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Bheeshma Parvam turns 2 - Mammootty and Amal Neerad’s film is much more than a mass action thriller; Here’s why

Bheeshma Parvam, the 2022-released blockbuster which marked the second collaboration of megastar Mammootty and filmmaker Amal Neerad, turned two on March 3, 2024.

Akhila Menon

Mar 03, 2024

Bheeshma Parvam official poster

Bheeshma Parvam, the Amal Neerad directorial which hit the big screens on March 3, 2024 marked Mammootty’s grand comeback to the box office after a series of underwhelming outings. The movie marked the second collaboration of the actor-director duo after a long gap of 2017. Bheeshma Parvam indeed kickstarted the beginning of a new exciting phase in the veteran actor’s illustrious career.

As Bheeshma Parvam turns 2, let us have a look at why this Mammootty starrer has been considered a pathbreaking attempt, which is much more than just a mass action film.

Redefining Mammootty’s stardom

With Bheeshma Parvam, Amal Neerad once again redefined the way commercial cinema perceived Mammootty. The veteran actor’s character Anjootti Michael was quite different from the mass roles he played in the past. Michaelappan is an aging, powerful patriarch who struggles to keep his family together. He doesn’t get an intro song, women are not obsessing over him, and he is still healing from the past wounds but still has his priorities set right. Mammootty’s impeccable screen presence and the new look he sported for the film made Michael even more impactful.

Placing Mahabharata in a Malayali Christian family

Well, as the name rightly suggests, Bheeshma Parvam is inspired by the Mahabharata chapter of the same name, along with being an ode to The Godfather, by Francis Ford Coppola. Mammootty’s character Michael is based on Bheeshma, while Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Shine Tom Chacko, and Farhaan Faasil, played the roles inspired by Arjuna, Abhimanyu, Duryodana, and Dusshasana, respectively. Amal Neerad succeeded in placing the conflicts and politics of Mahabharata in the backdrop of a Malayali Christian family effectively. The movie, at the same time, was so rooted in Kochi, to the extent that it became instantly relatable to Malayali viewers.

Also Read: Mammootty and the art of reinvention – Here’s why the Kannur Squad actor’s post-Covid filmography is nothing but epic

Breaking the cliches of a mass film

Unlike most of the mass films, Bheeshma Parvam does not have a cold-blooded villain. Instead, we are presented a bunch of antagonists, who stand out with their unique character traits. Director Amal Neerad even made a bold creative choice by adding layers of bisexuality into the character Anjootti Peter, played by Shine Tom Chacko. He also surprised the viewers by casting legendary actors Nedumudi Venu and KPAC Lalitha in full-fledged negative roles, that too in one of their final appearances on celluloid.

Also Read: After Premalu, Bramayugam and Manjummel Boys, is Malayalam cinema ready to level up?

The movie, which unfolded in the backdrop of the late 1980s, also succeeded in recreating the period and its flavour on celluloid. Bheeshma Parvam even provided glimpses of the good old Kochi, with excellent detailing added to its production design and soundtrack. The interesting layers have made this Mammootty starrer a film that deserves to be revisited. Director Amal Neerad has also left many instances in the film, that open the possibilities of a sequel or spin-off.

Also Read: Bramayugam – This Mammootty-starrer shows how to get an experimental film right; Here’s why

As per the reports, Mammootty and Amal Neerad are now set to team up once again. However, the duo is not reviving their long-delayed ambitious project, Bilal, anytime soon. Even though both the actor and director are remaining tight-lipped about the project, the rumour mils suggest that they are planning a sequel to Bheeshma Parvam. However, we will have to wait till the official announcement, to know what the duo is cooking.

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