Amal Neerad’s ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ is an epic opera mounted on a gargantuan canvas that talks of bonds and betrayals and reeks of blood. With sprawling subject matter that rightly captures the ambition of its writers, ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ is a delightful ode to some of the best mobster cinematic works to have come out this side of the world.
Amal Neerad’s ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ is an epic opera mounted on a gargantuan canvas that talks of bonds and betrayals and reeks of blood. With sprawling subject matter that rightly captures the ambition of its writers, ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ is a delightful ode to some of the best mobster cinematic works to have come out this side of the world.
The year is 1986, and the Anjootti House in Cochin has Michael (Mammootty) at the helm of affairs. It has been quite a few years since the murder of the eldest son Paili, and after a brief stint in jail for slaying Paili’s assailants, Michael has taken over the reins of the family from his incompetent elder brother Mathayi (Nisthar Sait).
Years have passed, and Paili’s widow Fathima (Nadhiya Moidu) has realized that its best to be near yet far, and moves out with her sons Ajas (Soubin Shahir) and Ami (Sreenath Bhasi). Mathai’s sons Peter (Shine Tom Chacko) and Paul (Farhaan Faasil) are least impressed by Michael’s authoritarian ways, and yet cannot pluck up enough courage to raise a word in disagreement. Michael’s youngest sister Susan (Lena) is caught in an abusive marriage and the waves of negativity that flood her life spills over to the lives of her kids – Rachel (Anagha) and Abel (Shebin Benson) – as well.
What is most surprising is that the tropes in ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ are so familiar, and yet Neerad gets away with it. In no time, he gets you real busy admiring the grandeur of this piece, so much so that you are deliriously lost in the visual indulgence that unfurls on screen. Add to it, the unflinching, intense and exceptional performances by the cast, and the film maker has a ready winner in his hands.
The women in ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ occupy positions along an emotional spectrum that spreads across – from the disillusioned sort at one end to the determined at the other. Susan and Jessy (Veena Nandakumar) – Peter’s wife – have quite apparently been through hell and back. While Susan is sickened by her husband’s (Mahesh Sivaraman) nefarious ways, Jessy ducks from a shoe or two thrown at her and even more loathing that is hurled her way, and willfully loses herself in the family’s accounts maintenance.
Straight across at the other end is Fathima, who is more of a survivor, and who has learned to fend for herself despite the barbs that are consistently darted at her. There is Rachel too, who is sure of what she wants from life, and who refuses to let herself be bogged down when tragedy strikes. Giving them company is Alice (Anasuya Bharadwaj), a single mother who is glad of the choices that she has made in life, and who obviously shares much more than mutton biriyani and car ride conversations with Michael.
The deepest compulsions that make the characters in ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ do what they do, are etched out through precisely designed character sketches. Peter and his temper tantrums and the bitterness that he harbors towards the world could very well ebb from his suppressed sexuality, subtle hints of which are given in his interactions with the leading actor of the film that he produces. Paul is a drooling womanizer who metes out his irritation at the dark glasses his mother Molly (Parvathy) is sporting after a cataract surgery. Molly’s politician brother James (Dileesh Pothen) is almost sure of the debacle that awaits him in the upcoming elections, while Michael’s younger brother Father Simon (Jinu Joseph) is little impressed with priesthood and the mandatory abstinence that it has brought in its wake. There’s a hint of the Bombay underworld thrown in for that extra effect, when Rajan (Sudev Nair) arrives to settle a few old scores with Michael.
It is this huge ensemble of characters that lends life to ‘Bheeshma Parvam’, and while it admits its thematic simplicity, the cinematic execution is nothing short of complex. In keeping with these demands, the screenplay (Amal Neerad and Devadath Shaji) is quite elaborate, and the steady development of character delightfully keen.
With a run time of 144 minutes, ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ has enough and more fireworks to keep the viewers steadily engaged. This is an intricately woven account of a family that has its share of secrets to keep, and as such, emerges to be a slow boil action drama that remains absolutely in control of its tenor and tone.
Mammootty is in great form and comes up with an unbeatable performance as Michael, and his brooding presence lends the lead character a menacing finesse that is hard to easily forget. There are other show stealers too, and leading the pack is Shine who takes his baddie act a few notches further up, Soubin who is restrained and yet so effective, Sreenath Bhasi who gels into the portrait with amazing ease and Nisthar who underlines that he hasn’t been acknowledged yet as an actor in the industry. The women actors are equally efficient, be it Nadhiya as the soft-spoken Fathima, Anagha as the peppy, lovelorn youngster or Lena or Veena as the browbeaten wives.
It’s admirable to aim high, and ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ lives up to its promise of being a colossally visualized film, thanks to Anend C Chandran and his starkly stylish frames. Sushin Shyam’s arresting musical score leaves an extensive impression, and the upbeat track ‘Parudeesa’ stands out from among the lot.
The bottom line remains that ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ delivers that powerful gut punch that you are incapable of dodging away from! It may be far from being a perfect classic, but it’s a fine film that is sure to have its share of eager takers. It might not really break any new ground either, but is a gritty, spirited and real engrossing film from the start to finish.
Verdict: High-Voltage Entertainment