Nagendran's Honeymoons Explained

Genre:	Dark Comedy
Director:	Nithin Renji Panicker
Starring:	Suraj Venjaramoodu Alexander Prasanth Kalabhavan Shajon
Music:	Ranjin Raj
Editor:	Mansoor Muthootty
Cinematography:	Nikhil S Praveen
Country:	India
Language:	Malayalam
Num Seasons:	1
Num Episodes:	6
Company:	Nithin Ranji Panicker productions in association with MGC(P) Ltd
Producer:	Nithin Renji Panicker
Network:	Disney+ Hotstar

Nagendran's Honeymoons is a 2024 Indian dark comedy streaming television miniseries written, directed and produced by Nithin Renji Panicker.^{[1] [2]} It stars Suraj Venjaramoodu, Alexander Prasanth and Kalabhavan Shajon in lead roles with Grace Antony, Shwetha Menon, Kani Kusruti, Alphy Panjikaran and Niranjana Anoop in other prominent roles.^{[3] [4]} In the series, After marrying a second time without success, Nagendran continues his scheme, becoming a marriage swindler with wives scattered across the Kerala state in no time. The rest of the series follows their various schemes and their attempts to avoid getting caught.

The series premiered on 19 July 2024 on Disney + Hotstar.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Synopsis

Nagendran, an unemployed man from Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, dreams of traveling abroad. To fund his trip, his friend devises a plan involving marriage and dowry. However, he doesn’t stop at just one marriage.

Cast

• Suraj Venjaramoodu as Nagendran /Joseph /Ali Hussain /Govindan / Sukumaran^[8]
• Alexander Prasanth as Soman
• Kalabhavan Shajon as Inspector Varkey Avarachan
• Alphy Panjikaran as Janaki, Nagendran's first wife
• Grace Antony as Lilly Avarachan, Nagendran's second wife
• Shwetha Menon as Laila Sulthana, Nagendran's third wife
• Niranjana Anoop as Savithri, Nagendran's fourth wife
• Kani Kusruti as Thankam, Nagendran's fifth wife
• Ammu Abhirami as Mozhi, Nagendran's sixth wife, Soman's wife
• Bhanumathi as Naniyamma, Nagendran's mother
• Janardhanan as Avarachan, Varkey and Lilly's father
• Ramesh Pisharody as Paulose
• Sreejith Ravi as Yusuf, Lyla's deceased husband
• Sreekanth Murali as Krishnan Namboothiri, Savithri's father
• Shaalin Zoya as Rosey, Paulose's wife
• Reshmi Boban as Madhavi, Savithri's second mother
• Sreeram Ramachandran as Savithri's boyfriend
• Shanker Induchoodan as a villager teen
• Aristo Suresh as Gopi
• Priyanka Anoop as Sumathi, actress in Soman's drama troop
• Appukutty as Tamil village man

Production

The production of the series started from 16 June 2023.^{[9] [10]} It wrapped up on 9 August 2023.^{[11] [12]} The series was initially titled as Madhuvidhu but later it was changed to Nagendran's Honeymoons.^[13]

Reception

The series mostly received mixed response from critics and audience.^{[14] [15] [16]} Vivek Santhosh of Cinema Express rated 2.5/5 stars and wrote: "Suraj Venjaramoodu makes it a navigable affair with sporadic laughs".^[17] S R Praveen of The Hindu wrote: "An unimaginatively written series that does not tread any new ground".^[18] Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express rated 2/5 stars and reviewed: "Suraj Venjaramoodu, Kani Kusruti’s Hotstar series oversimplifies and humorises marriage fraud".^[19] Akhila Menon of OTTPlay rated 2.5/5 stars and wrote: "Suraj Venjaramoodu shines in this dull and boring tale of weddings".^[20]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2024-05-23 . Suraj Venjaramoodu to make his OTT debut with ‘Nagendran’s Honeymoons’. Times Now. en.
2. Web site: 2024-05-22 . 'നാഗേന്ദ്രൻസ് ഹണിമൂൺസ്' വരുന്നു; മലയാളം സീരിസുമായി നിഥിന്‍ രണ്‍ജി പണിക്കരും ഹോട്ട്സ്റ്റാറും. Asianet News. ml.
3. Web site: 2024-05-23 . ‘Nagendran’s Honeymoons’: First look of Suraj Venjaramoodu’s web series with Nithin Renji Panicker out. The Hindu. en.
4. Web site: 2024-05-23 . 'ഒരു ജീവിതം അഞ്ച് ഭാര്യമാർ' ചിരിപ്പിക്കാൻ ഒരു വെബ് സീരീസെത്തുന്നു. Dool News. ml.
5. Web site: 2024-05-22 . Suraj Venjaramoodu to star in Hotstar web series ‘Nagendran’s Honeymoons’. Mathrubhumi News. en.
6. Web site: 2024-05-31 . New on Disney+ Hotstar in June: ‘The Bear’ Season 3, ‘Gunaah’, ‘The Acolyte’, and more. The Hindu. en.
7. Disney+ Hotstar Telugu. Nagendran's Honeymoons Official Trailer July 19 #HotstarSpecials #DisneyPlusHotstar. YouTube. 8 July 2024. 16 July 2024.
8. Web site: Suraj Venjaramoodu Headlines Nithin Renji Panicker’s ‘Nagendran’s Honeymoons’ . The Times Of India .
9. Web site: Madhuvidhu Web Series: ഡിസ്നി ഹോട്ട്സ്റ്റാറിന്റെ അടുത്ത വെബ് സീരീസ് വരുന്നു; നിതിൻ രഞ്ജി പണിക്കർ ഒരുക്കുന്ന 'മധുവിധു'. Zee Malayalam News. 16 June 2023.
10. Web site: Nithin Renji Panicker's web series titled Madhuvidhu. Cinema Express. 16 June 2023.
11. Web site: It’s A Wrap For Suraj Venjaramoodu’s ‘Madhuvidhu’. The Hindu. 9 August 2023.
12. Web site: It’s A Wrap For Nithin Renji Panicker’s ‘Madhuvidhu’. The New Indian Express. 9 August 2023.
13. Web site: First look of Nithin Renji Panicker’s Nagendran’s Honeymoons out. The New Indian Express. 24 May 2024.
14. Web site: Why OTT Series Nagendran's Honeymoons Is A Must Watch. News18.
15. Web site: അഞ്ചുഭാര്യമാരുടെ ഒരേയൊരു ഭര്‍ത്താവ്; ചിരിച്ചും ചിന്തിപ്പിച്ചും 'നാഗേന്ദ്രന്‍'. Mathrubhumi News.
16. Web site: Nagendran's Honeymoons REVIEW: Should you watch Suraj Venjaramoodu's film on Hotstar? Read THIS. Asianet Newsable.
17. Web site: Nagendran's Honeymoons Series Review: Suraj Venjaramoodu makes it a navigable affair with sporadic laughs. Cinema Express.
18. Web site: ‘Nagendran’s Honeymoons’ series review: An unimaginatively written series that does not tread any new ground. The Hindu.
19. Web site: Nagendran’s Honeymoons review: Suraj Venjaramoodu, Kani Kusruti’s Hotstar series oversimplifies and humorises marriage fraud. The Indian Express.
20. Web site: Nagendran’s Honeymoons Review: Suraj Venjaramoodu shines in this dull and boring tale of weddings. OTTPlay.