No matter how many college-oriented movies have come in Malayalam cinema, there is always space for another one. The success of Premam and Aanandam are testament to the fact that audiences won't get tired of a new one, provided the treatment is fresh, unique and light-hearted. The newest addition to the list is director Joshy Thomas Pallickal's Naam, which promises to be a feel-good entertainer different from other campus movies.
Explaining the title, Joshy says, "Here Naam stands for us; this film is about a bunch of youngsters who are not selfish -- people who are there for each other regardless of their backgrounds, religion, financial status, region etc. It's a simple film about the friendship of a group of boys and girls and their various adventures. And then something bad happens, which I wouldn't exactly call a tragic situation. This situation brings them all together."
Joshy also went on to add that he tried his best to avoid any comparisons to other campus movies."What's unique about this film is that you won't see any politics or unnecessary detours like a murder and twist here or a romance there. Normally when parents send their children to college, they're concerned about the kind of friendships they get into. Mine is a family-friendly film that celebrates the goodness in individuals rather than focusing on their negatives."
What's also worth noting is that Naam will have cameos (or rathe extended cameos) from few big names like Gautham Vasudev Menon (director of Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya, Kakka Kakka), Tovino Thomas, and Vineeth Sreenivasan. As per Joshy, these three play an integral part in the film's third act. "They're playing themselves, and a certain situation arises where these youngsters require their help. So, in effect, these three become a part of that gang. And Tovino's role is something of an extended cameo. The entire story is actually narrated by him."
Naam releases on May 11.