'Beautiful, charming film': Writer on Yami's 'Nayyi Navelli'
What's the story
Divy Nidhi Sharma, the writer behind the acclaimed series Chiraiya, has now shifted his focus to a lighter project. He has penned Nayyi Navelli, a mythological horror-comedy film starring Yami Gautam Dhar. Speaking about his new venture, Sharma said, "Nayyi Navelli is a very beautiful, charming film. It is in the mythology and horror space. But I would like to use the words beautiful and charming."
Shift in tone
On the experience of writing 'Chiraiya'
Sharma took a year to write Chiraiya, which he called a "traumatic" experience. This led him to choose a lighter project next. He told Mid-Day, "Chiraiya was gut-wrenching. I feel that the audience watching [may] not be able to see it." "Nayyi Navelli was a fun project to write after the intense Chiraiya." The film went on floors in April this year.
Film's essence
Expect strong female characters in 'Nayyi Navelli'
Sharma is known for creating strong female characters in his work. "The film also has a very strong feminine streak running through it," he shared. The film is produced by Aanand L Rai and directed by Balaji Mohan. This project follows Sharma's other recent works, including Laapataa Ladies (2023) and Heeramandi (2024).
Social impact
'Chiraiya' sparked debates on social media
Sharma's previous work, Chiraiya, has sparked discussions on social media about consent and misogyny. The series, which aired on JioHotstar in March, follows a newlywed woman dealing with marital rape in India. It has been praised by critics for addressing a taboo subject, but also faced backlash from those who see it as "anti-men" and "highly exaggerated." It stars Divya Dutta and Sanjay Mishra.