Yet another tribute to The Godfather. Don’t we have enough of those already? If you’d asked me this question before I stepped in to watch Bheeshma Parvam, I would have said yes. Stop with the gangster storylines, the unnecessary glorification of violence, and the celebration of toxic masculinity already. But having watched the film, I have to confess that I’m grinning ear-to-ear, and would completely enjoy a sequel if it was ever made.
Directed by Amal Neerad, known for his extravagant slow motion shots and stylised violence, Bheeshma Parvam also takes generous inspiration from the Mahabharata. Mammootty plays Michael (a direct nod to The Godfather), the youngest son of a powerful gangster family who is forced to renounce his love due to circumstances and take over the reins of the Anjooty clan. He becomes the patriarch of the large household though his older, resentful brother is still alive. “I will decide when I should die,” Michael says, channelising the Bheeshma of the epic. It’s a cheeky punchline, and lands well, like every other dialogue that Mammootty mouths. What a joy it is to watch Mammootty in such brilliant form! Whether he’s making a ‘madiyan’ biriyani or slashing a goon, the actor is in complete control, and there’s not a single misstep.
What is Bheeshma’s predicament in the Mahabharata? He finds himself fighting on the side of the Kauravas though he knows that it is the Pandavas who have been wronged. In a clever marriage of The Godfather and the epic, Amal Neerad, who co-wrote the film with Devadath Shaji, takes the same dilemma and fashions out of it a heady cocktail of revenge and redemption set in the (convincingly recreated) ‘80s.
There is a galaxy of characters in Bheeshma Parvam, but the strength of the writing ensures that the relationships between them are clearly established, and we also get a good sense of their personalities. The oldest Anjooty brother, Paily, is no more. His Muslim wife Fati (a lovely Nadiya) and her two children, Ajas and Ami (Soubin and Sreenath Bhasi) from another marriage, are treated as outsiders by the rest of the family, save Michael. There’s Mathai (Nisthar Sait), Michael’s older surviving brother, his wife Molly (a hilarious Maala Parvathi who never takes her sunglasses off) and their two good-for-nothing sons, Peter (Shine Tom Chacko) and Paul (Farhaan Faasil). Molly’s brother James (played by the reliably good Dileesh Pothan) is an Member of Parliament with a bone to pick with Michael. The youngest brother Simon (Jinu Joseph) is a sleazy priest, while their sister Susan (Lena) is stuck in an abusive marriage with a policeman named Martin (Harish Uthaman). Susan and Martin’s children, Able (Shebin Benson) and Rachel (Anagha), share a close bond, given that they have to withstand this violent home together. There are also other characters like Rasi (Srindaa), Ajas’s wife, Jessy (Veena Nandakumar), Peter’s wife, Alice (Anasuya Bharadwaj), Michael’s girlfriend, and accountant Mani (Kottayam Ramesh) who play small but impactful roles.
Watch: Trailer of Bheeshma Parvam
Phew, elaborate, isn’t it? But with a few deft strokes, each of these characters leaves a mark in the screenplay that never gets boring. The major players get their own ‘mass’ introduction scenes, and how heartwarming it is to see the audience welcome not only Mammootty but also Soubin, Sreenath Bhasi and Shine Tom Chacko with cheers. If we must persist with drawing parallels with the Mahabharata, Soubin’s Ajas is clearly Yudhishthir. He’s the responsible guy, quietly running his supermarket business, making fish curry as his wife watches (a nice touch, having the good guys do the housework) and being the voice of reason. Sreenath’s Ami is the flamboyant Arjuna, ready for righteous battle, and winning the heart of a woman that triggers a world of trouble. Shine’s Peter is the Kaurava prince Duryodhana who feels cheated of his inheritance and launches an insidious war against his own family. Soubin, Sreenath and Shine are marvelous in their respective roles. Shine, in particular, revels in playing the nasty villain but he’s never one-note or predictable. In Bheeshma Parvam, he’s both menacing and comic, a combination that’s hard to pull off, but he does it with ease. Though his scene with an aspiring actor is hilarious, it can be interpreted as a comment on Peter's sexuality, which is unnecessary.
Even without putting too much thought into comparisons and parallels with the epic or the Hollywood classic, Bheeshma Parvam still works. There are unexpected moments of humour in the film that had me chuckling several times; like the grandmother who’s watching The Terminator and advises Michael to buy a machine gun to finish his ‘work’ as a gangster quickly. What I loved the most is Amal’s willingness to leave a lot of things unsaid, and let the camera (cinematography - Anend C Chandran) do the talking. When Father Simon is shooting the choir of girls, for example, the wire of the camera unwinds like a snake; it is suggestive of his lechery as well as the impending evil in which he will become a willing participant.
There is a lot of blood-letting in the film. Luxurious streams of red spraying across the screen to Sushin Shyam’s pulsating background score. Is it glorifying violence? 100%. What part of the story is original? 0%. But the whole thing is staged in such an entertaining way that I was simply having a good time with my popcorn. This is essentially a story about angry men, the bones they break and the blood they let flow, but the women characters are not mere spectators. They have things to say and do, and they get their space even if it isn’t equal to that of the men.
Nedumudi Venu and KPAC Lalitha, the two veterans who are no longer with us, appear as a bloodthirsty elderly couple, proving one last time that they are irreplaceable. Sudev Nair plays Rajan, another weighty piece in the chessboard. The film builds up his character adequately, leading up to an interval block that sets up the intrigue. The second half proceeds in much the same way as the first, creating highs with the mood and elevating the film with stylised shots. While it always is entertaining, I wish Amal had fleshed out Michael’s discord with the Kocheri brothers more. The plot unravels quickly and conveniently, with the scores settled too easily. This was a problem in Amal’s last film Varathan, too, where style almost replaces substance entirely. Still, I wasn’t complaining as Bheeshma Parvam came to an end. Amal doesn’t drag things out unnecessarily (special mention for Vivek Harshan’s slick editing), and knows when to stop.
And oh, how fun is the ‘Parudeesa’ song?! It’s been a long while since I had such a good time at the theatre, a long while since I felt the urge to whistle. Thank you for the experience, team Bheeshma Parvam.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the series/film. TNM Editorial is independent of any business relationship the organisation may have with producers or any other members of its cast or crew.