ranam malayalam movie review

We've detected your location as Mumbai . Do you want to switch?

Accurate city detection helps us serve more contextual content

• You are in (Delhi) Change City
• ETimes Home
• Web Series Trailers
• Movie Reviews
• Movie Listings

Visual Stories

• Did You Know?
• Bigg Boss 17
• Relationships
• Health & Fitness
• Soul Search
• Home & Garden
• Women's Day Special

Entertainment

• Music Awards
• Bhubaneshwar
• humburgerIcon humburgerIcon humburgerIcon

• Ranam: Detroit Crossing
• Cast & Crew
• Movie Review
• Users' Reviews

Ranam is a ferociously intriguing tale which has set a new standard to the Mollywood metro gangster narratives. There is action, violence, romance, hope, helplessness and revenge.

Ranam: Detroit Crossing Movie Review

• Times of India

Ranam: Detroit Crossing - Official Trailer

Ranam: Detroit Crossing - Movie Clip

Ranam: Detroit Crossing - Title Track

Ranam: Detroit Crossing - The Making

Ranam: Detroit Crossing | Song - Ini Raave

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Get reviews of the latest theatrical releases every week, right in your inbox every Friday.

Thanks for subscribing.

Please Click Here to subscribe other newsletters that may interest you, and you'll always find stories you want to read in your inbox.

Sanjay Jain 1057 days ago

फ़ालतू movie है। ना देखें ।

Shrert 1420 days ago

Woo excellent

Mrnilu 1420 days ago

Mind blowing

Prakash 1420 days ago

Awantika jaiswal 175 1437 days ago.

​Captivating looks of Kajal Aggarwal​

​In pics: Gorgeous anchors of Tamil TV​

Sobhita Dhulipala’s stunning camera roll

8 Japanese techniques that help you become more energetic

Dev Patel, Kangana Ranaut, Aamir Khan: Actors who directed their own films

Karishma Tanna: Effortlessly embracing stylish elegance

Stylish looks of Aryan Khan's rumoured girlfriend Larissa Bonesi

Hina Khan and her love for opulent gowns

Get fashion inspiration from Kajal Aggarwal and turn heads with style

Explore these popular low-investment startup ideas today

• Entertainment /
• Movie Reviews /
• Malayalam /
• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor. Share
• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor.
• This is the second time Arjun Kapoor is playing a double role, the first being Aurangzeb (2013).
• The song ‘Yamma yamma’ from ‘Shaan’ is sampled in the song ‘Partywali Night' for the film.

Choose your reason below and click on the Submit button. This will alert our moderators to take action

• Foul language
• Inciting hatred against a certain community
• Out of context/Spam
• Copied from article

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Trapped in a life of crime, a mysterious getaway driver, lives with this code of conduct and protects his only friend. When he meets someone who can potentially change his entire world, he y... Read all Trapped in a life of crime, a mysterious getaway driver, lives with this code of conduct and protects his only friend. When he meets someone who can potentially change his entire world, he yearns at a chance for redemption. Trapped in a life of crime, a mysterious getaway driver, lives with this code of conduct and protects his only friend. When he meets someone who can potentially change his entire world, he yearns at a chance for redemption.

• Nirmal Sahadev
• George Kanatt
• Prithviraj Sukumaran
• 27 User reviews
• 10 Critic reviews

• Damodar Ratnam

• Ahmed Sidqi

• Police Officer

• Security Guard

• Aadhi's Father
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia It is heavily inspired by the Hollywood film Drive (2011) starring Ryan Gosling
• Connections References Enga Veetu Pillai (1965)
• Soundtracks Ini Raave Written by Manoj Kuroor Produced by Jakes Bejoy Performed by Vidhu Prathap

User reviews 27

• arungeorge13
• Oct 19, 2018
• How long is Ranam? Powered by Alexa
• September 7, 2018 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Stream Ranam officially on Hotstar Singapore
• Lawson Entertainment
• Yes Cinema Company
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 16 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

• entertainment

Ranam Movie Review Highlights: A first half filled with thrilling moments

Visual Stories

RANAM NEWS STORIES

• New wonder in Tamil cinema

RANAM RELATED NEWS STORIES

Ranam related cast photos.

