Language: Malayalam
The title Bheemante Vazhi (Bheeman's Way) is not to be taken at its face value. One of India's most popular mythological figures, Bheem in the Mahabharat is known for his elephantine physical strength and equally towering temper. His namesake in director Ashraf Hamza's new Malayalam film, Bheemante Vazhi, has a gentle facade that camouflages his inner Bheem. When faced with challenges, Sanju a.k.a. Bheeman (played by Kunchacko Boban) uses the powers of persuasion or even manipulation to surmount hurdles, but as we learn at one point, when push comes to shove, he is fully capable of getting others to push and shove or even threatening to get down and dirty himself.
Our hero has a full-time job, but when he decides to get the path to his home widened, he throws himself into the task with gusto. The title is, therefore, a reference to Bheeman's way (vazhi) of doing things and the road (vazhi) that he wants built.
The present stretch leading up to Bheeman's house, which is located near a railway track in small-town Kerala, is too narrow for motor vehicles to enter. This point is established in the prologue involving a funeral procession and a medical emergency. The credits run over charming animated illustrations of the mythical Bheem before the narrative lands right back in contemporary times.
Also read: Thamaasha movie review: Vinay Forrt lends grace and charm to an endearing Everyman
Bheeman's project involves getting government clearances, coaxing his neighbours to give up a part of their property for public good, helming town hall meetings, handling the machinations of the area's more difficult residents, playing politicians against each other, and actual physical labour. I am unsure of the authenticity of the official procedures depicted, especially the fact that some individuals are offered compensation for their land and some not, but I will leave that part to be critiqued by infrastructure experts and focus instead here on the storytelling, inter-personal relations and characterisation.
Like most slice-of-life cinema emerging from Kerala these days, Bheemante Vazhi is as much about giving viewers a glimpse of the culture of the place it is set in as it is about telling a tale. The Malayali Christian bride with her white sari, white veil and neck laden with gold jewellery, the co-existence of Hindu and Christian families, the camaraderie and the back-stabbing between neighbours, the opportunism of small-time netas, evening drinking sessions between male buddies, the surprise on men's faces at the sight of a lone woman entering a bar in a society where gender segregation is the norm - we get to see this and more in Bheemante Vazhi.
The challenges before the protagonist and his relationships throw up some situations that are amusing and insightful, and several passages that feel humdrum and under-written.
Actor Chemban Vinod Jose, who debuted as a writer with the richly detailed Angamaly Diaries, has switched completely from the aggressive masculinity and unrelenting energy of that film to a quieter tone for this one. While that is an interesting choice to make, the uneven writing of his characters is glaring here because one of the USPs of Angamaly Diaries was that even the tiniest individual in its storyline was written memorably and played by a memorable actor. Bheemante Vazhi is crowded with characters but too many end up showing early promise - including Maharshi, a role Chemban kept for himself - but ultimately going nowhere.
Also read: Angamaly Diaries movie review: Whattefun! This is black comedy at its best
Kostheppu, the spanner in the works throughout the road-building efforts, is played with relish by Jinu Joseph and is, at first, thoroughly entertaining. But after a while, the absence of grey in the writing of this man becomes too obvious to be ignored. He is nasty, greedy, dishonest, devious and pointedly inconsiderate (note how he asks Bheeman and his friend whether they require help to carry an old lady on a stretcher instead of automatically chipping in, and when they politely decline his offer, he happily obliges by continuing to look on as they struggle), he is also cowardly and creepy.
Not only does Kostheppu not have a single redeeming feature, one particular negative quality he has in common with Bheeman - their lecherousness - is viewed with a lens of contempt aimed at him by the writer and director who are, in contrast, indulgent towards Bheeman when he leers at women. One female character is so disgusted with Kostheppu that she avoids meeting him. But when Bheeman openly stares at another woman's breasts, her discomfort is evident as she covers her chest with a dupatta, but the script soon rewards him by showing that same woman falling in love with him. This double standard in the treatment of the two men by the writer is bizarre and inexplicable.
Still, it is worth noting that unlike in Angamaly Diaries, women in Bheemante Vazhi have a prominent part in the proceedings beyond being merely objects of the hero's affection and attraction, and their professions are important. One is a councillor, another a lawyer, a third an engineer, and each of them is crucial to the road-building exercise. Also, while a couple of them are shown to enjoy alcohol - which is not common at all in Malayalam films, especially since their enjoyment is not just a comedic device here - it is important that the alcohol is not used to define them or their liberalism in a way that a conservative filmmaker might have done. It is only a by-the-way about them.
Girish Gangadharan's cinematography is a good match for the understatedness of Bheemante Vazhi - the beauty of the location is showcased only occasionally, but even the most spectacular shots are presented without fanfare.
For a change, here is a Malayalam film that actually features a lip-on-lip kiss handled without awkwardness by the actors involved and the camera.
In his romances with women, Bheeman has a policy: he wants fun, sport and sex, but he does not want commitment, love or marriage. This part of the portrayal is done without reducing him to the prevalent social stereotype of the footloose and fancy free bachelor. This man is thoughtful and increasingly confused about feelings that linger every time he lets go of a woman who wants more from him than he is willing to offer. However, Bheemante Vazhi does not have the imagination to sustain this point too far, and in its denouement, ends up implying that in some matters, conventional choices are inevitable in the long run.
Kunchacko Boban is a good fit for the mixed bag of morals that Bheeman turns out to be. He makes the man impossible to hate even as we watch his questionable deeds. Given the film's better written supporting roles, actors Megha Thomas, Divya M. Nair and Vincy Aloshius are on point, as is Suraj Venjaramoodu who is hilarious.
Bheemante Vazhi is, therefore, rewarding to a certain extent, but far from being as accomplished or quite as profound as Ashraf Hamza's debut directorial venture, Thamaasha. With equal parts conscious non-conformism and subconscious conformism, this is a mildly likeable film.
Rating: 2.75 (out of 5 stars)
Footnote: When Telugu, Tamil and Kannada dialogues are thrown into Bheemante Vazhi in places, it is nice to see the subtitles specifying the language being spoken there.
Bheemante Vazhi is now in theatres across India
(Anna M.M. Vetticad is an award-winning journalist and author of The Adventures of an Intrepid Film Critic. She specialises in the intersection of cinema with feminist and other socio-political concerns. Twitter: @annavetticad, Instagram: @annammvetticad)
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