‘Bommai’ is the story of a man who passionately loves his love who is alive through an inanimate doll and who knows his way through it.
Rajkumar (SJ Surya) works in a company that manufactures toys and exports them to clothing stores. There is a new toy that reminds him of his past girlfriend. Already traumatized by various losses, Rajkumar melts thinking of the doll as his girlfriend. Where and how did he finally find the toy, eager to one day export it for sale? What caused his mental damage? The screenplay is about what happens in the end to his love that melts and dies through everything.
The title also lends justification to the story of the humanoid ‘doll’ which is presented as a metaphor for soothing the innermost mental problems of a person living in pain caused by the loss of someone who incarnates to restore loneliness. Director Radhamohan, who made us familiar with the films ‘Mozhi’ and ‘Kaatin Mozhi’, has tried to have a relationship with the doll.
Just like a child who finds a lost toy and is determined not to lose it again for any reason, SJ Suriya is a hero who will go to any lengths to treasure a loved one when he sees it through another object. The tension, fear, desperation and helplessness in every moment of the film are his steps that gain attention.
Tamil cinema fans have given permission to only a few people for over acting. SJ Surya can fit in that list. Although it seems over-acted at some places, it lends itself to the plot without being rushed. Especially, in the climax scene, he shows different emotions on his face.
Priya Bhavani Shankar as the doll brings the character to life with her performance. He scores an excellent performance with tears streaming down his immobile face and impassive facial expressions. Although Chandini is a small character in Tamilarasan, she stands out with her outstanding performance.
Radhamohan has told the story through few characters who demand the story without adding characters.
‘Young maestro’ Yuvan Shankar Raja has recreated his father’s song from the movie ‘Ullasa Parveers’ as ‘Divine ragam devitatha song khut khut tha’ (used as Young Maestro in the title card). Sprinkled here and there in the entire film, this song conveys a soft feeling and shows that Ilayaraja’s music is still in demand today.
In particular, the ‘divine ragam’ used to relive romantic memories makes the scenes beautiful and enjoyable without actually being overwhelming. The biggest strength of the film is the background score by Yuvan Shankar Raja. The song ‘Indana Vandil Repadi Veehum Nod’ is gaining attention. Similarly, Richard M. Nathan’s close-ups are impressive.
Although the film has a compelling love story, the screenplay is largely uninteresting apart from the love scenes and it gets boring at many places. A typical flashback portion, a predictable climax, and a lack of focus on scenes other than romance, like a sloppy detective by the police department, don’t add pressure.
Men are not so good in the world that director Radhamohan’s SJ Surya portrays. Woman is all comfort for a man. For example, SJ Surya has his mother as everything. He is followed by Priyabhavani Shankar and his helper Chandni in a story full of women where the men are the perpetrators and troublemakers of the women.
Overall the film has a compelling romantic build-up, but the doll is half-lived due to lack of attention to the plot built around it.