Cast: Niranj, Miya George
Director: Shebi
The way people celebrate the old background scores of Johnson Master from Padmarajan movies makes one wonders if these were all that popular back in the late 1980s. Bobby begins with Mohanlal’s famous proposal scene from Namukku Parkan Munthirithoppukal and the background music. The male lead — also Bobby — claims it is after watching it that he believes in love, for he always dreams of a girl coming to him at the end of a walkway facing the lake, with the same music in the background. The film takes off when Bobby sees the girl of his dreams in person.
Niranj, son of veteran actor Maniyanpilla Raju, plays Bobby, with some expressions that remind you of his dad, but without the inhibitions of a new hero. He has acted before, but this would be his debut playing lead, as a 21-year-old young man in love with a woman who is seven years older.
Miya George, who is several years younger than the 28-year-old she plays, easily becomes the no-nonsense bold woman she is meant to be.
What makes Bobby convincing is the lack of all the cheesy lines there could easily be in such a subject. Yes, he stalks her and yes, he dreams of her. But the first time he speaks to her, it is a straightforward piece of conversation. Something as simple as “I did all the things I did because I like you”. Without any drama or any heavy background music to state it. The situation that makes Miya’s character — Maria — accept this unusual proposal is also quite convincing.
Director Shebi, who has also written the script, appears to have balanced the cheesiness with the seriousness of relationships and the hurt they could bring. Where he falters is in scripting comedy. There is a bunch led by Pashanam Shaji, exclusively for comedy, with scenes full of of PJs and sometimes witty one-liners. Some are in poor taste, but some are well-made. One particular bit from Sudheer Karamana falls into the latter category, when he says on a Thursday at around 10.30 p.m., he had suddenly turned over a new leaf. The actor proves once again his ease with versatility.
Small roles played by Shammi Thilakan and Kalashala Babu are also well-curated. There is a scene where Bobby makes the cliché complaint, “If only my mom were here”, to which Shammi, playing his dad, retorts, “If she was here, she would have beaten you up”.
Downsides come here and there, like when the change in mind of the heroine appears too quickly, after the convincing portrayal of a troubled woman in the first half. Miya does it all well. Niranj is promising and he has plenty of time to learn. Ronnie Raphael’s music is lovely too. Overall, Bobby is alright..
