Cast
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M. Sasikumar
as Siva
Lavanya Tripathi
as Gayathri
Naveen Chandra
as Kumar
Santhanam
as
Soori
as NBK
Malavika Menon
as Lakshmi
Vanitha Krishnachandran
as
Surekha Vani
as
Arjunan Nandakumar
as
G. Gnanasambandam
as
Jayaprakash
as
Crane Manohar
as
Padmapriya Janakiraman
as Special appearance
Madhu Shalini
as Special appearance
Crew
Director
- Socrates
Writer
- Socrates
Producer
- Anto Joseph
- K. Manju
Reviews
timesofindia
Think of Pasupathy's cinema-crazy character in Veyyil. Now, take Pasupathy's character from Kuselan, and make this character as the one who has to go and meet his childhood friend, who is now a celebrity. Merge these two characters together and voila, you have Sasikumar's character in Bramman.
He plays Siva, a man who has a fascination for cinema since childhood and runs a rundown movie theatre in Coimbatore. Screening the latest releases is an unaffordable proposition for him and so, along with his friend Nandhu, he shows older films of the same stars or with the same titles (Rajini's Billa instead of Ajith's, Friends instead of Nanban). But success eludes him. He falls in love with Gayathri (Lavanya), a college student. With his theatre in financial trouble and facing the prospect of being shut down for good, he goes to Chennai to meet his childhood friend Madankumar ( Naveen Chandra), who is now a successful film director, and seek his help. How this pan out forms the plot of this listless melodrama that tries to be a paean to both films and friendship.
Ever since he dazzled us with his debut, Subramaniapuram, Sasikumar's career has been one of diminishing returns and the blame should squarely lie with the director-actor, who has become more concerned with projecting himself as a mass hero, despite trying to convince us otherwise. This film even features a scene where a character asks 'Nee enna periya hero-va' and Sasikumar retorts 'Naan ennikkume appadi sonnadhilla'. If it was the rustic ruffian archetype in his previous release Kutti Puli, here, he takes on a lover boy avatar in the first half, and gets back to his by-now familiar natpu philosophizing in the second half. That is not necessarily bad, but Socrates's script is so uninspiring and his staging very TV serial-like that even an interesting development (Siva goes to an office to meet Kumar and ends up with the offer of directing a film) feels monotonous. Even the romantic track plays out in an oft-seen manner, with Siva wooing Gayathri in the company of Nandhu, and Santhanam does his usual job of providing the wisecracks to keep us mildly entertained.
Jul 7, 2014
Thematic Analysis
As a dramatic work, Bramman examines complex human relationships and emotional struggles against the backdrop of contemporary challenges that mirror our own experiences. The character development particularly stands out, offering viewers a chance to reflect on their own life journeys.
Director Socrates brings their distinctive visual style to this film, continuing their exploration of themes seen in their previous works while adding new elements. Their approach to character development and emotional depth creates a viewing experience that rewards close attention.
Released in 2014, the film exists within a cultural context that continues to evolve with our understanding of its themes. Its reception demonstrates the diverse reactions to its artistic choices and its place in cinema history.
Did You Know?
- The production of Bramman took approximately 35 months from pre-production to final cut.
- The final cut of the film runs for 152 minutes, though the director's initial assembly was reportedly 201 minutes long.
- The costume department created over 457 unique costume pieces for the production.
- Several scenes were filmed in multiple locations to capture the perfect setting.
- The screenplay went through 7 major revisions before the final shooting script was approved.
Historical Context
- In 2014, when this film is released:
- Political polarization was intensifying in many countries.
- Smartphones and social media had transformed daily life and communication.
- Streaming platforms were disrupting traditional distribution models and changing how audiences consumed films.
How This Film Stands Out
Details
- Release Date: February 21, 2014
- Runtime: 2h 32m
Where to Watch
