Vishal Venkat's Bomb, in a way, is about a superhero of the fictional village of Kaalakammapatti, and his best friend. This fictional village has a fantastic folklore attached to it that invokes the presence of a peacock, an illuminating light, and a society that hasn't been divided based on any lines, ranging from religion and caste to class and culture. But then, one fine day, just like how civilisation evolved with the discovery of fire, Kaalakammapatti denizens devolve once they discover the concept of religious differences, class hierarchies, and caste discrimination. One might not be wrong to assume that Arjun Das plays the superhero who solves all ills over the course of 120-odd minutes, and Kaali Venkat is the trusting friend. But, in Bomb, Arjun Das is the Alfred to Kaali Venkat's Bruce Wayne, and the question that forms the crux of the film is... "Why do we fart, Master Kathir"

Director: Vishal Venkat

Cast: Arjun Das, Kaali Venkat, Shivathmika Rajasekhar, Singampuli, Bala Saravanan

Kaali Venkat's Kathir is the sole voice of reason in a village that is torn apart due to differences in the gods they pray to and the rituals they follow, which have, over the years, percolated into various societal discriminations, including the practice of untouchability. While Kathir comes from the oppressor side of the village, Mani is from the oppressed, and through these two characters, Vishal plays around with the themes of social evils, humanity, indoctrination, and gives a simple yet profound way to get out of all of this. But before all this, the light of Bomb's fuse is lit after the sudden demise of Kathir. What happens next is reminiscent of a famous line from the 2012 Hindi film, Oh My God, which translates to, "If you remove the idea of God from the minds of people, they won't hesitate in deifying you next." Similarly, after his death, Kathir suffers from a never-ending bout of flatulence, and when other sights and sounds converge, the villagers think he is their God. And who is his messenger? Mani, the meek man with a gruff voice, plays a youngster who gets beaten up by anybody and everybody, and yet, stays supremely silent throughout the film.

By wanting to address all possible social evils in one film, Bomb is bogged down by promising ideas not reaching completion. A young girl is asked not to play with a young boy because he comes from a 'lower' section of society. These differences are so ingrained in the minds of the young ones that one of them doesn't even touch the foot of a rival because, 'We can lose the game, but not the game of life.' But these are mere afterthoughts in a film that takes an unnecessarily long route to say some of the simplest solutions to all these complexities. One might argue that societal transformation can happen through dialogue, but Bomb needed something more drastic than a simple series of scenes. The premise is so fantastical that it needed an even more outlandish resolution. Also, since the film is utopian in nature, and Vishal loves the idea of the presence of goodness in every human, we can smell the climactic transformation of society from afar.

D Imman's music holds the film together, even if the score, especially towards the end, manipulates emotions in scenes that struggle to stay alive. Similarly, Kaali Venkat is terrific in a supremely unique role. Despite playing a dead man, he is the life of the film, and he is in the golden phase of his career, and rightly so. Shivathmika delivers a compelling performance as a person caught in the crosshairs of wanting a better life for herself, supporting her brother Kathir's machinations, and trying to make Mani understand her love. On the contrary, it takes time warming up to an uncharacteristically subdued Arjun Das. While casting against the grain is welcome, Arjun's character in Bomb felt overshadowed by everything happening around him. When he finally gets a solid scene, he delivers a compelling breakdown, but it is too little too late.

Yes, Bomb does a solid number when it comes to questioning the practices stemming from random superstitions. In fact, it lays bare the impact of middlemen who contort the truth to adhere to an agenda. But it also says that a prophecy can come true. And then, it also points out how the mind sees what it wants to see. There is a sense of confusion as to how the film deals with some of the more prickly issues. It is almost like taking that Super Deluxe dialogue, "Adhu verum kallu..." (It's just a rock...) and making it into a full-fledged film with the heart in its right place. The film also talks about how religious differences and caste discrimination are societal evils that can be eradicated by the powers that be, if they wish to do it, but it is a much more lucrative option to let the world burn.

But Bomb is a film that you can't be too angry about simply because it says all the right things. It is like a moral science lesson conducted by a teacher you don't mind listening to. The class isn't really compelling, but you respect the teacher enough to stay put and listen to the entire lecture. It might not have been the most life-changing lecture, but sometimes, what is said matters more than how it is said. Sadly, the cinema theatre is no classroom, and this is not such a time.