Bangalore has remained the city of dreams for most Malayali’s. In this latest film, Anjali Menon has successfully portrayed the various shades of life as portrayed in this vibrant metropolis. The story revolves round a group of cousins who remain fast friends as their lives play out in different ways and their dreams change with time in this great city. The excellent direction and crafty storytelling has made the film a very good watch. While the story proceeds in predicted lines with not much in the way of the big revelation, the art of telling the story has been managed so well that it allows every viewer to relate closely with one character or another. This is the greatest strength of the film as it manages to establish a rare connection with the audience. The excellent performance of all the protagonists have definitely helped to make the film what it is.
The story of Bangalore Days revolves around three cousins who remain fast friends even as their lives take unexpected turns. They are Arjun (Dulquer Salman), Kuttan (Nivin Pauly) and Divya (Nazriya Nazim). They all dreamt of living the ideal life in Bangalore. However, with the passage of time, Arjun becomes a graffiti artist and an ex biker racer who despises his divorced parents and Kuttan becomes a homesick techie. Divya lives in a plush flat done up in the latest style as she always dreamt, but she now realizes how claustrophobic her existence has become after her hasty marriage to Das (Fahad Fazil). Anjali has handled each of their situation with unerring precision and empathy.
One of the most notable scenes in the movie is where Divya lets off a lot of steam, but ultimately bows to the nuptial ceremony. The skilful handling of the scene makes it one of the most hilarious in Malayali films. The stellar performance by Fazil has accurately portrayed an ordinary man who is determined to give his life a second chance. The character is so beautifully portrayed that Fazil deserves special kudos for his acting prowess. Nazriya has played the contrast very well, depicting a girl full of life who gets imprisoned by her own dreams.
The film successfully breaks down stereotypes to show how how perceptions change over time. perhaps the best example is where Kuttan rediscovers his mother whose life undergoes a complete upheaval as her husband disappears from her life rather suddenly. She moves in with Kuttan and is soon enjoying the urban life of a new generation mom, going so far as to hold kitty parties and getting engaged with Yoga and cookery classes. Kuttan in the meantime teams up with the attractive flight attendant Meenakshi played by Isha Talwar when she tends to his injury. He goes to almost ridiculous lengths to woo her including spiking his hair, till he gets his nose broken by one of her ex boyfriends. Though Isha has a limited role to play, she does it with excellence.
The third strand of the film rests on Arjun played by Dulquer Salmaan who lives life on his own terms. Comedic situations have been used with great effect here. Yet, when the ex biker falls for Sarah played by Parvathy – a physically disabled RJ, and finally manages to rise above his cynicism to accept his love for her, the audience cannot help but connect with this surly yet lovable character. The nature performance by Parvathy Menon has made the chemistry between the couple truly memorable.
Excellent camera work by Samir Thahir has drawn a mesmerizing picture of the city while the music by Gopi Sunder is average. Though the film is a tad too long at three hours, it is highly enjoyable and a very good watch.
Rating :3.75/5
Verdict : Entertaining , Watchable