Bro Daddy is a Malayalam comedy-drama directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran. The film stars Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Lalu Alex, Kaniha and others in the various lead and supporting roles. With a running time of 2 hours and 39 minutes, Bro Daddy, right from its promos was marketed as a dramatic representation of an upper-class family. The film was released under the banner Aashirvad Cinemas. The synopsis of the film on Disney+Hotstar reads, “Their parents want them married, but both skillfully avoid it. What are they hiding?” The original audio is in Malayalam but the viewer can choose English subtitles.
–Bro Daddy review does not contain any spoilers–
Eesho (played Prithviraj) and Anna (played by Kalyani Priyadarshan) are the children of two very tightly knit family friends. To strengthen the filial relations, both of their families plan and hope to get them married. However, Eesho and Anna do not seem to take the proposition quite seriously. The film’s plot revolves around why these childhood sweethearts do not want to get married, even though they live together in Bangalore. John Kattadi (Mohanlal) and Annamma (Meena), the parents of Eesho steal the show, with their portrayal of middle-aged Indian parents who are still passionately in love with each other.
One of the highlights of the movie is the relationship between Eesho and his dad. With not much of an age gap, this dynamic is filled with love, laughter and jokes. Eesho’s character is very well written, striking the right balance between an employee struggling for professional success, a lover and a son. The comic element of the film, however, sometimes feel flat. Like every Indian comic movie ever, apart from overly done constipation and sex jokes, the film has nothing new to bring to the table. Mohanlal’s expert acting skills saves the film in multiple scenes.
Prithviraj, much to the disappointment of the viewers in quite stiff in his presentation of Eesho. At times, he fails to do justice to the role as well as the script. Bro Daddy does not offer a depth of vision and hence uses quick camera movements to juggle between shots. The director has to be praised for keeping the viewer hooked throughout the film, especially during the times when the plot seems a bit too obvious. Bro Daddy at times might also seem a bit insensitive owing to the fact that the film is quite disconnected from the economic and social conditions in our country, right now.
Meena is a breath of fresh air on the screen, adding a raw charm and subtlety that keeps the viewer in anticipation. Bro Daddy is an audience pleaser through and through which does not promise novelty and does promise moments of relief and laughter. It portrays everything that is worth celebrating in our lives, while consciously avoiding the harsher realities of everyone’s lives. The film struggles to keep up with its storyline in the last couple of minutes and it rushes through the storyline in an attempt to get to the established “Happy Ending”.
Summing Up, Bro Daddy
Bro Daddy knows that it is a light-hearted comedy and much to the relief of the viewers it does not do much to go into the depths of characters or the events. The film’s aesthetics also portray the same comic element that is pertinent to the progression of the film. The film is a great watch for people looking for a family entertainer, without exposing the harsh gritty details of life.
Bro Daddy is now streaming on Disney+Hotstar.
Also read: Mukti (2022) Review: Ritwick Chakraborty Series Fails to Leave an Impact.