Bommarillu

There are so many indian movies - Hindi, Telugu - that at some point or the other instill in me a strong physical sense of wanting to get up from my seat and run, run till I manage to forget what I've just seen. Run for self preservation, run to save my sanity.

Bommarillu isnt one of them.

You can watch this film safely all the way through, even come back for the second or third time. In fact the performances and the music are so immersive you may even lose the feeling you are sitting in a public place (theatre) surrounded by hundreds of strangers, only the characters in the movie wil seem to matter. And you will take some of the scenes with you when you leave, to play them back in your mind over and over again.

The story is nuanced and doesnt assume the viewer is an idiot. The boy and girl meet and fall in love, but you are shown the practical difficulties that must be overcome in the process - protective parents (Genelia's father, watching from the balcony), friends (Siddharth's friends - both guys and gals cutting into his time with Genelia), Roadside Romeos latching onto the (single) girl given half a chance (Sallman Khan in Sultan Bazaar) , The nasty 'commentators' whose eyes and words follow the boy and girl (Rajesh and his cronies in the college). Moments of actual romance are few, hardearned, and rightly precious - and entirely believable. No bashing up 300 goondas to get to the girl, thankfully.

By definition, whoever the Hero of the film is fighting (struggling) against is the Villain - but in this film he is pitted mainly against a person he loves, his father... or to be more accurately he is pitted against the the amount of control he allows his father to have over him - control not through tyranny, but love. But that doesn't make the matter any less painful - sometimes the acts done out love are the cruellest cuts of them all.

The director (storywriter actually) could have taken the easy way out, he couldhave made one side blatantly evil and other side blatantly good, but he preserves with the balance to his credit.

Genelia has very striking eyes, dancing with expression - which coupled with a sweet smile make for an arresting scene presence. You will find yourself looking at her even when other people are inthe frame. Perhaps the only thing that could avert attention away from her is SIddharth's smile..perhaps.

Watch out for one little sequence in the film where she wants to show Siddu that she is sorry... and wants him to touch her, so she keeps extending her hand out to him. The gestures are utterly captivating - illogical in context but so true in the need for physical contact for reassurance - it was something that brought me back to see the film the second time.

Another is the scene set during the night at siddharth's house, on the balcony, when Genelia and Siddu meet because they are unable to sleep. The sequence at the end of that scene is only a few seconds long - but you will want to remember for a very very long time.

I would have liked the movie to show more of Genelia when she isnt bubbly and jumping all over the place - we are shown just enough to suspect she is a lot more than just kiddish and immature.

Finally to conclude, the story in a nutshell -

Prakash Raj - the father who loves his children, who is prepared to go to any length to ensure the best for them.. as he thinks fit. He is not without logic, nor reflection, both of which he uses to reinforce his actions and making him harder to fault and oppose. A masterfully written character.

Siddhart - A rebel without a worthy cause to latch onto till he meets Genelia. He would be The Rebel Without Cause all the way to the end, but he knows its going to appear foolish even to himself, so he limits his rebelling ways to when he is with friends, and usually drunk. He is fighting himself more than his father, but doesn't know it... and never does.

Genelia - The word is Unfettered. Any girl living in India would tell you of the countless restrictions on them - some concrete, most of then unspoken and invisible, but binding at the same time. Do I detect a twinge of longing ladies, when you see Genelia in the movie? :)

The plot (spoliers perhaps, for some): Siddu's searches for his cause, his love, something he believes can make him truly happy (as opposed to his father's spoon fed goodies). He finds her in Genelia, and is indeed happy - but too soon he finds that he is going to lose that happiness because he cannot stnad upto his father... and for himself.

Prakash Raj's efforts to decide best for his son redouble when faced with opposition - he isnt giving up his way of life without a fight.

Genelia recognizes her growing affection for Siddharth, decides to commit herself and tries to maintain the love in unfamiliar and cold surroundings. She fails, which isnt surprising given that she receives no support from the spineless Siddharth, who would want her to do all the dirty work herself, alone. She is smart enough to recongnize an unsalvagable situation when she sees one, and takes the sensible decision to quit, removing her from further pain.

And that would have been the end of this movie, Siddharth seemingly too comfortably cocooned in his wounded-wronged-doing it for love-shell for all of eternity and his father proved right (as he knew he would be). Thats when Siddharth's mom steps into the picture, makes her presence felt, returns focus to the crux of the problem, and catalyzes Siddharth into making his stand.

(There are people who say Jayasudha is wasted in a role that is too small - when you think about it, were it not for her two lines of dialogue towards the end, this movie would be a tragedy and not a feel good romantic story)

 

 

Plus Points: Performaces by actors, Story, Music

 

Minus Points: Voice Dubbing for Genelia in some parts.

Siddharth's dresses (i'm not talking about the ones he is forced to wear - someone get this guy to wear proper pants so his legs dont seem to be so short and stumpy.