In a time when festive releases have become synonymous with loud and over-the-top spectacle as well as films that drag on way too long, director Ram Abbaraju’s Nari Nari Naduma Murari arrives as a breath of fresh air. Following the massive sleeper hit of Samajavaragamana, Abbaraju proves once again that he’s one of Tollywood's top comedians, able to get a laugh from even the most tired of tropes. Reunited with his trusty writers Bhanu Bogavarapu and Nandu, the director takes that old chestnut (a man caught between two women) and makes it feel fresh all over again by focusing on a script that is all about sharp observations rather than silly slapstick.
The story centres around Gautham (played by the charming and laidback Sharwanand), an architect living a very tidy life in Kerala, only to have things turned upside down just as he’s about to tie the knot with his no-fuss fiancée Nithya (Sakshi Vaidya) in a very low-key register marriage. The complication enters in the form of a ghost from his past: a long-forgotten court marriage to Dia (Samyuktha Menon) that he can’t seem to shake. Just as it seems like the story is going to veer off into melodrama, Abbaraju skillfully keeps it firmly in the "comedy of errors" camp. It's in how he frames this conflict, too - not as a choice between two women but rather as a complete and utter nightmare where the only way out is to be honest.
Sharwanand, who has been searching high and low for a big commercial hit for the last few years, is the anchor of the whole film - reminding audiences why he was the undisputed king of urban rom-coms for so long. He plays Gautham’s growing panic with a level of restraint that makes the character’s predicament almost impossible to not to feel some measure of sympathy for. On the other hand, the film is all too often hijacked by VK Naresh, who plays Gautham’s dad - a man so eager to get remarried that he becomes a constant thorn in his son’s side. Naresh is a comedic force to be reckoned with, milking every bit of comedic gold from the character’s generational hypocrisy for a laugh.
The film itself is a slick, well-made affair - the cinematography by Gnana Shekar V.S. and J. Yuvraj is on point and captures the lush Kerala landscapes and bustling Telangana settings with a classiness to it that elevates the film above your average festive fare. If there’s a weak link, it’s the score by Vishal Chandrasekhar - while it serves its purpose, the songs are a little forgettable - not quite chart-topping material needed to make a romantic comedy a timeless classic.
There’s a slight dip in pace in the middle of the film, but it recovers with a vengeance with a series of hilarious set-pieces - particularly a gag that keeps getting revisited at the registrar’s office. Nari Nari Naduma Murari may not be looking to shake things up with anything too edgy, but by focusing on genuine, old-school comedy and a genuinely heartfelt core, it is the most consistent and satisfying film of the 2026 Sankranthi season.