When Kris returns to Tamilnadu, India, to the Music and Dance school in which he spent most of his childhood, he is forced to confront resentments and painful memories.
The story sways between past and present, documenting his childhood, loved dearly by his American parents who raised him in the school alongside Parvathi and her daughter Valli. Kris and Valli are thick as thieves, but tensions rise between their parents when Kris’s mother becomes jealous of her husband’s relationship with Parvathi. Needing distance, she takes Kris and leaves, separating him from this idyllic life, from his father, and from his best friend.
Now, 12 years later, Kris (Christopher Gurusamy) is a talented young dancer, who feels that he cannot progress artistically unless he reconnects with his father, Jon (Jeremy Roske). He hasn’t returned since, and Valli has blossomed into a beautiful young woman (played by Sudharma Vaithiyanathan), and his feelings for her are charged with a new intensity.
Intersected with sequences of dance and musical performance, the story unfolds and Kris begins his journey of self-discovery, attempting to reassemble the pieces of his shattered past.
The most magical moments of this film are the spectacular dance and musical acts, and director Kaarthikeyan Kirubhakaran plays out these scenes in a breathtaking way. The scenery and vivid colours that are intrinsic to India, as well as the hypnotic music, create a feast for the eyes and the ears.
It would be difficult not to get swept away in this enchanting world, and where one may find shortcomings in terms of acting or plot, it is more than made up for in the artistry of these moments. The love story between Kris and Valli is equally as touching, as their childlike innocence is still apparent even as young adults, and Parvathi is played with perfect maternal warmth by Ashwini Pratap Pawar.
The film is visually a uniquely captivating experience, and one that is difficult not to be drawn into. A willingness to get lost within this world will enable you to enjoy and become quite captivated within this world, and allow you to appreciate moments of real beauty within it.
We hope you're enjoying BRWC. You should check us out on our social channels, subscribe to our newsletter, and tell your friends. BRWC is short for battleroyalewithcheese.
Pingback:Cerebrum: Review | film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC 28th April 2021