Review Overview
Performances & Dialogues
Plot & Narration
Stunts
A sturdy knockout!
Overall, the need for fitness, corporatism of sports, media scams and the effect of product branding in sports are brought into lime light with boldness and courage from the director in his debut effort.
Cast: Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Prakashraj, Ponvannan, Nathan Jones, Shanmuga Rajan & others
Cinematography: SR Sathish Kumar
Music: Srikanth Deva
Editing: N Ganesh Kumar & VT Vijayan
Stunts: Larnell Stovell JR & Miracle Michael
PRO: Suresh Chandra
Dialogues: SP Jananathan
Written & Directed by: N Kalyana Krishnan
Produced by: Aascar Films Ravichandran
Release Date: 24-12-2015
Run Time: 02:23:00
Despite a late release, Bhoolaham displays some outstanding performances and a hard-hitting truth about sports, sponsorships and how well it complements the life style to a sportsman. The movie starts by taking the viewers down the memory lane with a brief history of boxing in Tamilnadu and to make it more regional and authentic, the director has positioned his work in North Chennai which now seems to be the most happening place for makers in Tamil Cinema.
Director Kalayanakrishnan’s field work is competent and he seems to have explored the boxing arena and derived the plot based on the real-life boxer Madhan.Two groups Nattu Marundhu Vaidhiyar and Irumbhu Manithar Rasamanikam are the toughest competitors and they have been fighting since time immemorial for the coveted title. Bhooloam, played by Ravi, belongs to Nattu Marundhu Vaithiar group and we later learn about his father who also happened to be a boxer who lost a crucial match and eventually committed suicide. Jayam Ravi who grows as an orphan gets himself trained by Ponvannan to beat Arumugam, son of another boxer from Irumbhu Manithar Rasamanickam group. Before the match, the two groups lock horns at any place they meet up making it more and more aggressive on the eve of the match.
With all these scenes, Prakashraj as Deepak Shah, a crooked businessman, who is a owner of a sports channel hires local agent Ravi Mariya to play mind games with the boxers to participate in Boxing championship conducted by the Channel. How Prakashraj exploits the innocence of the boxer and what he does to increase the TRP forms the story.
Be it the dialogues or the mannerisms, Jayam Ravi totally fits the bill as Bhooloham. Jayam Ravi has done some real stunts and also showcased his emotions rightfully. Brownie points to SP Janananthan, who, as always, comes up with hard-hitting and realistic dialogues on corporatization of sports.
Bhoolagam drops its pace in the second half making it more cinematic and without any justification to the logical first half. Nathan Jones has displayed some real fitness and proves to be a real boxer but his effect as an actor falls flat. Ponavannan and Shanmuga Rajan as boxing coaches couldn’t put the real emotions for the viewers; Trisha puts up a sloppy show, very limited for her talent.
Art director AR Mohan has constructed the real rings for the match, well supported by cinematographer SR Sathish Kumar’s tightly composed frames. A chunk of outdated sequences gives some restless moments for viewers but the film certainly lights up during the action sequences.
Overall the need for fitness, corporatism of sports, media scams and the effect of product branding in sports are brought into lime light with boldness and courage from the director in Bhoolaham.
Bhooloham Movie Review Rating: 2.75/5
Also read our other Tamil Movie Reviews
Written by MG Vijayan