Neram

{{Short description|2013 Indian film by Alphonse Puthren}} {{for-multi| NERAM |New England Regional Art Museum|other uses with 'Neram' in its title|Special:Search/intitle:"Neram"||Nera (disambiguation){{!}}Nera}} {{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}} {{Infobox film | name = Neram | image = Neram poster for Malayalam and Tamil.jpg | alt = | caption = Posters in Malayalam and Tamil | director = [[Alphonse Puthren]] | producer = Koral Viswanathan | writer = Alphonse Puthren | based_on = {{based_on|''Neram'' (short)|Alphonse Puthren}} | starring = {{ubl|[[Nivin Pauly]]|[[Nazriya Nazim]]|[[Bobby Simha]]}} | music = [[Rajesh Murugesan]] | cinematography = Anend C. Chandran | editing = Alphonse Puthren | studio = Winner Bulls Films | distributor = {{ubl|[[Lal Jose|LJ Films]] (Malayalam)|[[Red Giant Movies]] (Tamil)}} | released = {{Film date|2013|05|10|Malayalam|2013|05|17|Tamil|df=y}} | runtime = {{ubl|119 minutes (Malayalam)|117 minutes (Tamil)}} | country = India | language = {{ubl|Malayalam|Tamil}} | budget = {{INR|1.5 crore}}<ref name="budget">{{Cite web |title=Tamil director Alphonse Putharen to make a Hindi remake of 'Neram' |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/tamil-director-alphonse-putharen-to-make-a-hindi-remake-of-neram/394714-71-180.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130802131358/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/tamil-director-alphonse-putharen-to-make-a-hindi-remake-of-neram/394714-71-180.html |archive-date=2013-08-02}}</ref> | gross = {{Estimation}} {{INR|18 crore}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Anu James |date=11 October 2015 |title=Happy Birthday Nivin Pauly: Journey of an engineer who has become youth icon of Malayalam films |url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/happy-birthday-nivin-pauly-journey-engineer-who-has-become-youth-icon-malayalam-films-649993 |agency=[[International Business Times]]}}</ref> }}

'''''Neram''''' ({{translation|'Time'}}) is a 2013 Indian [[black comedy]] [[thriller film]] written, directed and edited by [[Alphonse Puthren]] in his directorial debut. [[Malayalam]] and [[Tamil language|Tamil]] languages versions of the film were simultaneously made. It is an extended version of the short film of the same name, which he directed in 2009. It stars [[Nivin Pauly]], [[Nazriya Nazim]] (in their [[Kollywood]] debuts) and [[Bobby Simha]] in both versions. Supporting roles were played by [[Manoj K. Jayan]], [[Shammi Thilakan]], [[Lalu Alex]], and [[Willson Joseph]] in the Malayalam version, while [[Nassar (actor)|Nassar]], [[Thambi Ramiah]], [[John Vijay]] and [[Shabareesh Varma]] portrayed the characters in the Tamil version.

The whole film is set within one day in [[Chennai]]. Shooting for the film commenced on mid-2012, were completed in March 2013. The music was scored by debutant [[Rajesh Murugesan]], while cinematography was handled by Anend C. Chendran.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 February 2013 |title=Nazriya has her hands full |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/91365.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301012005/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/91365.html |archive-date=1 March 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |website=IndiaGlitz}}</ref> The Malayalam version was released on 10 May 2013, while the Tamil version was released a week later, on 17 May 2013.<ref name="pistah">{{Cite news |date=17 March 2013 |title=The Pistah song is a tribute to Jagathy Sreekumar |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/The-Pistah-song-is-a-tribute-to-Jagathy-Sreekumar/articleshow/19005575.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328135343/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-17/news-and-interviews/37786219_1_malayalam-film-industry-nivin-pauly-malayalam-version |archive-date=28 March 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

