Director Suseendiran proved his prowess as a fine director handling a not so popular sport like Kabbadi in his very first outing Vennilla Kabbadi Kuzhu with village milieu. He does a complete volte face in Naan Mahaan Alla with an urban subject which makes you laugh your heart out in the first half and pushes you to the edge of the seat in the second half.

Karthi (Jeeva) is a happy go lucky young man waiting for a job, not that he is serious about it. He is fun loving exuding positivity always and is popular in his circle. He has a doting family; dad (Jayaprakash) a call taxi driver, a house wife mother (Lakshmi Ramakrishnan), and a younger sister. Jeeva’s life revolves around his family and friends. He meets Priya (Kajal Agarwal) in his friend Sudha’s (a neat portrayal from Neelima) wedding and falls for her. He expresses himself to her in an interesting manner and the ways of wooing are lively and enjoyable.
When he seeks Priya’s hand in marriage, her father (Ravi Prakash) does not approve of this and averts to a local dada to dissuade Jeeva. The ensuing events are the most unexpected ones for Priya’s dad and for the audience. When life seems to go on a straight track for Jeeva, in comes a thud in the form of his dad’s scripted accident and the unhappy turn of events from that point which leads and culminates into a riveting climax.
It is Karthi, Karthi and Karthi all the way who monopolizes the film in every frame. The growth of this young actor is palpable in every shot. The mischievous twitch in the lips and a twinkle in the eye when trying to woo the heroine are a few examples. Bhaskar Sakthi’s realistic one liners and retorts come in handy and color the film in bright hue. In Paiyaa we saw Karthi getting out of the garb of Paruthi Veeran. In NMA he is just the adorable live wire boy next door who floors you with his optimism, bonhomie and comic timing in right proportion.
Kajal Agarwal does not have much to perform but does her part adequately. Jayaprakash as Karthi’s dad is efficient and the subtle gestures suggesting his love and understanding of his son are a treat to watch. The Royapuram dada makes a noticeable performance. The boy with big eyes in the villain gang is quite menacing with his aggressive demeanor.
The conversation between Karthi and Kajal over phone and their subsequent meeting clearly indicate the lively contemporary times between lovers. Same goes for Karthi’s interaction with his friends. The scene involving his boss at the liquor shop is one more example of Karthi scoring in comedy department.
Suseendiran has dichotomized the mood of the film clearly and a touch of levity runs through the first half while seriousness pervades the second half. Credible characterization and a fairly neat screenplay are the positive components in NMA. He has not veered from the subject and if at all something slows down the momentum, it is the Deivam Illai number in the second half. The bringing in of villains and fusing them at the right place is interesting. A few sequences could have been pruned which could have given a complete feel to the film.
Yuvan does a neat job in the music department and Iragai Pole’s picturization is appreciable. Vaa Vaa Nilavai Pidichu has Karthi trying out a few dance steps. In the second half, Yuvan’s RR work dominates and steers the film ahead. Rajeevan’s art work is hardly visible which only goes on to reiterate his success in his job. Interestingly he appears in a small cameo. Madhie behind the camera conveys the mood of the film through his apt lighting. The climax fight choreographed by Anal Arasu gels with the characterization of the subjects.

Although there are a few slow patches, Suseendiran should be appreciated for coalescing the energy and entertainment of a mainstream film with a sensitivity of a realistic one. He has the wholesome attention of the audience in most parts.

Verdict – A hard hitting realistic take!