Yes, that's right. Since the first poster broke out in March disclosing the brilliant ensemble cast, it had started gathering moss. Anjali Menon fabulously handled her casting and struck the right chord with people who are now looking more for abstract, youth-driven films than boring dramas or idiotic slapstick. Her Manjadikuru failed to impress, but her Ustad Hotel was one hell of a film made right. With Bangalore Days, she not only explores the niceties of film-making but also throws out a vivid picture of how charming movies can be.
I have hardly seen brilliant introductions like this in Malayalam films; Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Ellipathayam says everything it wants to with its starting & ending scenes. The three main characters, played wonderfully by Pauly, Nazria & Salman give a head-start to the plot that revolves around their lives' roller-coaster ride. Partly set in Kerala & Bangalore, the story moves forward as they face life's everyday difficulties. Their friendship is cute.
Then Fahadh Faasil enters the plot and introduces drama. His portrayal is, as always, fantastic. Individual stories pop in as Nivin Pauly effortlessly tries & succeeds in making the audience roar with laughter. His nuanced, slightly effeminate air is brilliant and I loved him the most. Dulquer Salman is raw as a dirt-biker who plays a nomad with no aim in life. As the three tackle their issues of love, marriage, family & the whole game of life, few twists and minor turns enter the scene and enthrall the audience.
Rocky BG score and good songs steer our attention. Cinematography by Thahir is good but not his best while I am still charmed with the overall art department. Supporting cast is very good and the cameos by Nithya Menon & Isha Talwar is laudable. The newcomer is sweet.
The second half is where we realize the ploy: that drama has been converted to comedy without slipping into melodrama. The gap between drama & comedy should always be maintained and that is where Menon fails with Bangalore Days. She tries too smart to induce humor into everything which leaves the brainy part of the audience go numb with gimmicky overture. Then the minor flaws start to stumble out of the cupboard. I am not mentioning those tiny anachronistic goofs, but I wonder why no one noticed that ironically the only Kannada language the film has is mere 2 words that Pauly exchanges with a shopkeeper. About the story: three cousins who happen to be great friends but haven't met in years; their lives are affected by each other's; few ups and downs; they help each other to find the right path; happy ending. Haven't you seen this setup before? Ironically, the characters themselves say that there is nothing like "Happily Ever After" which now makes me wanna question the makers' intentions. "Let us mint some high moolah with the hackneyed story I have, shall we?"
No, we are not that dumb to believe that Bangalorians only speak English or Hindi is a staple language; not to mention how people don't mind locking their lips mid-street. It wonderfully succeeds in tarnishing the reputation of Bangalore, in a way. Then we start to observe the story itself which has fabrications everywhere written on it in the last 30 minutes. All it shows can never happen in real life and people who think can are being fooled. Maybe the imagination got too much out of the box.
The main twist is credible but the ending could've been more polished in order to not make it look like a fairy tale unfolding in a merry ending. This confirms that Menon has her limitations and can only construct a script made out of clichés, stereotype-busters & surrealistic contrivance. But I gotta strain that she does it well. Anyway, the huge amount of humor and for the charismatic visual extravaganza it is, Bangalore Days is one of the very, very, very few films that are both worth watchable & enjoyable.
BOTTOM LINE: Except with the creatively propagandist story, Bangalore Days is a must watch this weekend with friends, family & relatives alike for there is not a single factor that prevents you from being entertained. Recommended!
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES
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