Bommai review: SJ Suryah impresses in a film that suffers from predictability and weak characters

2.5/5

Story: An artist, who suffers from a childhood trauma, falls in love with a mannequin in his factory which has a striking resemblance with his long-lost love. He realizes that following his doctor's medication detaches him from the delusional world he has conveniently created for himself. However, he gets the shock of his life when the mannequin is shifted to another factory outlet. Little did he realize that avoiding the medicine is bringing out the beast in him. He indulges in a ghastly crime out of his platonic love and decides to get married to the mannequin, which appears to him as an angel and the love of his life. But a suspicious cop is behind him. What will be his fate?

Review: Though Radha Mohan has dabbled in various genres, most of his notable movies are feel-good dramas that appeal to all sections of audience. His protagonists are always relatable characters and take the story forward with their convincing conflicts and evoke sympathy from the audience. 

However, in his latest outing Bommai, which has SJ Suryah headlining it, the protagonist is a flawed character. He does take the story forward and has enough reasons to justify his actions, but falters when it comes to establishing a connection with viewers.

The story begins with Rajkumar aka Raju (Suryah), a talented artist who works in a mannequin factory. He falls in love with a unique mannequin, thanks to a noticeable similarity it shares with his childhood love. As someone who suffers from a delusional disorder, he realizes that not following his doctor's instructions makes him feel better while indulging in hallucination. 

He finds solace in the company of the mannequin which appears as a beautiful girl who is in love with him. But all hell breaks loose when the mannequin is shifted to a new factory outlet. This upsets Raju, but he finds a way to join the new place as an employee. His extreme hallucination makes him commit a crime. But the remorseless lover continues living in his own world. Will a cop who is after him be able to nab the sincere and dangerous lover?

The prime positive factor of the movie is the effortless performance of Suryah. He aces the character of a romantic person who suffers from trauma. The problematic role is safe in his hands and those who are aware of his capability know that portraying such a character is a cakewalk for him.

His sudden change in expressions and hysteric reactions are a treat to watch. It is his screen presence which shoulders the screenplay, which otherwise suffers from lack of novelty and intriguing sequences. A complex plot like this requires scenes that keep the viewers glued to their seats, but the film becomes too predictable.

Priya Bhavani Shankar's character aids in bringing the best out of Suryah, nothing more, nothing less. The actress looks resplendent throughout the movie akin to an adorable mannequin. Yuvan's background score partly impresses, and some of the beats remind us of his previous works.

The characters of Chandini and a few others are underwritten despite them making notable appearances in crucial portions of the film.

Verdict: Bommai is another film in which Suryah has showcased his acting prowess. However, the predictability factor, host of underwritten characters and dilemma in relating to some of the character traits of the protagonist hampers the overall experience.