I always talk about threads in movies – themes or patterns that are the baseline that stay throughout that movie. For Bethlehem Kudumba Unit (BKU), it is music. And the feeling this music has left, is what has made me, along with a lot of people who have watched this movie, come back to it more than once.
I can give a critical review for this movie, pointing out certain flaws here and there, but I will gleefully and forcefully not do that as it deserves nothing but praise. Very few films have given me the feeling of wanting to see it again immediately after the credits roll, this was one of them. For about 2 Hours and 37 Minutes, BKU achieved what any movie should hope to achieve – transporting your audience into its world and trying to keep them there long after it is over and done.
Rom-Com is a genre which has almost nothing left to explore, yet if you get it right it will always work. I stumbled across Girish AD’s first movie (Thanneermathan Dinangal) during COVID and ever since I have always been pleasantly surprised with each of his variations of the same storyline (Super Sharanya, Premalu). For me at least, it is like seeing him pull out different rabbits from the same hat that he puts them back into. That in itself is an immeasurable strength as a filmmaker.
Coming to BKU and why I said music is the thread that holds it all together, there is this simply brilliant instrumental piece both in the pre-interval sequence and the climax scene where it goes straight to your heart. And these are the two moments that stayed with me after the movie. Being a small musician myself and a huge advocate for instrumental music, it felt quite personal. Violins and flutes have this uncanny ability to bring out a lot of suppressed and repressed emotions in oneself and Vishnu Vijay has tugged those strings and pipes in such a delicate yet impactful way bringing out a lot of those emotions in me. Now add to this the editing of Ajmal Sabu, with certain frames being intertwined to the exact feel of the music being played and you get the heart and soul of this movie.
Effortlessly simple is what I can say for a majority of the cast here. Nivin as Justin, in his “comfort zone” as everyone calls it (I see it as an actor who has found joy again in what he is doing), Mamitha, with such a tremendous rendition of Ashley showcasing the potential and range that she has and still has to show, and a supporting cast who did not miss a beat throughout. Sangeeth, Roshan, Suresh Krishna and Shameer Khan with such natural comedy and counters oozing out of the them as if it second nature to them (Disclaimer, does require a little bit of Malayalam Meme and Film Knowledge), which is what also elevates BKU to the ‘must repeat watch’ category for me. Shyam Mohan was also a standout performance for me.
The relationship between Justin and Ashley is built on a music connection, this has translated into a lot of songs within the movie which may or may not be liked by all. But the theme song and its two renditions are just soul soothing. As for the age gap conundrum between the two, it is like Ashley says at one point in the movie – this is not a groundbreaking phenomenon. BKU treats it exactly like that – why make it such a big deal? Mamitha handles it with such grace and Nivin reciprocates accordingly.
All in all, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit to me felt like home, possibly accentuated by the fact that I was away from home for this Onam and this was a way for me to feel at home, albeit for just a few hours. And I will always be grateful to the entire ensemble for that.
Rating – 5/5