Isha Talwar

OTHER MOVIE REVIEWS

• Njan Marykutty

• Kammara Sambhavam

• Swathanthryam Ardharathriyil

• Kuttanadan Marpappa

• Sudani From Nigeria

RANAM RELATED NEWS

• Ranam Trailer Is Here | Prithviraj
• 2-minute Scene From Thodraa
• Actor Rahman’s Full Swing Relief Work At Aluva
• Trailer Of 7 Tamil Movie | Rahman | Regina | Nanditha
• Official: Vivegam Villain To Make His Malayalam Debut
• Vaanaville Video Song From Koode | Parvathy | Nazriya Nazim ...
• Paranne Video Song From Nazriya's Next!
• Just In: Nazriya's Next Film Gets A Release Date! She's Back...
• Prithviraj's 9 - Motion Poster!
• Title Font Of Lucifer | Mohanlal | Prithviraj
• "Tomorrow At 10.00 Am, Hold On To Your Seats, I’m Coming!"
• Prithviraj's Next With Sony Pictures - Title And First Look ...
• Sony Pictures International Makes A Big Announcement
• Massive: Prithviraj’s Latest Breaking Surprise Move Here!
• ENPT Mr.X's Next Film Officially Announced

RANAM RELATED LINKS

• ராவணன் | சினிமாவில் ஜோடி... ஆனால் நிஜவாழ்வில் 'ஹீரோயினை விட' ஹீரோவுக்கு வயசு கம்மி! - Slideshow
• Ninaithale Inikkum | List of Rajinikanth film titles used by other top Tamil heroes - Slideshow
• Ninaithale Inikkum | 10 Retro Rajini films that still work - Slideshow
• Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru - Karthick Naren | Amazing Hidden Details In Movies You Didn't Notice! - Slideshow
• Raavanan | Chiyaan Vikram's different hairstyles over the years - Slideshow
• Raavanan | List of Tamil films where the hero was younger than the heroine in real life! - Slideshow
• Raavanan | List of multistarrers directed by Mani Ratnam - Slideshow
• Raavanan | Superstars in Super Slow Motion - Slideshow
• Rahman- Photos
• Rahman | Who Looks Hot In Salt And Pepper Look? - Slideshow
• Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru - Uthira Kaayangal Song Making With Lyrics - Videos
• Pagadi Aattam Official Trailer - Rahman - Videos

Ranam (aka) Runam

• Malayalam Latest News
• Actor Photos
• Actress Photos
• Movie Photos
• Event Photos
• Movie Reviews
• Song Reviews
• Events & Promotions

Behindwoods.com @2004-2018 Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions

• WEB STORIES New
• ENTERTAINMENT
• CAREER & CAMPUS
• INFOGRAPHICS
• ISL 2023-24

• Manorama Online
• Manorama News TV
• ManoramaMAX
• Radio Mango
• Subscription

• Entertainment

Ranam movie review: a costly second chance

The camera goes up from where Prithviraj says, "No, I'm not dead... I need to survive.... for, I have things to finish,” giving us a brilliant opening shot. 

And just before the climax, he reminds us again that survival is not of the fittest but of the ones who adapt themselves. Detroit is known as one of the largest cities on the United States–Canada border and becomes a well-researched premise for the directorial debut of Nirmal Sahadev. 

'Ranam,' also known as Detroit Crossing, revolves around the plight of immigrants settled in the United States but focuses on the crime and shady businesses that plague the superpower's porous borders. 

Kaduva review: Action is the hero in this Shaji Kailas-Prithviraj drama

Review | Shaji Kailas-Prithvi combo’s 'Kaapa' scripts a capital act

Aadhi (Prithviraj) is part of a narcotics gang headed by Damodhar (Rahman). After a certain point in life, Aadhi wants to move on from a life of crime, something his boss would smirk at. “Fear comes when you sense loosing your loved ones,” and we see Aadhi compelled to work for the gang. 

“One has to take a side in a war," says Damodhar and the audience realize that Aadhi is left with no other choice but to fight for his own side. 

Prithviraj and Rahman breathe fire and fury into their characters and carry the narrative on their shoulders. 

Ashwin Kumar as Selvan plays Damodhar's loyal brother in the movie. A goon's mannerisms are touched up to perfection in his effortlessly fine portrayal. Nandhu as Bhaskar justifies his role as a close relative to Aadhi. Isha Talwar as Seema had a meaty role and fares well except for a few forced dialogue delivery spots. 

Talk about the story and one will find cliched one-liners but Nirmal has his way with the storytelling. The screenplay jumps back and forth. Ranam can't be hailed as one memorable gangster thriller but definitely it will be among the thoughtfully crafted ones. The pace of the movie goes up and comes down abruptly. 

Yes, there were breakdown scenes but one is inspired to look at the technical side than at the emotional aspect of the movie. 

