# Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal

Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal is a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written and directed by Sharan Venugopal featuring Joju George, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Alencier Ley Lopez in the lead roles. The film tells the tale of three distanced brothers who arrive at their ancestral home after decades to be near their dying mother. The film features music composed by Rahul Raj while Appu Prabhakar serves as the cinematographer and Jyoti Swaroop Panda, the editor of the director's National Award-winning film Oru Paathiraa Swapnam Pole edits the film.

## Plot

Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal follows the story of three estranged brothers Vishwanathan, Bhaskaran and Sethu who reunite at their ancestral home in Koyilandi, Kozhikode, as their ailing mother, Narayani, nears the end of her life.
Sethu, the middle brother, has remained in the family home, caring for their mother while leading a quiet and often overlooked life due to his learning disorder. Bhaskaran, the youngest, distanced himself from the family after marrying a woman from a different religion, a decision that caused a rift between him and his conservative elder brother, Vishwanathan. Vishwanathan, the eldest, upholds traditional values and sees himself as the guardian of the family’s legacy, harboring deep-seated resentments.
As the brothers return home, old tensions resurface. However, amidst the brewing conflicts, a secret love story unfolds between Bhaskaran’s son, Nikhil, and Vishwanathan’s daughter, Athira.
When Vishwanathan discovers the romance, he reacts with fury, unwilling to accept a union between his daughter and the son of the brother he resents. Bhaskaran, though hesitant at first, supports the couple, seeing in them a chance to heal the divisions that have long plagued the family. Sethu, ever the mediator, tries to ease the growing tension, urging his brothers to let go of their bitterness.

## Cast

* Alencier Ley Lopez as Vishwanathan
* Joju George as Sethu
* Suraj Venjaramoodu as Bhaskar
* Garggi Ananthan as Athira
* Thomas Mathew as Nikhil
* Sajitha Madathil as Jayasree Vishwanathan
* Shelly Kishore as Nafeesa Bhaskar
* Sulochana as Narayani
* Noomi Kashi as Thanooja
* Sarasa Balusserry as Devaki
* Savithri Meloor as Sarojini Amma
* Ganga as Indu
* Yamuna as Bindu
* Sreelekshmi M. as Dhanya
* Jithin as RJ Rajesh
* Kumar Sunil as Adv.Rajan
* V K Ravi as Raman nair
* Rahul Radhakrishnan as Hari
* Abu Valayamkulam as Dr.Ali
* Beena Geo as Sheela
* Priya Sreejith as Latha
* Pradeep Kumar as Father

### Family Tree of Narayani's family

Dotted lines indicate a love relationship between characters, and dashed lines indicate marriage relationship between characters.
† Indicates a deceased character.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Govindan† | Govindan† | Govindan† | Govindan† | Govindan† | Govindan† | Narayani† | Narayani† | Narayani† | Narayani† | Narayani† | Narayani† |
| Viswanathan | Viswanathan | Viswanathan | Viswanathan | Viswanathan | Viswanathan | Jayasree | Jayasree | Jayasree | Jayasree | Jayasree | Jayasree | Sethu | Sethu | Sethu | Sethu | Sethu | Sethu | Bhaskar | Bhaskar | Bhaskar | Bhaskar | Bhaskar | Bhaskar | Nafiza | Nafiza | Nafiza | Nafiza | Nafiza | Nafiza |
| | | Athira | | | | | | Nikhil | | Thanooja | | | | | | | | | |

## Production

After directing the National Award-winning short film Oru Paathiraa Swapnam Pole, Sharan Venugopal, an alumnus of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute wrote a screenplay for his feature directorial debut, based on a premise he had developed in 2018. After completing the first draft, he approached actor Joju George to play the lead role. After getting a green light from the actor, he brought actors Suraj Venjaramoodu and Alencier Ley Lopez on board to play the other lead roles.
He signed Rahul Raj as the composer, Appu Prabhakar as the cinematographer and his film school colleague Jyoti Swaroop Panda as the editor.

## Release

The film had its theatrical release on February 7, 2025.

## Reception

The film opened to overwhelmingly positive reviews and critical acclaim. S. R. Praveen of The Hindu reviewed the film positively calling it "A character-driven drama marked by its remarkable restraint". Sanjith Sidharthan of OTTPlay reviewed the film praised the film saying "Sharan Venugopal's soothing, simmering family drama is an absolute gem". Kirubhakar Purushothaman of News18 rated the film 4.5 out of 5 calling it "An Incredibly Moving Family Drama Of Homecoming". Meriya Antony from Onlookers Media rated the film 8.1 out of 10 callING the film a 'A Heartfelt Ode to Family Bonds' and concluded saying, “Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal” is a masterpiece that transcends the typical family drama genre. It touches upon universal themes of love, forgiveness, and the enduring bonds of kinship with sincerity and grace. For Malayalam cinema enthusiasts, this film promises not just entertainment but a deeply resonant cinematic experience that lingers long after the credits roll.