''Neram'''s both versions received positive reviews upon release and was a commercial success at the box-office.<ref>Deepa Gauri. ''The best of Malayalam cinema in 2013'' 26 December 2013 [[Khaleej Times]] [http://www.khaleejtimes.com/citytimes/inside.asp?xfile=/data/citytimes/2013/December/citytimes_December198.xml&section=citytimes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102124957/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/citytimes/inside.asp?xfile=%2Fdata%2Fcitytimes%2F2013%2FDecember%2Fcitytimes_December198.xml&section=citytimes|date=2 January 2014}}</ref> The film is remade in Telugu as ''[[Run (2016 film)|Run]]'' (2016) starring [[Sundeep Kishan]] and in Kannada as ''[[Kismath (2018 film)|Kismath]]'' (2018) starring [[Vijay Raghavendra]].<ref name="Reception">[http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/468690/20130518/neram-review-roundup-tamil-malayalam-movie.htm "'Neram' Review Roundup: Worth Watching for Brilliant Narration"]. ''[[International Business Times]]''. 18 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130608041449/http://www.sify.com/movies/neram-nivin-pauly-keeping-fingers-crossed-news-tamil-nfqk9rdhjih.html "'Neram' Nivin Pauly - Keeping fingers crossed!"]. [[Sify.com]]. Retrieved 20 May 2013.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130607081244/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/93784.html "Udhayanidhi Stalin upbeat with Neram Response"]. Indiaglitz.com. 18 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Mythily Ramachandran |date=23 May 2013 |title=Neram is a tale of life |url=http://gulfnews.com/arts-entertainment/celebrity/southern-spice-neram-is-a-tale-of-life-1.1186532 |access-date=23 May 2013 |work=[[Gulf Times]]}}</ref> This film is about to be remade in Hindi.<ref name="Hindiremake">Asha Prakash (27 May 2013). [https://web.archive.org/web/20130802122324/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-27/news-and-interviews/39556211_1_hindi-neram-nazriya-nazim "Neram to be remade in Hindi"]. ''The Times of India''. Retrieved 28 May 2013.</ref>

==Plot== Mathew/Vetri is a [[computer engineering]] graduate but lost his job. His life is complicated now because he has taken a loan from a private [[moneylender]] named Vatti Raja and is not able to repay the amount because he has no income. Jeena/Veni's father Johnykutty/Saravanar denies her marriage with Mathew/Vetri as he is jobless. Jeena/Veni decides to elope with Mathew/Vetri, and his friend John gives him money for paying off his debt to Raja. On their way, Jeena/Veni's chain is snatched, and Mathew/Vetri's money is stolen. Raja calls Mathew/Vetri and asks him to settle the money within 5PM.

Johnykutty/Saravanar lodges a complaint with [[Sub-inspector|SI]] Ukken Tintu/Katta Kunju against Mathew/Vetri on charges of kidnapping Jeena/Veni and gives his number. Tintu/Kunju calls Mathew/Vetri and tells him that he should come along with Jeena/Veni to the police station within 5PM, but problems are yet to come: Mathew/Vetri's brother-in-law asks some amount of money from him to start a business, and even that is scheduled for 5PM. On the other hand, Jeena/Veni is kidnapped by Raja's men, assuming her to be another man's girlfriend who also has to return money to Raja.

Mathew/Vetri comes across the same man and decides to snatch his chain, but unfortunately at the moment he tries to do so, the man meets with an accident, and Mathew/Vetri takes him to a hospital. The man's brother RayBan/Dhandapani, who has influence, assures Mathew/Vetri of a job in his company. Suddenly, Tintu/Kunju arrives there and tells that Raja died in an accident. It is revealed that Lighthouse, the man who stole Jeena/Veni's chain and Mathew/Vetri's money, had also borrowed some money from Raja. Lighthouse planned with two others in having the money for themselves and stole Raja's car.

