Nadikalil Sundari Yamuna () is a 2023 Indian Malayalam-language comedy drama film written and directed by Vijesh Panathur and Unni Vellora in their directorial debut. The film stars Dhyan Sreenivasan and Aju Varghese in the lead roles, alongside Pragya Nagra, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Sudheesh, Sohan Seenulal, Nirmal Palazhi and Aneesh Gopal.
Principal photography began in October 2022 in Taliparamba. The songs are composed by Arun Muraleedharan, while the background score is provided by Sankar Sharma. The cinematography and editing are handled by Faisal Ali and Rathin Radhakrishnan.
Nadikalil Sundari Yamuna was released on 15 September 2023 to mixed reviews from critics.
Cast
Production
Filming
Principal photography began on 8 October 2022 with a pooja ceremony held at Trichambaram Temple in Taliparamba. The switch-on ceremony was performed by Baiju Santosh and the first clap was given by T. V. Rajesh. The filming took place in and around Taliparamba and Payyanur.
Soundtrack
The songs are composed by Arun Muraleedharan, while the background score is provided by Sankar Sharma. The lyrics are written by Manu Manjith and B. K. Harinarayanan. The audio rights are obtained by Saregama. The first song titled "Konnadi Penne" was released on 25 June 2023, sung by Dhyan Sreenivasan in his debut as a playback singer. A recreated version of the song "Vellara Poomala Mele" from Varavelpu (1989) was released on 26 August 2023.
Release
Theatrical
The film was given a U certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification prior to its release. It was released in theatres on 15 September 2023 by Crescent Release through Cinematica Films.
Home media
Highrich OTT acquired the digital rights and began streaming it on 23 October 2023.
Reception
Critical response
Athira M. of The Hindu wrote "The Dhyan Sreenivasan-Aju Varghese combination shines in 'Nadikalil Sundari Yamuna' but the situational humour lacks punch, with the local dialect managing to save some scenes." Anjana George of The Times of India gave 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "Overall, this feel-good family entertainer relies on strong performances, humor, and captivating music to compensate for its weak script." Princy Alexander of Onmanorama wrote "It's not that 'Nadikalil Sundari Yamuna' is a perfect entertainer, but it is quiet refreshing that the makers have not tried too hard to make the comedy work. While the film may suffer from some cliches, the flow in the narrative and the humour ensure these shortcomings can be overlooked."
Vignesh Madhu of The New Indian Express gave 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "In their debut outing, writer-director duo Vijesh Panathur and Unni Vellora, don't have a lot of freshness to offer, but if the objective was to follow the formulaic approach and deliver a decent entertainer, well, they seem to have got it right." Raymond John Kuriachan of OTTPlay gave 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "Nadhikalil Sundari Yamuna offers nothing new, apart from an old template story coupled with outdated writing. With some laughs here and there, the performances of Aju Varghese and Dhyan Sreenivasan are the only appealing aspects of this passable comedy-drama." Arjun Ramachandran of The South First gave 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "Nadikalil Sundari Yamuna is a light-hearted entertainer and aims at the family audience. In that way, the makers have done justice."