Bharatham (1991) :
Brief Review -
A Classic Musical Drama. Yet another triumph for Sibi Malayil and Mohanlal's deadly combo. Bharatham has classical music as a central attraction and so it becomes poetic. Actually every film in India is Musical only, as to what Hollywood call Musical. Having 4-5 songs in the film means Musical for Hollywood but for Bollywood and other Indian language movies, it's a common thing and yet we have a different genre called 'Musical', a big bluff, isn't it? Anyways, let's call Bharatham a musical and go ahead. Bharatham is a tale of two classical musician brothers: while the elder squanders his life and talent away for his alcoholic addiction, the younger one fulfills their joint responsibilities towards their family and how he hides his griefs is the core of the story. It is a simple formula of jealousy turned into happiness, the similar which was invented by Hollywood's 'A Star Is Born'. Well, it was about bromance here, not male-female romance and the story goes past the expected things. Bharatham is more about its poetics gesture and performances than the story. The music is simply amazing. It has that traditional classical vibes in modern tones and it also expresses the situational atmosphere very well. Hence, the music is inseparable organ here, rather I would say it's the most expressive one. Mohanlal has nailed as Gopi. His expressions in those songs are so Marvelous, assuming that he didn't sing it and just acted on it (the playback thing you know). Other cast members have great job too. The camera work is notable, especially during the songs as i just mentioned those expressions. Sibi Malayil brings a tragic drama in Musical genre, which, i guess wasn't done before. Mostly Hollywood musicals were about happiness and amusement so this was quite different. Though, for Indian standards it wasn't anything new. Overall, a Classic.
RATING - 8/10*
By - #samthebestest.
A Classic Musical Drama. Yet another triumph for Sibi Malayil and Mohanlal's deadly combo. Bharatham has classical music as a central attraction and so it becomes poetic. Actually every film in India is Musical only, as to what Hollywood call Musical. Having 4-5 songs in the film means Musical for Hollywood but for Bollywood and other Indian language movies, it's a common thing and yet we have a different genre called 'Musical', a big bluff, isn't it? Anyways, let's call Bharatham a musical and go ahead. Bharatham is a tale of two classical musician brothers: while the elder squanders his life and talent away for his alcoholic addiction, the younger one fulfills their joint responsibilities towards their family and how he hides his griefs is the core of the story. It is a simple formula of jealousy turned into happiness, the similar which was invented by Hollywood's 'A Star Is Born'. Well, it was about bromance here, not male-female romance and the story goes past the expected things. Bharatham is more about its poetics gesture and performances than the story. The music is simply amazing. It has that traditional classical vibes in modern tones and it also expresses the situational atmosphere very well. Hence, the music is inseparable organ here, rather I would say it's the most expressive one. Mohanlal has nailed as Gopi. His expressions in those songs are so Marvelous, assuming that he didn't sing it and just acted on it (the playback thing you know). Other cast members have great job too. The camera work is notable, especially during the songs as i just mentioned those expressions. Sibi Malayil brings a tragic drama in Musical genre, which, i guess wasn't done before. Mostly Hollywood musicals were about happiness and amusement so this was quite different. Though, for Indian standards it wasn't anything new. Overall, a Classic.
RATING - 8/10*
By - #samthebestest.