Nibunan is an action crime thriller written and directed by Arun Vaidyanathan with Anand Raghav supporting him in screenplay department. We have not seen any psycho crime thrillers in the recent past, so there is a chance for the film to click well with the audience, especially the ones who are fond of such movies.
Nibunan which translates in English as 'expert' could have been a little more expertly made. The screenplay is gripping, but there are a few other factors like emotions that lack depth. It is a genuine attempt, but still, a few things look artificial which you will know it while watching. A little more detailing in a few aspects could have totally changed the perspective of the film.
But having said that, if you overlook these minor flaws, Nibunan is a solid investigative thriller that holds your attention throughout. The film has got too much to tell, but the intention has its perks. It starts off a little slow and takes its own sweet time to settle but once you get into the core plot, the film keeps you buzzing till the pre-climax. Though the climax fight is shot well, the whole climax sequence idea could have been conceived better as the ending follows an overbeaten template.
In most psycho-thrillers, you get a flashback portion which could disturb the flow of the film. Here the flashback is short, crisp and does not hinder the narration.
The bonding between Arjun and his team and the equation he shares with his family are not as impactful as the investigation part. However, the portion where Arjun, suffers a personal setback is well made. It is something new for a commercial cinema especially when you have an experienced action hero like Arjun. That sequence is very well enacted and captured.
The screenplay is tight, no complaints there after the 1st 20-minute mark of the film. The director capitalizes on the non-linear narration to accentuate the story with acceptable twists. But one feels a little more detailing could have been given to some of the characters. If Arun had done away with clichés and cinematic liberties, Nibunan would have been a little better than what it is now.
Exploiting Arjun and his vitalities to the fullest, Arun Vaidyanathan provides a strong milestone film for the ‘Action King’. Nibunan has a power packed cast list featuring Prasanna, Varalaxmi, Shruti Hariharan, Suhasini, Suman and Vaibhav. But have they been used to the fullest? That is a question mark. The sole focus is on Arjun and in the large picture, it looks like only Arjun is investigating a big case with not much support from his colleagues. The director could have balanced that out.
Credits to the harmony between the director and cinematographer Arvind Krishna. They seemed to have worked in tandem and the final output is classy visually. The editing could have been a little better. S Navin’s music is functional and serves the purpose but it might not please everyone as some might find it a little too loud.
On the whole, Nibunan is a grippingly packed action entertainer that has its share of flaws and cliches.