While the plan worked out perfectly, Raja's men went behind the car, and Raja goes behind the other man. In the chase, Raja was hit by an auto and died. Coincidentally, the auto driver was the driver who hit RayBan/Dhandapani's brother Manick with his vehicle, too. Later, Mathew/Vetri meets the men who stole his money and gets in a brawl with them. He finds his money and a chain inside the car and also finds Jeena/Veni in the car's rear (Raja hid her in his car). Mathew/Vetri gives the money to his brother-in-law, and the movie ends with a happy note that "[[Time|Time is of two types: good time and bad time. Good will come following every bad time in life]]".

==Cast== {| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;" ! Actor (Malayalam) !! Actor (Tamil) !! Role (Malayalam) !! Role (Tamil) |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| [[Nivin Pauly]] || style="text-align:center;"|Mathew || style="text-align:center;"| Vetri |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| [[Nazriya Nazim]] || style="text-align:center;"|Jeena ||style="text-align:center;"| Veni |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| [[Bobby Simha]] || colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Vatti Raja |- | style="text-align:center;"| [[Krishna Shankar]] || style="text-align:center;"| [[Ananth Nag (Tamil actor)|Ananth Nag]] || style="text-align:center;"|Manikunju (Manick) || style="text-align:center;"| Manickam (Manick) |- | style="text-align:center;"| [[Lalu Alex]] || style="text-align:center;"|[[Thambi Ramaiah]] || style="text-align:center;"|Johnykutty, Jeena's father ||style="text-align:center;"| Saravanar, Veni's father |- | style="text-align:center;"| [[Shammi Thilakan]] || style="text-align:center;"| [[John Vijay]] || style="text-align:center;"|Sub-Inspector Ukken Tintu ||style="text-align:center;"| Sub-Inspector K. Katta Kunju |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| [[Charle]] || colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Mayilsamy |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| [[Crane Manohar]] || colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Auto Rickshaw Driver |- | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |Anand Chandrababu | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| [[Ramesh Thilak]] || colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Lighthouse |- | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |D. Crawford | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | |- | style="text-align:center;"| [[Willson Joseph]] || style="text-align:center;"| [[Shabareesh Varma]] || colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|John |- | style="text-align:center;"| [[Joju George]] || style="text-align:center;"| [[Sai Prashanth]] || style="text-align:center;"|Jiju, Mathew's brother-in-law || style="text-align:center;" | Vetri's brother-in-law |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Laxmi || style="text-align:center;" |Jeena's mother|| style="text-align:center;"| Veni's mother |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| [[Sharaf U Dheen]] || colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Tutor |- | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |Akhilan | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Deepak Nathan || colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Vijay Muthu || colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Police Officer |- | style="text-align:center;"| [[Manoj K. Jayan]] || style="text-align:center;"| [[Nassar (actor)|Nassar]] || style="text-align:center;"|Rayban ||style="text-align:center;"| M. Dhandapaani |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| [[Anju Kurian]] || style="text-align:center;"|Mathew's sister || style="text-align:center;"|Vetri's sister |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| [[Munishkanth]] (uncredited) || style="text-align:center;"| Rayban's sidekick || style="text-align:center;"|Dhandapaani's sidekick |- |}

==Production== ===Development=== [[Alphonse Puthren]] who made several short films<ref name="naz">{{Cite news |date=28 February 2013 |title=Another director from short films |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-28/news-interviews/37351066_1_short-films-malayalam-version-nazriya-nazim |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130503121106/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-28/news-interviews/37351066_1_short-films-malayalam-version-nazriya-nazim |archive-date=3 May 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> and also the studio album ''[[Yuvvh]]'' had announced his directorial debut after the album's success that prompted him to move to the feature film format.<ref name="etc">{{Cite news |last=Nikhil Raghavan |date=2 March 2013 |title=Etcetera: Good times bad times |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/etcetera-good-times-bad-times/article4469134.ece |access-date=2013-04-16 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> He announced that the film will be titled as ''Neram'' which would be a "[[Thriller film|thriller]]-cum-[[black comedy]]" set in [[Chennai]]'s [[Mandaveli]], where he had lived for some time.<ref name="naz" /> He further added that the film's title and the story is all about the significance of time in human lives.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Nazriya and Nivin to do a comedy-thriller |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/nazriya-and-nivin-to-do-a-comedy-thriller/articleshow/15419693.cms |access-date=2021-06-03 |work=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref> It was considered to be an extended version of the short film of the same name starring [[Vijay Sethupathi]], which he directed in 2009.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=28 May 2020 |title=I Wanted Premam To Be Like A Poem: Alphonse Putharen on five years of the classic starring Nivin Pauly |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/interviews/i-wanted-premam-to-be-like-a-poem-alphonse-putharen-on-five-years-of-the-classic-baradwaj-rangan-nivin-pauly-sai-pallavi |access-date=2021-06-05 |website=Film Companion |language=en}}</ref>