The cinematography by Jigme Tenzing cannot be spared a mention for he creatively mops up the beauty of the place. Even the colour tone and setting for the climax shots perfectly sets the mood for a typical gangster drama. 

Jakes Bejoy managed to deliver a few thoughtful scores that never distracts one from the drama and the BGM's too strike the right chords.   

Apart from a few cliched shots and slow pace, the film is technically rich. As Prithvi says, 'second chances are sometimes too costly' and hence probably action movie junkies shouldn't give Ranam a miss. 

• Malayalam Cinema
• Movie Review

'The First Omen': A dark and refreshing prequel to a horror classic | Movie Review

‘Exit’ movie: Vishak Nair plays career-defining role in this bold, survival thriller | Review

Aadujeevitham Review | Prithviraj stars in an intense tale of survival

Anchakkallakokkan review | Chemban Vinod, Lukman Avaran star in an experimental police drama

'Yodha': Sidharth Malhotra probably the only saving grace of this typical formula film | Movie Review

Kiran Rao's 'Laapataa Ladies' is a powerful exploration of female agency and resilience

'J Baby' Review | Urvashi shines in this touching family drama

'Thankamani' Review: Dileep walks a tightrope between daring, melodrama

'The Indrani Mukerjea Story': Into the sensational past of a once media behemoth | Review

• Change Password
• Top 20 Songs
• Top 100 Movies

Ranam - Detroit Crossing (U/A) 06/Sep/2018 Action, Crime 2hrs 10mins

Critics Review

Ranam is a ferociously intriguing tale which has set a new standard to the mollywood metro gangster narratives. there is action, violence, romance, hope, helplessness and revenge..

That one thing which would stop Ranam from becoming a super hit could be the lingo -- the average cine-goers may find it tough to grasp the English dialogues with foreign accent that pops up every now and then in the film. Subtitles could have helped. (more)

Source: Anjana George, Times Of India

Ranam has good performances and strong technical qualities.

Ranam tells the story of Detroit, Aadhi, Dakodaran, Seema, Bhaskaran, Aju, and Deepika. The making, locations, good performances, cinematography, direction, and brilliant background score are its highlights. Like Prithviraj said, Ranam is truly a crossover Malayalam film. (more)

Source: Behindwoods Review Board, Behindwoods.com

High on acting, low on thrills

Ranam can be called an 'Emotional crime thriller' that drags at certain points and talks about second chances that sometimes come with a cost. (more)

Source: ELIZABETH THOMAS, Deccan Chronicle

A Gripping Drama That Has Its Own Set Of Specialities!

Ranam is a film in the lines of a crime drama that grows on you as the narrative progresses. Definitely, Ranam does stay loyal to its genre and has those much-required specialties to offer for the audiences, especially in terms of making and performances. (more)

Source: Abhijith, One India

Play Trailer

• Entertainment
• South Cinema
• Movies Review

Ranam movie review: Nirmal Sahadev makes different attempt, Prithviraj-Rahman rock the show

Ranam movie review live updates: director nirmal sahadev's malayalam film ranam is crime drama starring prithviraj sukumaran, rahman and isha talwar..

Director Nirmal Sahadev's Malayalam film Ranam, featuring Prithviraj Sukumaran, Rahman and Isha Talwar in the lead roles, has received positive reviews from the audience in the early shows.

Ranam, also known as Detroit Crossing, is a crime drama, which is high on action quotient. Director Nirmal Sahadev has written story, screenplay and dialogues for the film, which has been produced by Anand Payannur, Rani and Lawson Biju under the banners Yes Cinema Production and Lawson Entertainment. It has received a U/A certificate and its runtime is 2.16 hours.

Ranam  movie story:  Set in Detroit, the film is about wars between the gangs that depend on a code of silence. Aadhi (Prithviraj Sukumaran) is a mysterious getaway driver, who is trapped in a life of crime.   He lives with this code of conduct and protects his friend Bhaskar (Nandhu). Hee meets someone who can potentially change his entire world. How he struggles for redemption forms the crux of the story.

Performances:  Hero Prithviraj Sukumaran  and antagonist Rahman have delivered brilliant performances, which are the highlights of Ranam. Isha Talwar lacks enough screen presence, but she tries to steal the show with her acting. Nandhu, Mathew Arun, Celine Joseph, Ashwin Kumar, Shyamaprasad and others have also done justice to their roles, says the audience.

