Language : Malayalam
Director : Amal Neerad.
Writers : Amal Neerad, Devadath Shaji, Ravishankar P.T. , R.J. Murugan
Cast : Mammootty, Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Farhaan Faasil, Dileesh Pothan, Sudev Nair, Padmaraj Ratheesh, Shine Tom Chacko, Shebin Benson
Genre : Drama | Thriller
Streaming on Disney+Hotstar.
Amal Neerad’s directorial debut, Big B, came out in 2007 and provided for an unique cinematic experience. Amal brought an awe inducing westernized cinematic grammar to his film, which instantly put him on the map, tagging him as a filmmaker to watch out for in future. Now 14 years and 8 films later, Amal still remains as a sought after director whose film-making techniques superside the familiarness of his plots. You now buy a ticket for an Amal Neerad cinema to enjoy the actors being celebrated in never before seen avatars, knowing that you won’t be surprised by the story that unfolds in front of you. Yet you don’t complain, and let yourself free to sync in with the euphoria. Bheeshma Parvam, Amal’s latest outing, is another fitting example of the above stated.
In Bheeshma, Mammooty plays Michael, the head of a large yet crumbling ancestral family situated in Kochi. He is a messiah for the people in his locality but a dreaded figure for a few in his family. Bheeshma Parvam explores a phase in Micheal’s life where he has to face his family turned foes and the decisions he has to make.
Amal and Devadath Shaji’s screenplay is what you get when ‘The Godfather’s’ Don Corleone is placed as Bheeshma in the Mahabharata. Right from the shots to the staging, the film invariably feels like an ode to Godfather while the character traits and conflicts are directly picked from the mythology. The film progresses without too many surprises; the events flow as per your predictions, yet it manages to be compelling thanks to the exquisite making.
Bheeshma will be remembered as a movie that successfully used both the actor and star in Mammooty in the last decade. He’s got the royal swagger and menacing demeanor for Michael. Right from the slickly cut action sequences to the director’s trademark slo-mo shots, the star is celebrated at every possible opportunity. The rest of the ensemble also put up an energetic show, although the woman characters do not enjoy much scope in the script.
As with every Amal Neerad film, Bheeshma too, is technically outstanding. Be it Anend C Chandran’s captivating frames, Vivek Harshan’s crisp editing or Sushin Shyam’s pulsating and enthralling bgm, every department has given their best. Also credits to the whistle worthy dialogues that play a huge role in elevating the scenes.
Overall Bheeshma is a technically superior, star driven entertainer that’s bound to keep you invested irrespective of it’s predictable and heavily inspired storyline.
Verdict – 4/7 stars
Good.
Trivia:
This is the first Malayalam Movie released in 100 % theatre capacity in Kerala after Covid with Maximum number of shows.