=== Casting === Initially Alphonse wrote the script with [[Jai (actor)|Jai]] and [[Vaibhav Reddy|Vaibhav]] as the lead actors who declined the offers citing schedule conflicts.<ref name=":0" /> Later his friend and actor [[Nivin Pauly]], who contributed to the short film by offering him a budget of {{Indian Rupee|3,000}} for the project, was approached as the lead actor, marking his debut in [[Tamil cinema]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 February 2013 |title=Nivin Pauly signs his first Tamil film! |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/nivin-pauly-signs-his-first-tamil-film-news-malayalam-nc2ksxaccdi.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130303020603/http://www.sify.com/movies/nivin-pauly-signs-his-first-tamil-film-news-malayalam-nc2ksxaccdi.html |archive-date=3 March 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |website=[[Sify]]}}</ref> It was Nivin's second project he signed after his breakthrough with the Malayalam film ''[[Thattathin Marayathu]]''. [[Bhama Kurup|Bhama]] was chosen as the lead actress against Nivin and had also shot for ten days,<ref name="bha">{{Cite web |date=11 July 2012 |title=Bhama turns uber chic |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-11/news-and-interviews/32619444_1_malayalam-film-bhama-kannada-film-industry |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225215815/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-11/news-and-interviews/32619444_1_malayalam-film-bhama-kannada-film-industry |archive-date=25 February 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> but due to her busy schedules, she was replaced by [[Nazriya Nazim]] as the lead actress, who also made her debut in Tamil with the film.<ref name="nazr">{{Cite web |date=12 August 2012 |title=Nazriya is in demand |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-12/news-and-interviews/33153806_1_bhama-yuvvh-archana-kavi |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411035221/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-12/news-and-interviews/33153806_1_bhama-yuvvh-archana-kavi |archive-date=11 April 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> Alphonse decided to shoot it simultaneously in Tamil and Malayalam. He modified the Malayalam version and filmed it with an entirely different cast, retaining only the lead pair in both versions.<ref name="naz2">{{Cite web |date=10 August 2012 |title=Nazriya and Nivin to do a comedy-thriller |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/malayalam/news-and-interviews/Nazriya-and-Nivin-to-do-a-comedy-thriller/articleshow/15419693.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927211640/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-10/news-and-interviews/33120062_1_nazriya-nazim-directorial-debut-love-story |archive-date=27 September 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> [[Rajesh Murugesan]], who had worked with Alphonse on his short films, was chosen as the film's composer, also making his feature film debut.<ref name="promo">{{Cite web |date=18 March 2013 |title=Good times for Rajesh |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/Good-times-for-Rajesh/articleshow/19030664.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902055840/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-18/news-interviews/37813978_1_short-films-promo-song-composer |archive-date=2 September 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

