Bangalore Naatkal is a colourful tribute to the peppiness of youth

While YouTube trailers and first-look promos have been rather disappointing for die-hard Malayalis who loved the original, the buzz for the Tamil version has been tremendous.

AS THE OFFICIAL remake of the Malayalam superhit film Bangalore Days, written and directed by Anjali Menon, Bangalore Naatkal, the Tamil version, is an eagerly awaited film.
While YouTube trailers and first-look promos have been rather disappointing for die-hard Malayalis who loved the original, the buzz for the Tamil version has been tremendous.
More so because it is helmed by Bhaskar, the director of Bommarillu, remade as Santosh Subramaniam in Tamil. Bangalore Naatkal also has a stellar cast that would make the film appealing to both Tamil and Telugu audiences, as well as to Malayali audiences, who are fans of Parvathy, the current sensation in Kerala.
With Arya, Sri Divya, Bobby Simha, Rana Daggubati, Samantha, Parvathy and Rai Laxmi in the lead roles, Bangalore Naatkal explores the story of three cousins who discover freedom and life in Bangalore. Each of the cousins is different in their outlook towards life and in their character sketch.
While Arya plays a rebel without a cause (or with one, as you see it fit), Bobby Simha is the meeker one, and Sri Divya brings in the feministic perspective, albeit with a twist. Through the people who come into their lives, some every-day situations and the paradoxes of familial ties, the film should strike a chord -as the Malayalam original did.
Bhaskar is already bracing for the comparisons and avers that the film is an almost faithful remake with slight deviations to suit the Tamil sensibility. What should definitely work in his favour is the rather pan-India sensibility that Bangalore Days, as a story holds within it.
Talking to City Times earlier, Anjali Menon had said that the film reflected the 'impatience' in today's youth. "They are quicker and they want everything now. The impatience at 'things not happening must not be an excuse. If you are unhappy about a situation, get out of it. Living in silent suffering mode is outdated."
That, in a nutshell, is what all the characters in Bangalore Naatkal eventually do. They break out of the shells they had shaped for themselves, for whatever reasons, and in doing so, they have inspired a lot of people to see life from a different perspective. Whether the euphoria is momentary doesn't matter, at the box office, it is a formula that works - the quintessential feel-good film with a heart of gold.
So this week, if you are up to watch the antics and colours, frustrations and frivolities of youth, Bangalore Naatkal assures you a safe bet. Don't compare, though; after all, every film has its milieu and they must stay true to that.