Technical:  Ranam has brilliant production values and music, picturisation, selection of locales, choreography of action and stunts and dialogues are the attractions on the technical front, add the viewers.

Ranam movie review live updates:  We bring you some viewers' reactions on the film shared on Twitter and Facebook. Continue to read audience's response.

Vivek Ranjit‏ @vivekranjit

Loved #Ranam. A solid, engaging thriller with a brilliant immersive soundscape and breathtaking visual setting. Fantastic debut by Nirmal Sahadev. @PrithviOfficial is kickass, along with a superb Rahman, Ashwin Kumar, Nandu Chettan and a new actor playing the cop.

Navaneethpisharodi‏ @Navaneeth264

#Ranam Was A Different Experience❤ Liked it.Its Not A Complete Action Thriller, Felt Like An Emotional Drama. All Did Well Stylish Making Excellent Debut By Director Nirmal Sahadev. Just Go For It. Don't Expect More. A Simple Film 3/5

Antony‏ @Lalettan9

Watched #Ranam Yesterday A Very Different Style Of Making For Sure, Doesn't Feel Like Watching A Malayalam Film On The Negative Side Its Very Slow Paced And Nothing New In The Story Hats Off To #NirmalSahadev For Making This Definitely Set A Standard For Gangster Movies

Madridista DQ‏ @Dqmadridista

#Ranam Liked it.Vareity Attempt BGM & SONGS Decent enough casting & performance Slow paced but didn't felt any lag Technically brilliant but the story could have been better or strong. It's an emotional drama so the entertainment factor is missing. Rating : 3.25/5

Rahul‏ @imrahul_03

#ranam Stylish thriller based on drug Mafia in Detroit , ✌️redEx Technically brillaint , authentic actions Costumes Definitely worth a watch !!! Sound mixing @PrithviOfficial As usual excels , good supporting by Rahman, Nandu and Isha Script could have been tight!

Arunkumar K G‏ @am_Migrade

#Ranam a crime thriller those who love Hollywood crime thrillers Go for it A movie with top notch making ! BGM and DOP @PrithviOfficial and @actorrahman r the pillars @JxBe u r just awsme music just lifts the movie ! Top angle views of cities are not matching with d visuals #Ranam the making and BGM are highlights @JxBe release its OST @PrithviOfficial #NirmalSahadev remove top angle views its like watching low quality visuals in btw blu ray rips ! All Hollywood crimes thriller action movie fans it's ur cup of tea !

Amar Aldrin‏ @AmarAldrin1

#Ranam #NirmalSahadev made Ranam to express, Not to impress. Ranam is an imotional crime drama and dont expect an action packed crime thriller. DOP , editing and BGM was classy. People who approach theaters solely for entertainment will be disappointed. #amarreview 3.5/5

Feviyan Paulson‏ @feviyanpaulson2

#Ranam Is strickly Avg-Blw avg one, poor story line and execution. Direction also weak. Prithvi as usually good with his looks, expected more Rahman and ashwin kumar.isha talwar worst choice. Overall dissapointed

Siva mohan‏ @siva4mena

#Ranam detroit city and the sets are worth a watch but that isn't enough to be a memorable gangster thriller experience... Though missing several thriller movie elements like pace, dub in certain scenes, decent stories etc.. The visuals and bgm were top notch.. Rating-2.5/5

Ananda Krishnan‏ @itzz_AK

#Ranam Usual gangster movie Slow paced. Making,Bgm,Dop top notch Performance of lead actors was good Not every ones's cup of tea Rating- 3/5

Kumar‏ @kumarchelliah62

#Ranam damn brilliant The first half is filled with breathtaking thrilling moments and keep us on the seats.@PrithviOfficial proved again while the young director proved that he is at a complete new level.Outstanding excellent cinematography makes Ranam one not to miss.ATBtm

Samroodh Muhammed‏ @samroodhsam

#Ranam Full of Disappointments Usual gang war story ..cult slow paced one..Only positive things is Camera works & Fight scenes.A clinche story line with slow paced track so everyone's not gonna like it... Strictly Below Avrgd one..! Cinematography Rated 2/5

Alex George Verghese‏ @oleggs_

#Ranam is one of those movies that Malayalam cinema must remember, same old story for sure. The way it's made? It's just brilliant. Great sound. Amazing music and @PrithviOfficial owned the show! #IshaTalwar has also proved her metal as an actress and not an eye candy for once.

