Naina(2002)
Naina is a 2002 Indian Tamil-language comedy horror film directed by Manobala. The film stars Jayaram in a dual role as father Annamalai and son Pasupathy, alongside Manya, Vadivelu, Bhanupriya, and Rajan P. Dev. The story follows the ghost of Annamalai, a murdered wealthy man, who seeks to communicate with his estranged son through a reluctant fake medium. The son returns to his village to uncover the truth behind his father's death and clear his own name. The film blends supernatural comedy with a family murder mystery. It received mixed reviews for its uneven tone but was noted for Jayaram's dual performance. It was Manobala's final directorial work before his death in 2023. The film was released on 30 August 2002.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 30 August 2002
- Director
- Manobala
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 25m
- Rating
- 4.5/10
Storyline
A wealthy man named Annamalai is murdered and becomes a ghost. His son Pasupathy hates him and blames him for a painful childhood. A fake medium named Aavudaiyappan suddenly starts hearing the ghost. Pasupathy must return to his village to find the real killer and prove his innocence.
“A father's ghost seeks his son's love”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Naina
Cast reunions in this film: Manobala & Charlie (5 films together), Jayaram & Charlie (5 films together), and Manobala & Jayaram (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film was originally titled 'Naina' but was later released in some regions as 'Naina 2002' to avoid confusion.
- Director Manobala, known for his comedy roles, made this one of his few attempts at directing a murder mystery.
- Actor Pasupathy, who plays the lead, was primarily known for supporting roles before this film.
- The movie includes a cameo by comedian Vadivelu, though his role is uncredited in many sources.
- It features a soundtrack by composer Srikanth Deva, who was early in his career at the time.
- The film's plot revolves around a father's murder, a theme less common in Tamil comedies of that era.
- Despite its mystery elements, it performed poorly at the box office and is rarely discussed today.