Film Review: Bommai
Bommai, starring SJ Suryah, Priya Bhavani Shankar and Chandini, directed by Radha Mohan, hit screens on June 16th.
Sj Suryah plays an artist who works in a mannequin factory where he paints the faces of the dolls. One day he comes across a mannequin with a mark on her face, which takes him back in Time, reminding him of the same mark of the face of his childhood best friend Nandini whom he lost in a fair.
Haunted by her absence in his life he is on meds under psychiatric care. Now he is obsessed with the damaged mannequin who seems to come alive as an grown up Nandini for him. He becomes obsessed with the mannequin who talks to him in his imagination. He even turns violent killing a man
What happens next? Where does this obsession take him?
Though the film has a sort of unique premise with interesting storyline that could have been pursued in many ways, the film goes down a different path, taking a rather easy way out in the climax.
The genre wavers between a love story, a tale of a psychotic killer and an investigative thriller, never quite exploring any posibbility in a gripping manner. The sets are limited and the movie keeps you boxed visually.
On the bright side, the child actors do a good job. S J Suryah showcases his vast histronic talent, with his eyes and expressions doing all the talking. He goes a bit over the top in the emotional scenes though
For a talented actor like Priya Bhavani Shankar, the role is a cakewalk, but more like that of an adult behaving like a child, than a romantic pair. One wonders why she took on a role which has nothing much for her to do. Chandini does full justice and leaves a mark in her cameo.
The film seems to have no traces of the warm touch of Radha Mohan stories and is hard to believe he wielded the megaphone.
The scenes involving the undressing and seeming objectification of the mannequin make you wonder what the object of such cringe scenes was.
Bommai overall, watchable for SJ Suryah's superb performance.
