Baby Kiara). As Mahi suffers from Cystic Fibrosis since birth, he looks after her very carefully. Mahi constantly asks Viraj about her mother's story and he skips it by saying 'some other day' every time. Mahi gets angry on his dad and goes out without telling him. She meets Yashna (Mrunal) and they become friends instantly. They ask Viraj about Mahi's mom and Viraj then decides to narrate what happened. Why did he hide the details about Mahi's mom? How is Yashna related to all this? Will Mahi's health get better? Answers to these questions form the crux of the story.

Analysis:

While heroes play mass action roles in a lot of films, there is something special when they do emotional roles. It brings out the actor in them rather than showcasing the star. Whether it is Chiranjeevi in 'Daddy' or Mahesh in 'Nenokkadine' or Venkatesh in 'Raja' or NTR in 'Nannaku Prematho', their performance will be on another level. Nani himself gave an award-worthy performance in 'Jersey'. He is back with another father role in 'Hi Nanna' and people were curious to see what Nani is going to bring this time which is different from what he did earlier. There is not much new in 'Hi Nanna' but it is the heart-touching emotions that keeps you invested till the end.

The recently released 'Animal' and 'Hi Nanna' have some similarities when it comes to the storyline. 'Animal' is about the son who destroys the world for his father while 'Hi Nanna' is the tale of the father who goes to the ends of the world for his daughter. The emotion is the same in both films but 'Hi Nanna' takes a classy approach. The director needs to be appreciated for sticking to his sensibilities and not adding too many commercial elements that spoil the flow of the film. The movie runs with a specific emotion right from the beginning to the end. It runs on a slow pace and it was a deliberate move by the movie's unit to enhance the emotions.

The film starts off on a decent note and takes some time to establish the characters. It is very mundane till Mrunal's character appears on the screen and the movie shifts into a love story since then. The romantic track is quite routine and lacks freshness but it is the performances of the lead actors that keeps things ticking. The lovely visuals and fresh music bring a lot of feel to this track. But you need to be a fan of Gautham Menon style of films to be fine with the pace of the narration. The heart-touching emotions during the pre-interval portions connect with the audience and the break comes with a decent twist.

It is the second half where the movie really works. While the way in which the heroine gets attracted to the hero so quickly is a bit unconvincing, the beautiful emotions paired up with superb acting works very well. The scenes revolving around Nani, his daughter and Mrunal really touches you. Shruti Hassan's song comes as a hindrance and the fiancée role at the end is quite routine but the focus on father-daughter relationship and human emotions really impresses you. The makers offer nothing new but they showcased a beautiful story in a touching fashion. It is the performances of Nani and Mrunal Thakur that elevate a lot of regular scenes. The mother's love is subtly yet effectively portrayed in the film. The soul-stirring climax brings out the tears and you will walk out of theatre with a sense of satisfaction at the end. 'Hi Nanna' is a slow and predictable film but excels when it comes to top-notch acting and touching emotions.

Performances:

Nani is the heart and soul of this movie. He portrays every small emotion with utmost perfection. His versatility is on full display as we wonder if he is the same guy who did 'Dasara' at the start of this year. The way he carries the role of a concerned father is highly convincing. He makes you connect with his character instantly and does complete justice. His mature performance is what holds the movie together while he is quite regular during the love episodes.

Mrunal Thakur who showed us her acting prowess in 'Sita Ramam' and played another beautiful role in this film. She looked amazing in the movie and her expressions were a treat to watch. She was the right fit and acting brings a lot of freshness to 'Hi Nanna'. Baby Kiara Khanna is highly adorable and did well. Priyadarshi as the hero's friend did a fantastic job. Jayaram was quite good in his role and the last twist to his character worked well. Nasser had nothing special but Shruti Hassan looked glamorous in the party song. Viraj plays a small role while Angad Bedi plays a routine role of a fiancé who sacrifices at the end.

Technicians:

'Hi Nanna' is ably backed by its technical team. Hesham Abdul Wahab's music is very refreshing and lovely background scores often elevate the film. He portrayed love and sentiment through his music quite well and enhanced many portions of the film. His songs were so good to hear. The visuals are cool and pleasant which suited the tone of the film. Every location is beautifully captured and the beauty can be felt on the screen. The production design is superb in this movie and the aesthetic touch should be appreciated. The production values are top-notch as the makers did not compromise.

Shouryuv makes an impressive debut with 'Hi Nanna'. He showcased the emotions superbly and extracted very good performances from the cast. The scenes involving father and daughter came out very well. He is a sensible director and his writing is quite classy as well. Had he taken more care about the pace of the film and infused some freshness in the love story during the first half, the film would have been even better.

Verdict: 'Hi Nanna': A Slow But Touching Emotional Tale!

Rating: 2.75/5