Title: Veruthe Oru Bhariya
Starring: Jayaram, Gopika
Language: Malayalam
This film is a family drama set in small town Kerala which starts with plenty of promise but fizzles out in the end. It revolves around a couple and their daughter. The husband believes that its his wife’s job to run the house and “serve him” at all times. The wife simply grows sick of all the house hold chores and the husband over bearing nature. This eventually leads to some conflicts (obviously!) and the wife heads to her parents’ home. Thereafter the husband looks after the house and his school-going daughter. Eventually he is unable to handle the pressure of his work and the responsibilities of running the house.
Jayaram, who plays the husband, appears to have aged and does not seems “go well” with the relatively younger heroine, Gopika. The age difference is very obvious though both play their respective roles well. The young girl who acted as the daughter seems naturally talented and has put in an impressive performance. The downsides of giving cell phones to kids are effectively portrayed in the film. The comic parts of the film, particularly the parts where Jayaram plays the role of a conscientious Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) employee, the song sequence where Jayaram imitates other movie stars, scenes in the office along with his colleagues at work, are all very enjoyable.
Overall, a watchable film, but one that doesn’t live up to its potential.
Pakora Korner 