Movie Review : Bomb
Kathir (Kaali Venkat) and Mani ( Arjun Das) are best friends. The little hamlets of Kamaaipatti and Kaalipatti are arch rivals and continually fighting from generations. While Mani, who is vulnerable and unable to bear the toxicity, wants to leave with Kathir, the latter is determined to stay, and to unite the villagers and firmly believes he will achieve his goal come what may.
But tragedy strikes when his sister Prabha (Shivatmika) discovers that he is dead. However, even as the villagers prepare for his last rights, Mani is convinced Kathir is not dead as his body keeps passing gas. A tussle ensues, but thanks to a series of incidents, the villagers come to a very different and unique conclusion about Kathir. And Mani finds himself at the centre of it all.
What has happened to Kathir? Is he really dead? What happens to Mani and the village feud?
Director Visha Venkat has explored a social satire, using the village dwellers and their lives, conflicts and behaviour to reflect upon questions like the presence of divinity, social prejudices, selfish and vested human interests and the importance of retaining the essence of humanity within us.
To this end, he uses several characters, each reflecting different points of view and prejudices and one by one, tackles them all.
Kaali Venkat as the perennial optimist and believer in the good in people, has delivered a memorable performance, the mainstay of the film. Arjun Das as Mani is seen in a new avatar, not menacing and arrogant as in many films, but instead displaying a meekness and vulnerabilty and lack of confidence to take on the world. Indeed an impressive and most credible performance, which explores a hidden facet of the actor and deserves kudos.
Shivathmika shines as the loving sister who displays an inner strength, with an impactful performance.
Bala Saravanan is delightful in a subtly comic role while Singampuli , Nasser and Abhirami all deliver the goods with top notch acts.
The film takes time to build up its premise and characters but once it gathers momentum, it gallops on, with quirky twists that make you smils and reflect at the same time.
The camerawork and music deserve mention as does the set design.
On the flip side, there maybe scenes which are predictable and instances of a slower pace. But overall, Bomb succeeds in making you think and ponder over the many messages it tries to impart armed with tools satire, wit and exemplary performances, drawing you into a magical world that the film creates with the right mix of emotion, comedy and drama.
Rating 3.25 / 5
Produced By : Sudha Sukumar - Sukumar Balakrishnan (Gembrio Pictures)
Director - Vishal Venkat
Music - D lmman
Starring: Arjundas, Shivathmika Rajashekar, Kaali Venkat, Nassar, Abhirami, Singampuli, Balasaravanan and others