===Filming=== The crew began filming by June 2012, which was first held across various parts of Tamil Nadu,<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 June 2012 |title=Nivin Pauly heads to Kollywood |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-24/news-and-interviews/32382694_1_mollywood-tamil-film-industry-tamil-nadu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411033153/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-24/news-and-interviews/32382694_1_mollywood-tamil-film-industry-tamil-nadu |archive-date=11 April 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> and later in [[Chennai]].<ref name="bha" /> Shooting was further carried out in Chennai in August 2012, with Bhama's portions being reshot with Nazriya.<ref name="naz2" /> In March 2013, Alphonse informed that the entire filming had been completed.<ref name="hit">{{Cite news |date=14 March 2013 |title=Pistah fever hits Mollywood |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/Pistah-fever-hits-Mollywood/articleshow/18967175.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518075049/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-14/news-and-interviews/37712740_1_promo-song-lyrics-lakh-hits |archive-date=18 May 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> The film was shot in Malayalam and in Tamil at the same time, which Nivin described as tough and challenging.<ref>{{Cite news |date=30 November 2012 |title=Neram was a challenge for me: Nivin Pauly |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-30/news-and-interviews/35433915_1_malayalam-version-nivin-yuvvh |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411034259/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-30/news-and-interviews/35433915_1_malayalam-version-nivin-yuvvh |archive-date=11 April 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

==Music== {{Main|Neram (soundtrack)}} [[Rajesh Murugesan]] composed the soundtrack and film score of ''Neram'', making his feature film debut. A promotional song titled "Pistah" performed by [[Shabareesh Varma]], was released on 29 March 2013 and went viral.<ref name="pistah" /><ref name="promo" /> The audio of the film's Tamil and Malayalam versions were released on 3 May 2013 under the [[Think Music]] label.

== Release == The first look posters of the film was released on 21 February 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-02-22 |title=Neram Tamil Movie Wallpapers - Nivin & Nazriya Nazim |url=https://moviegalleri.net/2013/02/neram-tamil-movie-wallpapers-nivin-nazriya-nazim.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130227015703/http://moviegalleri.net/2013/02/neram-tamil-movie-wallpapers-nivin-nazriya-nazim.html |archive-date=27 February 2013 |access-date=2020-01-13 |language=en-US}}</ref> On 28 March 2013, [[Red Giant Movies]], production house of [[Udhayanidhi Stalin]] acquired the film's distribution rights in [[Tamil Nadu]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 March 2013 |title=Red Giants to distribute 'Neram ' |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/red-giants-to-distribute-neram-news-tamil-nd2vVDbefeb.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401183654/http://www.sify.com/movies/red-giants-to-distribute-neram-news-tamil-nd2vVDbefeb.html |archive-date=1 April 2013 |access-date=2013-04-16 |website=[[Sify]]}}</ref> while the film was distributed in [[Kerala]] by [[Lal Jose]], under his production house [[LJ Films]]. Trailers in both languages were released on 19 April 2013.

The Malayalam version was released on 10 May 2013, in 73 screens across Kerala, while the Tamil version was released on 17 May 2013 in 200 plus screens in Tamil Nadu.<ref name="Boxoffice">{{Cite web |date=13 May 2013 |title='Neram' makes a huge impact in Kerala! |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/neram-makes-a-huge-impact-in-kerala-news-malayalam-nfnsvzfcedf.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607191828/http://www.sify.com/movies/neram-makes-a-huge-impact-in-kerala-news-malayalam-nfnsvzfcedf.html |archive-date=7 June 2013 |access-date=16 May 2013 |website=[[Sify]]}}</ref>

The satellite rights of the film's Tamil version were sold to [[Sun TV (India)|Sun TV]] and the rights of the film's Malayalam version was acquired by [[Mazhavil Manorama]]. AP International released the Malayalam version on [[Blu-ray]], [[DVD]] and [[VCD]] on 1 August 2013.

== Reception == === Critical reception === ''Neram'' received positive reviews from critics with praise towards the cast performances (particularly Nivin, Nazriya and Simha), cinematography, editing, [[black comedy]], screenwriting and direction.

