‘Bharatanatyam’ Movie Review: A mildly humorous affair that doesn’t hit any heights

A still from ‘Bharathanatyam’

The ideal of the self-sacrificing, long-suffering elder brother was repeated time and again in Malayalam films of yesteryear. Mohanlal’s Balletan (2003) In an extreme case, the character is forced to carry the cross that his father handed him before his death. He goes to great lengths to protect his privacy, even at significant loss to his own face.

Krishnadas Murali’s first film Bharatanatyam This odd situation riffs off (not rips), but it goes along a completely different trajectory. For one, father Bharathan (Sai ​​Kumar) does not die and is made to regret his decision to reveal a long-held secret of having another family to his son Shashi (Saiju Kurup).

The director, who has scripted the film, is also aware of how people will easily associate the scene with it ballet. So, to deny anyone the joy of pointing this out, there’s a sequence where Shashi’s sister warns her “Baletan shouldn’t be too much!” Although inspired by the film, it was highly melodramatic in tone, Bharatanatyam Tries to keep the mood light and humorous even in situations that could lead to high drama.

Bharathan’s revelations lead to an interesting domestic situation involving two families and even lookalikes. A parallel drama takes place involving a temple committee of which Shashi is a part. A typical nosy soul on the committee suspects something is amiss in the family and tries to dig further. Bharatanatyam What can be seen is a family’s desperate fight to protect their reputation from the scumbags around them, who are even ready to barge in to see what the family is hiding. More than uncomfortable with the strange situation they find themselves in, “What will people think?” This is a common fear. That hurts them more.

But the film lacks the writing or craft to exploit the potential of this compelling situation. It is saved from being completely forgettable by a few standout bits. Much of Bharathan’s discomfort comes from the way events from his past unfold in casual conversation or random vacation photos. Another could be the evolution of the bond between the two families, especially between the two young sons on both sides.

Saiju chose the movie to venture into ugly film production, perhaps expecting humor to carry the film, but there aren’t many laugh-out-loud moments. Bharatanatyam It’s a movie that doesn’t blow you away, but doesn’t have enough to pull you in.

Bharatanatyam is currently playing in theatres