Mohammed Suhail‏ @Suhu_lionheart

RANAM 1st Half Direction & Camera Song & Bgm Slow Pace With Electrifying Scenes. Glimpse Of Good Old Action Hero. Interval Scene So Far... So Good... Waiting For Second Half #Ranam @PrithviOfficial @Poffactio

Rahul Shaji Rj‏ @Rahulrj_offl

#Ranam First Half • Overall below avg. • BGM , Locations , Costumes are only the positive. • Story wise heavily disappointed. • Decent acting by all. • Nothing impressed as hyped.

Visakh Vijayan‏ @VisakhLionheart

#Ranam #RanamDay interval.. Really superb style of film making..Bgm..Music.. Cinematography.. #PrithviRaj stylish waiting for second half...

Morpheus‏ @lionheart_abid

Stylish making, kickass bgm! So far so good. #Ranam Interval

Forum Keralam (FK)‏ @Forumkeralam1

#Ranam Interval A decent fare so far with good perfos from the lead actors. Terrific BGMs right from the go and Dop The pace of the movie might not cater to all. All rests on how the second half will turn out to be. Fingers crossed #Ranam Kind of an all Style but less of a substance movie. Second half didn't live upto the expectations and the build up. Climax was good but felt the pace was too slow for ones liking On the whole Ranam ends up as an Average Outing. Good Perfos from the lead actors. Top class BGM Dop and super rich production values are the plus. Kudos to Nirmal for the making wish he had a better script to support him Might suit for the multi audiences. Have to wait and see how others accept this one. #Ranam Have to give it to @PrithviOfficial for his vision for experimenting with the way his films are made and the effort that goes behind it A decent to good script to go along with it and we will be in for a treat sooner than later #Ranam

Friday Matinee‏ @VRFridayMatinee

#Ranam - A cliche storyline has been executed here without that much of impact.Music ,DOP and Fights stands out but Director has failed in establishing an imoression for atleast one character.Overall,an Average fare

JEES SEBASTIAN‏ @jeeskonnackal

Nothing more to say, dear @PrithviOfficial , our RAJU yettan you had the key role in this success. And of course director #Nirmal the show was in your hand and @actorrahman as always hats off for your performance. #Jakes_Bejoy I loved your the title song made by you team #Ranam✌

Forum Reelz‏ @Forumreelz

#Ranam First half Its all about the gang wars happening at Detroit city USA. Different style of treatment but slow paced so everyone not gonna like it. Let's wait for second half #RanamDay

Th@l@p@thy sarkar @Kiran1834959643

#ranam interval Prithvi shines in stylish avatar isha talwar play a mature role and rahman as badie is good Good screenplay Good 1st half✌..it has all elements of action love Waiting for second half. #ranam Second half starts slowly with high on emotions and then came into track..climax portions between rahman and prithvi was good..ok climax Good debut for nirmal Isha talwar role is good Verdict. A good watchable movie but couldn't live upto expectations..

Its_trivandrum‏ @itstrivandrum

Simple intro by @PrithviOfficial then Title card Cult slow pace #Ranam @PrithviOfficial Sry to say this First half not that much Dialogues #ranam @PrithviOfficial All the 3 songs so far was lit nice & good #Ranam @PrithviOfficial 2 nd half more convincing so far so good cinematography #Ranam

Kerala Box Office Updates‏ @KeralaBoxOffees

#Ranam Short Review Prithviraj's Simple intro and BGM Locations Story Cinematography Making Songs and decent fare so far with good perfos from the lead actors. Verdict :Nothing impressed as hyped Our Rating 2.75 out of 5✌️ Overall Average one

MoviesToDay‏ @MoviesToday1

#Ranam Above Aaverage Fist Half cinematography #Ranam @PrithviOfficial

Watch Ranam official trailer here:

'Nysa is always busy partying': Ajay Devgn -Kajol's son Yug holds Nani Tanuja's hands at Mumbai airport; fans laud his upbringing

Strict no-phone policy has been imposed on the set after Lara Dutta, Arun Govil's pics from the sets of Ramayana leaked

'Payment issues, accommodate her availability': Netflix couldn't afford Alia Bhatt due for 'The Great Indian Kapil Show': Reports

'It's hard, confusing, know where to draw the line': Sushmita Sen on being friends with exes marriage plans and more

Ranam Review: An Ambitious Film That Slips Too Much

Director: Nirmal Sahadev

Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Rahman, Isha Talwar

Composers: Jakes Bejoy

N irmal Sahadev’s Ranam opens to a déjà vu moment. It is midnight, and a masked driver is gliding across the roads of Detroit, past his obstacles and deceiving the men in uniform hot on his heels. Instead of indicating any sort of tension, the background score is upbeat, telling you of the coolness of the virtuoso behind the wheels. It is not really your fault if you think you saw a glimpse of Ryan Gosling inside the vehicle.

