Legendary Malayalam actor Mammootty has frequently said, “Cinema can thrive without me, it has so many alternatives. Veterans like Adoor (Gopalakrishnan), Joshiy, Hariharan, and MT (Vasudevan Nair) don’t need me; it’s I who need them and cinema,” emphasising the insignificance of actors and stars in the realm of motion pictures and the broader world. But stardom carries a potent allure, often blinding those carrying it to the erosion of their platform until they begin to falter.
Director Jean Paul Lal’s (Lal Jr) Nadikar revolves around such a superstar, David Padikkal (Tovino Thomas), who has forsaken his acting roots, embracing a lifestyle focused solely on “booze, dance, party and play”. Or, in the words of his acting coach Bala (Soubin Shahir), “The moment you became a superstar, you lost (as an actor).”
Movies about the film industry or those revolving around film personnel are inherently slot deposit qris attractive because they offer a glimpse into the inner workings of cinema, often from a first-person perspective provided by those directly involved, which are more reliable than the products of Page 3 journalism. Films like 8½ (1963), Kagaz Ke Phool (1959), Sunset Boulevard (1950), Om Shanti Om (2007), The Dirty Picture (2011), Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback (1983), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), Luck By Chance (2009), Uttama Villain (2015) et al continue to draw interest for this reason too. Hence, since Nadikar’s initial announcement, anticipation has been rightfully high, given the myriad of possibilities its theme presents to the makers. Regrettably, the Jean Paul Lal directorial is a festival of misfires, with only a few noteworthy moments and the charismatic presence of Tovino Thomas in top form.