Movie Review: Bangalore Days (Malayalam)

Bangalore Days

At 172 minutes, Bangalore Days is a bit lengthy film by today's standards. And yet, there's not one dull moment to speak of. For director Anjali Menon of Manjadikuru fame crafts an immensely enjoyable entertainer that is fresh, natural and beautifully shot. The plot is perhaps a little predictable, but not because the makers couldn't come up with a better story, it feels so because the situations the characters find themselves in are so relatable that you end up identifying yourself as one of them. More than anything, the well-etched ensemble cast, toplined by Mollywood's fresh talents Dulquer Salmaan, Fahadh Faasil, Nivin Pauly, Nazriya Nazim, Parvathy Menon, Isha Talwar and Nithya Menen, is easily the best thing about Bangalore Days.

As a story about three cousins in their twenties entering the throes of adulthood, the film blends happiness and heart-ache in adequate measure as they adjust to the new realities in life, and director Menon ties them all together in a satisfactory, if a little clichéd, climax. Arjun, Kuttan and Divya have always dreamt of leading carefree lives in a city like Bangalore. Years later, their dreams are realised, but not in the usual sense. Arjun, now a runaway graffiti artist with a previous career in bike racing, Kuttan, a software engineer working for an IT company, and Divya, who finds her professional ambitions gone to dust after her sudden marriage to Das, are all in the city they wished for, but their lives are no longer the same.

The fascinating character portraits and their relationships aside, the film's technical aspects too merit a mention. Sameer Thahir nicely captures the hustle-bustle of Bangalore and the life back home in the lush-green locales of Kerala, and Gopi Sundar's music is fine too, especially the Karan Johar'ish wedding song (Okay, I am being a bit partial to Vijay Yesudas here!). Dulquer, Nivin and Nazriya are believable as the cousins and the comfort level they share shows on screen. Nazriya's is a typical bubbly girl act tailor-written for her, and she fits like a glove. It's however Fahadh as the stoic Das seeking a private space for himself and Parvathy as the paraplegic radio jockey who deliver the most compelling performances. Director Anjali Menon's Bangalore Days, ultimately, is a journey worth taking, colourful and a fun feel-good watch.