Ranam is an ambitious film – a slick visual spectacle that doesn’t want to limit itself to the raciness of the thriller genre. The focus is on the emotional turmoil of its characters – their traumatic past and how it continues to take a toll on their present-day lives. And Sahadev poetically sets the story in Detroit, the American city which was once a flourishing metropolis, but later fell into doom and became a fertile ground for crimes.

For the most part, Ranam deserves an equitable watch. The film makes ardent efforts to go deep into the mindscapes of its lead characters who are stuck inescapably in Detroit’s destiny. The protagonist, Aadhi, has had a rough childhood, patches of which we see in his frequent nightmares. His only friend, Bhaskaran, a middle-aged automobile mechanic, is stuck forever in what he describes as a ‘broken American dream’. Seema, a beautiful dancer he has taken an interest in, too has an unpleasant past, the darkness of which has spread over to the life of her 16-year-old daughter.

This boundless hangover of a tragic past causes the characters to function like melodramatic machines. As though they jumped straight from their point of trauma to the present, they over-play their emotions, and converse in lines packed with meanings and resonances. This is true even in the case of Damodar (Rahman), the ruthless mafia don who would go any extent to grab power. He talks in lines that Instagram poets would appreciate.

This fixation with emotional turbulence of the characters also renders most of the scenes barren. The background of the scenes get blurred as little attention is paid to bring them alive. Damodar’s past as an illegal immigrant from war-torn Sri Lanka sound intriguing, but is underused in the plot. The threads that connect the characters are weak and broken in parts.

Composer Jakes Bejoy’s score is slick – a treat to listen to in isolation. But instead of aiding the storytelling, it suffocates the background. It is Jigme Tenzing’s cinematography that breathes life into the film. He lights up the scenes like a maverick, produces delectable close-up shots of characters that would make you interested in their thoughts. He is ideally backed by the production design which is neat – in fact, much well-done than an average Indian movie set in a foreign metropolis.

It might not be easy to believe in the lead characters. Prithviraj uses a little too much deadpan to play Aadhi, and when he talks, his ingrained taste for stagy melodrama vies with his aspiration for West-inspired stiffness. For one, in a scene in the early parts of the film, Aadhi is at Bhaskaran’s home, at his breakfast table. The scene begins with the latter handing him over a cup of coffee. What could have been a very human moment turns into another exercise of melodrama. “Aren’t you tired yet, Bhaskar etta ?” asks Aadhi an existential question in a tone so stoic and face, stony. It is his voice that anchors the film that proceeds as a flashback. Prithviraj, here, leaves nothing for the audience to discover in his body-language or tone. His performance is just flat.

Recommended

Producers Council Vs DSPs: All You Need To Know About The Ongoing Stand-Off In The Tamil Film Industry

AR Rahman At The Chekka Chivantha Vaanam Audio Launch

Adil Hussain’s ‘Footprints on Water’ Begins Shooting in the UK

It is the film’s supporting cast consisting of actors like Giju John who plays Ahmed, a police officer, that scores the best. There is little cosmetics in his performance which appears to be dictated by a believable humanness rather than by an overall style of the movie. Shyamaprasad’s presence in the film as Chandran, an underworld mediator, only reminds you of how similar (for good or bad) the film looks to his Ivide. 

What should really turn you off is the lack of mystery in the plot. You know who will meet whom, and who will outlive whom. Even the final sequences, where Sahadev plays with the cuts to create some drama, follows a hackneyed pattern.  Ranam, in spite of the cape of freshness it wears, proves out to be very much a conventional drama.

The  Ranam  review is a Silverscreen original article. It was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the movie. Silverscreen.in and its writers do not have any commercial relationship with movies that are reviewed on the site.

• ENGLISH HINDI MALAYALAM TAMIL TELUGU KANNADA BENGALI  

Ranam Malayalam Movie

Ranam is a 2018 Indian movie directed by Nirmal Sahadev starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, Rahman, Isha Talwar and Aswin Kumar. The feature film is produced by Anand Kumar Payyannur and Biju and the music composed by Jakes Bejoy.