==== Malayalam version ==== Padmakumar K of ''[[Malayala Manorama]]'' rated 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Though the concept is nothing new, the way of presentation and the setting is a merited deviation from the beaten track. The movie is watchable for some surprises it throws up now and then. There are some unseen extraordinary scenes and events not usually seen in [[Malayalam cinema]]." The reviewer praised the film's technical aspects, especially Alphonse Puthren's editing and direction, and Anand C. Chandran's camera works. He also praised the acting by Manoj K. Jayan, Simhaa, Shammi Thilakan and Nazriya Nazim while commenting that Nivin "still has to come out of his usual self".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Padmakumar K |date=12 May 2013 |title=Neram: Frivolously serious |url=http://english.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.DLL/portal/ep/contentView.do?contentId=14045375&tabId=1&programId=11565555&channelId=-1073865026 |access-date=15 May 2013 |work=[[Malayala Manorama]] |publisher=Manoramaonline}}</ref> ''[[Sify.com|Sify]]'' gave the verdict as "good" and wrote "For a debut attempt with lots of fresh faces in its cast and crew, director Alphonse Puthren's Neram could leave you pleasantly surprised. With a rather okay script, the film scores with a brilliant narration, interesting performances, good visuals and peppy music."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Movie Review: Neram |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/neram-review-malayalam-15028662.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607183455/http://www.sify.com/movies/neram-review-malayalam-15028662.html |archive-date=7 June 2013 |access-date=15 May 2013 |website=[[Sify]]}}</ref> Aswin J Kumar of ''[[The Times of India]]'' rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "''Neram'' has a romantic charm, an exciting trait which infuses it with a good measure of likability."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Aswin J Kumar |date=12 May 2013 |title=Neram |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/malayalam/movie-reviews/Neram/movie-review/20012235.cms |access-date=15 May 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |publisher=Indiatimes.com}}{{rating|3.5|5}}</ref> Paresh C Palicha of ''[[Rediff.com|Rediff]]'' rated 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "''Neram'' has an interesting narrative but lacks on the humour quotient".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paresh C Palicha |date=13 May 2013 |title=Review: Neram is an average entertainer |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/south-review-neram-is-an-average-entertainer/20130513.htm |access-date=15 May 2013 |website=[[Rediff.com]]}} {{rating|2.5|5}}</ref>

==== Tamil version ==== ''[[Indo-Asian News Service|IANS]]'' rated 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "There is absolutely nothing new about the story, yet what differentiates ''Neram'' from other films is its brilliant [[Nonlinear narrative|non-linear screenplay]], never seen before in [[Tamil cinema]]. The film grows on you very gradually despite its brooding first half, but what follows post interval is top class and is worth every applaud or hoot that came its way."<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 May 2013 |title='Neram' - gem of Tamil cinema (Tamil Movie Review) |url=http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2013/05/18/105--Neram-gem-of-Tamil-cinema-Tamil-Movie-Review-.html |access-date=18 May 2013 |work=[[Indo-Asian News Service|IANS]] |publisher=Newstrackindia.com}} {{Rating|4|5}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=18 May 2013 |title='Neram' - gem of Tamil cinema (Tamil Movie Review) |url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/neram-gem-of-tamil-cinema-tamil-movie-review-113051800202_1.html |access-date=18 May 2013 |work=[[Indo-Asian News Service|IANS]] |publisher=Business Standard}} {{Rating|4|5}}</ref> [[Baradwaj Rangan]] of ''[[The Hindu]]'' appreciates the film's narrative style and cinematography, but commented "Almost everything is perfect on paper. But something is lost on screen. We feel we should be laughing more, and that there are a few too many flat passages."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Baradwaj Rangan |date=18 May 2013 |title=Neram: A day in the life |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/neram-a-day-in-the-life/article4727308.ece |access-date=20 May 2013 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> Malini Mannath of ''[[The New Indian Express]]'' wrote "the light, interesting narrative style and quirky characters makes it [the film] a pleasant one-time watch."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Malini Mannath |date=23 May 2013 |title=Neram |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/neram/movie-review/20146887.cms |access-date=23 May 2013 |work=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref> N. Venkateswaran of ''[[The Times of India]]'' rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Alphonse Puthren is a welcome addition to the new wave of Tamil film directors, and is a sign of the good times ahead for Indian cinema."<ref>{{Cite news |last=N. Venkateswaran |date=20 May 2013 |title=Neram |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/neram/movie-review/20146887.cms |access-date=22 May 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |publisher=Indiatimes.com}}{{rating|3.5|5}}</ref> Mythily Ramachandran of ''[[Gulf Times]]'' wrote "Alphonse joins the league of a growing number of young directors in Tamil and Malayalam who are making a mark with their fresh ideas and novel presentation. ''Neram'' is a delightful way to while away time."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mythily Ramachandran |date=23 May 2013 |title=Film review: Neram is a good time |url=http://gulfnews.com/arts-entertainment/celebrity/film-review-neram-is-a-good-time-1.1186542 |access-date=23 May 2013 |work=[[Gulf Times]]}}</ref> ''[[Sify.com|Sify]]'' gave the verdict as "Good" and concluded the review saying, "''Neram'' is genuinely a good attempt to make something unusual by a group of youngsters, which has to be encouraged."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Movie Review: Neram |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/neram-review-tamil-15029242.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607191829/http://www.sify.com/movies/neram-review-tamil-15029242.html |archive-date=7 June 2013 |access-date=18 May 2013 |website=[[Sify]]}}</ref>

