Hyderabad: Tamil actor Dhanush is back with his third directorial Nilavukku Enmel Ennadi Kobam (NEEK; translation: Why is the Moon Angry with Me?), which was released in theatres on Friday. The film offers a fresh take on a 'usual love story'. The film, which features actors Pavish, Anikha Surendran, Priya Prakash Varrier, Matthew Thomas, Venkatesh Menon, Rabiya Khatoon, and Ramya Ranganathan among others and has quickly gained attention on X for its fresh take on young love.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), several celebrities and netizens showered praise on the film, right from its early screening to the First-Day First-Show (FDFS). Giving the film 3.5 stars out of 5, film critic Ramesh Bala on X wrote: "One more directorial winner from @dhanushkraja. A Fun Romcom.. A usual story with interesting and entertaining screenplay.. Climax is so much fun!"
#NEEK [3.5/5] :
— Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) February 21, 2025
Among the supporting cast, @RsquaredRams and #PriyaPrakashVarrier stand out..@priyankaamohan 's #GoldenSparrow
is one of the best theatrical moment..
Kudos to Visual Director/Costume Designer @kavya_sriram 👏
Giving a shout-out to the cast, Bala further wrote: "#Pavish stands out.. He reminds young Dhanush in several scenes.. @Mathewthomass__ entertains a lot.. #AnikhaSurendran #Rabiya #Ramya #VenkateshMenon and @siddshankar_ have done their job well.. Fantastic work by @gvprakash @dhanushkraja has made a fun Romcom for today's Gen Z.. Everyone can watch it!"
#NEEK - Super entertaining rom-com😍 Okayish first half and fun max second half. Pavish & Anikha decent. Showstealer is my fav Mathew , ultimate one liners throughout , kalakittan😁😁 Thalaivan @dhanushkraja hattrick directorial 🙌🏻👌🏻👍🏻
— Manoj (@Manoj_tweetz) February 21, 2025
Jollya vaanga, Jollya ponga justified👍🏻
Social media users on X have also shared their excitement about the film. One fan commented,"#NEEK - Super entertaining rom-com Okayish first half and fun max second half. Pavish & Anikha decent. Showstealer is my fav Mathew , ultimate one liners throughout , kalakittan Thalaivan @dhanushkraja hattrick directorial."
#NEEK First Half Review : Pavish performed remarkably well for a debut actor, Saranya Mam 😍❤️🩹Thrilled to see you as a modern mother This role really suits you Mam 💯 Haha Sarathkumar Sir's Cameo Is Cute 😂Overall Engaging 1St Half🍿With @gvprakash Drug 🎶 pic.twitter.com/EFrHK2vZeK
— 𝙍𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙫𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣 🚬 (@Raguvaran29) February 21, 2025
Another fan added, "#NEEK First Half Review : Pavish performed remarkably well for a debut actor, Saranya Mam 😍❤️🩹Thrilled to see you as a modern mother This role really suits you Mam Haha Sarathkumar Sir's Cameo Is Cute 😂Overall Engaging 1St Half🍿With @gvprakash Drug 🎶"
Yesss! I watched #NEEK and I have to say that after a really long time I got to watch this ‘Usual Love Story’ Yet I was exhilarated by every bit of this world that Dhanush sir had created! This exhilaration will be shared by everyone who watches this film in the theatres!! Every… pic.twitter.com/IGrhE9xWbM
— Mari Selvaraj (@mari_selvaraj) February 9, 2025
Not just Dhanush's fans, but his industry friends also chimed in after watching the film a day before its release on its special premiere. Director Mari Selvaraj shared his thoughts, stating, "Yesss! I watched #NEEK and I have to say that after a really long time, I got to watch this 'Usual Love Story'. Yet I was exhilarated by every bit of this world that Dhanush sir had created!"
Just watched #NEEK and I'm blown away by the honest portrayal of young love and friendship! Kudos to @dhanushkraja for capturing the essence of youth so beautifully. It will resonate with anyone who's ever experienced the ups and downs of growing up. Kudos to the cast as well!!!
— Arun Matheswaran (@ArunMatheswaran) February 13, 2025
Arun Matheeswaran, director of Captain Miller, was also impressed by the film. He wrote, "Blown away by the honest portrayal of young love and friendship! Kudos to @dhanushkraja for capturing the essence of youth so beautifully."
Just watched #NEEK, What a fresh and light film this is !! Yet again @dhanushkaraja sir, you’ve created something new with your Midas touch. It was so lovely to watch all these actors on screen ! 🤩🥰#Pavish You remind me of Dhanush sir right from your smile to your actions and… pic.twitter.com/NoiqlnLCrz
— Keerthy Suresh (@KeerthyOfficial) February 20, 2025
Keerthy Suresh, who was among the first to watch the film, took to X to compliment Dhanush on his direction. She said, "Just watched #NEEK, What a fresh and light film this is!! Yet again @dhanushkaraja sir, you've created something new with your Midas touch. It was so lovely to watch all these actors on screen!" Actor S.J. Suryah also praised the film, calling it "an entertaining, young GenZ, fun, yet emotional, yet unique movie."
The film has been garnering praise from all quarters, establishing Dhanush's understanding of filmmaking. NEEK is produced by Dhanush's parents, Kasthoori Raja and Vijayalakshmi Kasthoori Raja under the banner of his production house, Wunderbar Films. Music for the film is by G V Prakash Kumar while cinematography is by Leon Britto and editing is by G K Prasanna.
Read More