In Detroit's bleak neighborhoods, the gangs depend on a code of silence. Trapped in a life of crime, a mysterious getawa... Show more

Director: Nirmal Sahadev Producers: Anand Kumar Payyannur, Biju Production Company: Yes Cinemas Company Music Director: Jakes Bejoy Sound Designer: Rajakrishnan Cinematographer: Jigme Tenzing Editor: Sreejith Sarang Dialogue Writer: George Kanat Original Story Writer: Nirmal Sahadev Action Choregrapher: Christopher Brunetti

Ranam review: A flawed but technically astounding film

Film: Ranam Director: Nirmal Sahadev Cast: Prithviraj, Rahman, Isha Talwar, Mathew Arun Rating: 3.5/5

Debutant Nirmal Sahadev's Ranam is essentially a dysfunctional family drama and a crime saga rolled into one, with the latter merely serving as a backdrop for the former. There are fathers and sons; mothers and daughters; and cops and informers -- and they all know each other. You get the feeling that all these characters belong to one family.  The film has a lot in common with another self-assured debut made three decades ago in Hollywood, Michael Mann's Thief (1981), which featured a similarly orphaned protagonist who grew up on the wrong side of the law; a devious older gangster who has mastered the art of manipulating those working under him; and nearly all the principal characters have experienced some form of physical or emotional abuse.   

The older gangster in Ranam is Damodar Ratnam, a Sri Lankan Tamil immigrant who shifted his base from Toronto, Canada to Detroit, United States. A voice-over narration by Prithviraj's character in the film's opening takes us through Detroit's history, and along with that, Damodar's. Everyone from Damodar's family perished in a war except for his younger brother Selvan (Ashwin Kumar). The menacing and power-hungry Damodar has left a crimson trail wherever he set foot on, and it becomes evident that he is going to leave another one in Detroit soon.  

Aadhi (Prithviraj), who works for Damodar, doesn't want to be anywhere near Damodar or Selvan; but the only way to repay his unpaid debts is by doing all the ugly jobs that Damodar asks him to do. Damodar likes to think that he is Aadhi's mentor but it's the benevolent Bhaskaran (Nandhu) whom Aadhi has accepted as his true mentor. It was Bhaskaran who took him under his wing and treated him like his own son. Bhaskaran's own son Aju (Mathew Arun), is a naive and insecure teenager who wants to be like Aadhi. 

Entering Aadhi's life is Seema (Isha Talwar), a woman married to a shady businessman (Shivajith Padmanabhan) and mother to a rebellious teenage daughter Deepika (Celine Joseph) who can't stand the sight of her. Both mom and daughter look like sisters -- Deepika, we learn, is the result of a teen pregnancy. Aadhi, being the product of a broken marriage himself, decides to complicate his life further by getting involved in their lives. And the far-sighted Damodar sees in this a golden opportunity: they all turn into pawns in his master plan. This, needless to say, creates an unwelcome friction between him and Aadhi.

Though Prithviraj is quite convincing as the psychologically traumatised loner -- he played a similar character in this year's Koode -- I couldn't shake the feeling that the actor was struggling to sustain his tough countenance in some sequences. Also, Aadhi's relationship with Seema doesn't make the desired impact. However, when she tells him that she doesn't care about his past, you can't help but feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And given Aadhi's haunting past and the guilt he experiences as a result of an unforseen tragic event in the present, his eagerness to sacrifice everything for Seema makes a lot of sense. 

The film's influences run the gamut from vintage French gangster cinema to contemporary American gangster cinema. Aadhi and Seema are like a couple straight out of a '40s American noir film. It's the classic story of a young hood falling for the wife of a gangster but with a small twist. 

As Damodar, Rahman radiates menace in every scene but I found his motivations a bit murky. There are times when Damodar's actions seem so impulsive and random, like that scene where he reveals his plans to eliminate his rivals (a Polish gang) with a time bomb. Sometimes he behaves like a spoiled rotten kid and you begin to wonder how he got this far with that attitude. 

And for an underworld don of his stature, it's strange to see that aside from Aadhi and Bhaskaran, Damodar doesn't seem to have much of a gang. He is usually seen with his brother, and these two men don't look mighty enough to wipe out an entire mafia family all by themselves -- with or without a bomb. It would have been cool to see a visual chronicle of Damodar's backstory instead of a voice-over version. Sure, he commands everyone's attention when he walks into a room, but he is nothing more than a one (or two) dimensional villain. A third dimension would've made things much more interesting. The terrific Ashwin Kumar is his usual fiery self as Damodar's brother. They look and act like brothers. But I wish I got to see them in more scenes. 