=== Box office === The film netted {{INRConvert|81|l}} from 73 screens in its opening weekend (10–12 May) in Kerala.<ref name="Boxoffice2">{{Cite web |date=13 May 2013 |title='Neram' makes a huge impact in Kerala! |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/neram-makes-a-huge-impact-in-kerala-news-malayalam-nfnsvzfcedf.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607191828/http://www.sify.com/movies/neram-makes-a-huge-impact-in-kerala-news-malayalam-nfnsvzfcedf.html |archive-date=7 June 2013 |access-date=16 May 2013 |website=[[Sify]]}}</ref>

== Awards and nominations == {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Date of ceremony{{efn|Date is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.}} ! scope="col"| Category ! scope="col"| Recipient(s) ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row"| [[Asiavision Awards]] | 15 November 2013 | New Sensation in Acting | [[Nazriya Nazim]] | {{won}} | <ref>{{Cite web |date=5 November 2013 |title=7th edition of Asiavision Film Awards 2013 |url=https://www.emirates247.com/entertainment/mammotty-kavya-madhavan-bag-asiavision-awards-2013-11-05-1.526962 |access-date=16 April 2020 |website=[[Emirates 24/7]]}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| [[Asianet Film Awards]] | [[16th Asianet Film Awards|10 January 2014]] | Best Star Pair | [[Nivin Pauly]] & Nazriya Nazim | {{won}} | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards]] | rowspan="2"| 8 January 2014 | Best Debut Actor | Nivin Pauly | {{won}} | rowspan="2"| <ref>{{Cite web |date=8 January 2014 |title=Vikatan Awards 2013 - 1 |url=https://www.vikatan.com/oddities/miscellaneous/90894- |access-date=6 May 2020 |website=[[Ananda Vikatan]]}}</ref> |- | Best Debut Actress | Nazriya Nazim | {{won}} |- ! scope="row"| [[Vanitha Film Awards]] | 18 January 2014 | Best Comedian | [[Shammi Thilakan]] | {{won}} | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Vanitha Film Awards 2014 - List of winners |url=https://www.vinodadarshan.com/2014/01/vanitha-film-awards-2014-list-of-winners.html |access-date=16 April 2020 |website=Vinodadarshan}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]] | August 2017 | Special Jury Award | [[Nazriya Nazim]] | {{won}} | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Vanitha Film Awards 2014 - List of winners |url=https://www.vinodadarshan.com/2014/01/vanitha-film-awards-2014-list-of-winners.html |access-date=16 April 2020 |website=Vinodadarshan}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" rowspan="4"| [[Vijay Awards]] | rowspan="4"| [[8th Vijay Awards|5 July 2014]] | [[Vijay Award for Best Story, Screenplay Writer|Best Story, Screenplay Writer]] | [[Alphonse Puthren]] | {{nom}} | rowspan="4"| <ref>{{Cite web |date=6 July 2014 |title=8th annual Vijay Awards |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/vijay-awards-ajiths-arrambam-kamal-haasan-sivakarthikeyan-bag-awards-winners-list-603771 |access-date=12 April 2020 |website=International Business Times}}</ref> |- | [[Vijay Award for Best Debut Actor|Best Debut Actor]] | Nivin Pauly | {{nom}} |- | [[Vijay Award for Best Debut Actress|Best Debut Actress]] | Nazriya Nazim | {{won}} |- | [[Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]] | [[Bobby Simha]] | {{nom}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Filmfare Awards