�Bommarillu� is the best thing that has happened to Telugu cinema, gasping under the miasma of mediocrity.
Tollywood should be grateful to debutant director Bhaskar for bringing a whiff of fresh air by way of directorial skill and narrative innovation. Thank god, there are still directors who have the talent to make good and gripping cinema without resorting to the usual tricks of the trade : violence, sex, crass comedy and double entendres, which have been the hallmark of Telugu cinema of late.
There is a lot going for �Bommarillu� apart from directorial freshness. The excellent chemistry between the lead pair, the solid support by the supporting cast, music that meshes well with the mood of the movie, especially the background score. And last but not the least is the fabulous camera work of Vijay Chakravarthy. .
Director Bhaskar has also written the screenplay which is as taut as it is fresh. Bhaskar has proved that one does not have to vulgarise to sell. His formula for success is simple : innovative direction, good screenplay and melodious music besides polished performance from the actors. One only hopes this trend catches on. If it does, Tollywood can hope to have a crop of really good films. Bhaskar has, that way, blazed a new trail. Let us hope other directors take a cue.
Siddhu (Siddharth) is an intelligent young man with a golden heart. But he has been brought up by a martinet of a father, Raghava (Prakash Raj). The father is a tyrant of sorts, who decides everything for his progeny. Even the clothes the son should wear and the manner of his speech! No wonder, the son rebels at the first available opportunity.
Other members of this seemingly contented joint family are Siddhu�s mother (Jayasudha), his sisters and brother.
Not surprisingly, Raghava fixes Siddhu�s marriage. Siddhu, however, wants to lead an independent life and marry the girl of his choice. As chance would have it, he meets Hasini (Genelia) a sweet girl, daughter of a temple employee, and falls in love with her. The dictator father would have none of it. And he asks his son to bring the girl to their home, suggesting that she stay with them for a week.
The sweet girl that she is, Hasini wins over all the members of the family in no time. But then force of circumstances make her leave the household.
What happens next is better left unsaid. It is for you to see and enjoy.
Bhaskar has fleshed out the characters of the father and son brilliantly. How the relationship evolves over a period of time and how the son musters courage to put his foot down. All this has been done with a firm grip on the medium and feel for the realistic.
True, both Siddharth and Prakash Raj are excellent in their roles. But, it is heroine Genelia who walks away with the top prize for acting. You cannot but love the innocent girl with quaint mannerisms. It is a standout performance. Well done, Genelia.
If you want to watch a clean movie bereft of vulgarity and violence, �Bommarillu� is the one. And that is high praise, indeed. The same cannot be said about the kind of flicks coming out of the Telugu film factory.