Surprisingly, the one actor who manages to stand out is newcomer Mathew Arun, as the only character in the film with a sense of humour while everyone else is busy brooding (not in a bad way). Also very effective is Giju John as the intelligent cop relentlessly trying to put an end to the criminal activity in his city. We have seen his breed of cops in the films of French auteur Jean-Pierre Melville, most notably, Le Samourai (1967). In fact, an interrogation scene in Ranam is reminiscent of a similar scene in Le Samourai. 

The best part of the film is, undoubtedly, the work of Bhutanese cinematographer Jigme Tenzing, whose masterful interplay of light and shadow combined with the use of cold and muted colours bring out unseen layers and emotions in a scene. Like Hollywood's Roger Deakins, Jigme can do a lot with very little. While Sreejith Sarang's editing works to an extent, it looks awkward in a few places, like when the film's title track -- which looked and sounded so good outside the film -- is interrupted several times by individual conversations. And the tinkering of frame rates in a crucial scene felt jarring. 

In spite of its flaws, Ranam is one of those rare films that's best appreciated on the big screen. Anyone expecting to see in the film the same rhythm they got from the trailers might get a little disappointed. But I can't imagine watching this film on a small screen, without Jakes Bejoy's electrifying background score setting off vibrations in your body. How often do we get something like this in Malayalam cinema? It is filmmakers like Nirmal who need to be encouraged more. I'm certain we can expect much better things from him in the future.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp  

Download the TNIE app to stay with us and follow the latest

Related Stories

Updated IST

• Click on the Menu icon of the browser, it opens up a list of options.
• Click on the “Options ”, it opens up the settings page,
• Here click on the “Privacy & Security” options listed on the left hand side of the page.
• Scroll down the page to the “Permission” section .
• Here click on the “Settings” tab of the Notification option.
• A pop up will open with all listed sites, select the option “ALLOW“, for the respective site under the status head to allow the notification.
• Once the changes is done, click on the “Save Changes” option to save the changes.

• Top Listing
• Upcoming Movies

3.5 /5 Filmibeat

• Cast & Crew

Ranam Story

Ranam cast & crew.

Ranam Crew Info

Ranam critics review, frequently asked questions (faqs) about ranam.

In this Ranam film, Prithviraj Sukumaran , Isha Talwar played the primary leads.

The Ranam was released in theaters on 06 Sep 2018.

The Ranam was directed by Nirmal Sahadev

Movies like Level Cross , Written & Directed by God , Lovely and others in a similar vein had the same genre but quite different stories.

The Ranam had a runtime of 149 minutes.

The cinematography for Ranam was shot by Jigme Tenzing .

The movie Ranam belonged to the Action, genre.

Ranam User Review

• Movie rating

Celeb Birthdays

Movies In Spotlight

Video Title

• Don't Block
• Block for 8 hours
• Block for 12 hours
• Block for 24 hours
• Dont send alerts during 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am 12 pm 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm 12 am to 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am 12 pm 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm 12 am

Ranam Movie Review: A badly-written, confusing social drama 

Rating: ( 2 / 5).

The essence of Ranam is simple. It seeks to highlight the plight of farmers and their struggle against injustice. But the way it is executed leaves the viewer confused and tired. 

While the director has chosen a nationally relevant topic, it only comes across for the first few minutes. This idea sadly has little to do with the main story, which keeps getting subplots. All the elements in the script like action, romance and double entendre comedy, feels forced and unnecessary.   

Cast: Chetan Kumar, Chiranjeevi Sarja,  Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Sadhu Kokila

Director: V Samudra

Producer : Kanakapura Srinivas

Ranam features Chetan Kumar as a revolutionary hero, late Chiranjeevi Sarja as an encounter specialist and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar as a police officer. Four college students take on a corrupt minister, who is hellbent on grabbing an agricultural land. Though the youngsters set out to do good, end up doing things they shouldn’t, accompanied by the leads. Their long and convoluted journey to victory forms the rest of Ranam . 

It is definitely a story worth exploring but the V Samudra film lacks the finesse in execution. The abrupt ending and the absence of an interesting narrative leave the audience feeling indifferent instead of being intrigued. 

Chetan Kumar, who is an activist in real life, merges with the role that is in line with his beliefs and principles. This is established in a few sequences and the dialogues he delivers feel natural. But it adds nothing to the film.

Both Chiranjeevi Sarja and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar give earnest performances, but, the director fails to utilise their potential. Ranam is a relevant story that deserves a much better telling. However, its faults and failures are likely to remain more in our memory. 

Related Stories