Oct 16, 2026 2:12pm IST
‘Nayyi Navelli’ Review: Yami Gautam’s Bewitching Act Fails To Cast A Spell
Is it time for horror comedies to rethink their formula? Have filmmakers and writers become so lazy that rehashing scenes and dialogues from other films, passes for originality? And do female-led projects deserve the same attention and enthusiasm as their male-led counterparts? These are some of the questions that ran through my mind while watching Yami Gautam’s “Nayyi Navelli.” Directed by Balaji Mohan, this small-town tale of a newlywed bride who enters a conservative family only to be branded a witch, has the right intentions but suffers from confused storytelling and inconsistent execution.
We meet Mohini (Yami Gautam) and Raja (Addinath M. Kothare), a happily married couple who appear perfectly normal on the surface. But Raja’s family members, particularly his younger brother Bantu (Anurag Thakur), suspect there is more to Mohini than meets the eye. Convinced that she is no ordinary woman and possesses supernatural powers befitting a witch, Bantu sets out to expose her in front of the family. What follows is hardly surprising. Instead of injecting spontaneity and fun into the narrative, the writers take the well-worn route of a supernatural saga that feels like an outdated television show long past its expiry date.
Throw in mythology, a battle between good and evil and, in today’s cinematic vocabulary, a Ram-versus-Ravan showdown and you get a climax that is excruciating to sit through. When done right, horror comedy can be a potent mix of folklore, humor and relatable characters. “Stree” set the benchmark by showing how local legends, rooted in recognizable social realities, can strike a chord with audiences. But simply turning up the visual effects and pumping up the bass on the background score, does little beyond inducing a migraine.
The film’s best moments arrive when it focuses on family banter and domestic drama. Much of the credit goes to a solid supporting cast featuring Mita Vashisht, Sunita Rajwar and Susmita Mukherjee, who bring some much-needed humor and warmth to the proceedings. Anurag Thakur is terrific as Bantu, holding his own even in some demanding scenes opposite Yami. As the mysterious Mohini, Yami Gautam is convincing without going over-the-top. Despite the sketchy writing and uneven screenplay, she manages to deliver a few high points in an otherwise underwhelming premise.
“Nayyi Navelli” has little that feels genuinely new. The first half fares considerably better than the second, thanks largely to the supporting cast and its moments of familial chaos. The cliched climax, the mythological detour involving a cursed stone and the eventual big reveal only leave you exhausted. For a film about a woman with supernatural powers, “Nayyi Navelli” has a remarkably ordinary bag of tricks. Turns out, the only thing truly frightening here is how familiar it all feels.
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