Introduction –
Some of the quintessential elements of Bombay aka Mumbai includes grotesque financial, social & lifestyle disparity. Bombay Summers portrays these rudiments and emotions through the bond of friendship. Frankly, the movie is more like an accumulation of postcards and posters.
Bombay Summer is yet another cinema which exploits the vulnerable side of city which we also believe is a typical American perspective. It seems the class and social disparities have become the pet subjects of western filmmakers. “Slumdog”, “Outsourced” and “Basmati Blues” are some of the examples. Painting a cosmopolitan, modern and a bustling city with a muted, monochrome brush of clichéd settings, messed up characters and chaotic ambience is always a tempting option and one of the quickest ways to win international accolades.
Bombay Summer is no different!
Synopsis –
As mentioned above, the film appears more like a visual travel journal of three friends. Geetha ( Tannishtha Chatterjee ) heads the art division of a reputed company, Jaidev ( Samrat Chakrabarti ) is an aspiring writer belonging to a wealthy family while Madan ( Jatin Goswami ), the man on the street is the golden boy of every scriptwriter and the protagonist of this film. And the reason is because Madan lives in a dilapidated Bombay Chawl, runs odd errands, including illegal side hustles ( Booze & Drugs ) to stay alive in Bombay in spite of his artistic abilities.
The film sets out to explore their lives and their goals through their individual prism as well as their shifting emotions for each other. The trio travel, eat, drink, smoke weed and occasionally show their talent through recitation program or in the studio, located within the theater where cinema posters are being hand drawn. However, even these elements are shown in the backdrop of banality of everyday life.
Analysis –
Bombay Summer’s story lacks direction, laced with blunt narrative arcs while the characters are shallow, and just a minuscule graffiti on the city’s horizon. None of them have the required attributes to become a memorable personality. Although the cinematography shines, largely due to the availability of perfect props and locations, the direction makes little impression. Performances by all the actors are average which makes watching this film even more trying. Interestingly, the flashback style of narration and the tragic end which is tied up quite nicely is the only consolation and the highlight of Bombay Summers.
2009 Joseph Mathew Joseph Mathew 102 Minutes Amazon Prime Video | Katha Films