Bethlehem Kudumba Unit Movie Review:
There's beauty in simplicity, and director Girish AD swears by this. He cherry-picks simple, relatable stories and grounds them firmly with reasonable conflicts and well-etched characters. It's essentially why his works breathe beyond superficial entertainment. With Bethlehem Kudumba Unit (BKU), the director repeats the same success formula and, as expected, reaps the same charm. Why fix what isn't broken?
In our cinema, it's not uncommon to see actors with a big age gap playing romantic leads. But even in films that acknowledge this age gap, they don't mention the difference. But here's a film that wears this tricky detail on its sleeve. When Ashley (Mamitha Baiju) falls in love with her neighbour Justin (Nivin Pauly), who is around 12-13 years older, the film treats it very uncinematically. There's awkwardness, apprehension, and of course, affection.
Director: Girish AD
Cast: Nivin Pauly, Mamitha Baiju, Sangeeth Prathap, Suresh Krishna, Vinay Forrt, Srinda
BKU has the Girish AD signature all over it, be it in the writing that's constantly padded with humour or the breezy visual treatment. Additionally, the director's penchant for recasting actors from his previous films lends a sense of familiarity to the proceedings. Despite his usual tropes, Girish also does a few things differently here. The hero isn't in his usual timid, socially awkward zone. Justin is that charismatic middle-aged chettan who everyone in the town is fond of. His cousin sisters admire him so much that they proudly introduce themselves as Justin chettan's sisters. When he walks into a theatre, they cheer for him like he's the actual hero.
Ashley, who's new to the town, is quick to be smitten by this all-rounder chettan. He knows a thing or two about niche English music bands, can repair electronic devices, and drives around in his Ford Ikon like a pro. You normally don't associate such 'heroic moments' with Girish's films, but this film is self-aware of what it's attempting and has absolute fun doing it.
Even when much of the focus is on Justin, the film never forgets Ashley. She's not just another girl 'orbiting' him. We are introduced to Ashley on a sombre note as her family is forced to move to a new city, leaving behind her roots and memories. It takes her a while to warm up to the new surroundings, but she soon finds solace in Justin, his family and the friendly local community.
This is probably the most extensive exploration of family dynamics that Girish has dealt with in his films, and he does a good job of it. The family feels lived in; their conversations are very matter-of-fact. Very early in the film, we learn about the incompatible relationship between Ashley's parents through a scene involving their marriage certificate, which might come across as a passing joke. This conscious choice to avoid excessive drama is a recurring characteristic in Girish's films, and it's still incredible how he manages to add depth to the characters and emotionally connect them with the viewers.
Even the portrayal of friendships, both male and female, sticks close to reality without too much drama. When a friend, Baiju (Suresh Krishna), a fellow 'sigma', is upset that Justin kept his relationship secret, the latter doesn't react as if it's a big deal. He has his own reasons for it and doesn't bother to explain. That's how it is with friends who have known you for a long time. You believe they'll be understanding.
BKU exudes the pleasant energy of Sathyan Anthikad films of the 80s and 90s with its large ensemble, friendly neighbourhood ecosystem, family members who feel like actual people, and a consistent dose of humour. It is populated by a string of interesting characters, ranging from a hilarious flirt (Roshan Shanavas), a suspicious uncle (Vinay Forrt), a friendly boomer (Suresh Krishna), an instigating aunt (Bindu Panicker), fun cousins, and an eccentric and regressive Chakyar Koothu artist Hari (Shyam Mohan).
But more than anything, BKU is at its best while handling the Justin-Ashley portions. Ashley is young, sprightly, and impulsive, while Justin is more cautious. Having already suffered heartbreak, he understands the complications and consequences of a relationship like this and prefers to take things slow. As someone who enjoys the freedoms of his 'sigma' life, he finds the initial phase of love hard, where you are expected to make time for the other person.
Nivin and Mamitha share a sparkling chemistry, not once making their relationship look odd. What starts off as infatuation gradually develops into something deeper, and there's an ease with which the two actors handle these scenes. A telling example of this is the pre-interval stretch that begins with a slight tension between the two characters, before resulting in a rousing high. The whole sequence is a beautiful combination of solid acting, unpretentious writing and excellent staging. When Justin sheepishly says, 'Love you, too,' you can't think of anyone but Nivin to pull it off so endearingly.
BKU also has its share of shortcomings, especially with the scenes involving Justin's brother Joel (Sangeeth) and his troubled relationship with a girl and her family. Shyam Mohan, another Premalu actor in this film, plays a caricaturish character who initially appears promising but is too stretched, probably for the theatrical cheers his exaggerated antics might elicit. But it still feels like the film spends a bit too much time on that track, effectively keeping us away from Justin and Ashley.
BKU may not be Girish's best film yet, but it still has plenty of enjoyable moments that easily overpower whatever little negatives it has. Currently, there aren't many around who can consistently pull off slice-of-life dramas with such charm and appeal, and there's no reason for the director to change tracks. Why fix what isn't broken?