South]] | rowspan="2"| [[61st Filmfare Awards South|12 July 2014]] | [[Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut – South|Best Male Debut – Tamil]] | Nivin Pauly | {{won}} | rowspan="2"| <ref>{{Cite web |date=13 July 2014 |title=61st Filmfare Awards South Winners List |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/61st-filmfare-awards-south-dhanush-mahesh-babu-pawan-kalyans-attarintiki-daredi-bag-awards-604295 |access-date=12 April 2020 |website=International Business Times}}</ref> |- | [[Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut – South|Best Female Debut – Tamil]] | Nazriya Nazim | {{won}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="6"| [[South Indian International Movie Awards]] | rowspan="6"| [[3rd South Indian International Movie Awards|12—13 September 2014]] | Best Debut Director – Malayalam | Alphonse Puthren | {{won}} | rowspan="6"| <ref>{{Cite web |date=20 July 2014 |title=SIIMA 2014 Malayalam Nominations |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/siima-2014-malayalam-nominations-mohanlal-mammootty-fahadh-prithviraj-dileep-get-nod-604897 |access-date=12 April 2020 |website=International Business Times}}</ref><br /><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 July 2014 |title=SIIMA 2014 Tamil Nominations |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/siima-2014-tamil-nominations-suriya-dhanush-kamal-haasan-feature-best-actor-category-list-604883 |access-date=12 April 2020 |website=International Business Times}}</ref><br /><ref>{{Cite web |title=SIIMA 2014 Winners |url=http://siima.in/2014/winners.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519165255/http://siima.in/2014/winners.html |archive-date=19 May 2017 |access-date=12 April 2020 |website=South Indian International Movie Awards}}</ref> |- | Best Male Debut – Tamil | Nivin Pauly | {{nom}} |- | Best Female Debut – Tamil | Nazriya Nazim | {{nom}} |- | Best Actor in a Negative Role – Malayalam | rowspan="2"| Bobby Simha | {{nom}} |- | Best Actor in a Negative Role – Tamil | {{nom}} |- | Best Fight Choreographer – Malayalam | Run Ravi | {{nom}} |}

== Remakes == The film was remade in Telugu as ''[[Run (2016 film)|Run]]'' (2016) and in Kannada as ''[[Kismath (2018 film)|Kismath]]'' (2018).<ref name="Hindiremake" /> Alphonse has announced intentions for a Hindi remake to the film which he will direct.<ref name="Hindiremake" />

== Notes == {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist|2}}

== External links == * {{IMDb title}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes}}

[[Category:2010s comedy thriller films]] [[Category:2013 Malayalam-language films]] [[Category:2013 Indian films]] [[Category:2013 Tamil-language films]] [[Category:2013 black comedy films]] [[Category:2013 directorial debut films]] [[Category:2013 films]] [[Category:2013 multilingual films]] [[Category:Features based on short films]] [[Category:Films directed by Alphonse Puthren]] [[Category:Films scored by Rajesh Murugesan]] [[Category:Films set in Chennai]] [[Category:Films shot in Chennai]] [[Category:Indian black comedy films]] [[Category:Indian comedy thriller films]] [[Category:Indian multilingual films]] [[Category:Malayalam films remade in other languages]] [[Category:Tamil films remade in other languages]] [[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]