Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times gives Nayyi Navelli 2.5 stars out of 5. The film arrives promising something big — its own promotions repeat “Think big!” — but the review finds a fantasy that keeps adding ideas without making the core story add up.
Directed by Balaji Mohan and written by Himanshu Sharma, the film is set in Meerut. It follows a man who accuses his bhabhi of being a witch even though her husband and in-laws are fond of her. When the husband turns into a monster, the plot connects the chaos to Kaal Sheel, a stone with roots in the Treta Yuga. It is a workable mythology-plus-comedy pitch, but the review says the film rarely delivers it with clarity.
Where the screenplay slips
The central problem is the script. The film opens abruptly and keeps introducing eccentric relatives, random one-liners and loud confrontations that do little to advance the story. The humour is mostly flat, and the interval arrives like a climax, not a natural pause. The second half briefly picks up with a few backstories, but the review notes the film soon falls back into the same excess, stretching sequences well past their effect.
- The opening drops viewers into events without enough orientation.
- Side characters often shout or deliver gags instead of moving the plot.
- Subplots, including an older woman-younger man marriage track, run far longer than they earn.
What holds it together
Yami Gautam is the film’s main anchor. The review credits her with presence and emotional range, but argues that no performance can fully rescue a screenplay this scattered. The rest of the cast is called strictly okay. GV Prakash Kumar’s background score helps in places but gets loud, and the songs do not stand out. The VFX is described as decent, which matters in a film leaning heavily on fantasy imagery.
Suri’s review summarises the trouble sharply: the film “mistakes excess for entertainment and confusion for complexity.” That warning sits at the centre of the 2.5-star verdict.
What it means for Bollywood fans
For Hindi cinema viewers, Nayyi Navelli is another reminder that a mythological hook needs disciplined storytelling, not just a big canvas. If you are a Yami Gautam fan or curious about the visual effects, there may be enough to sample; if you are looking for a coherent fantasy comedy, the review suggests you will spend much of the film waiting for it to find its footing. The title may promise something new, but the review finds precious little that feels fresh in the telling.
Source: Hindustan Times