Velikku Veluppankalam (Malayalam)

This film has a very indie feeling and a story idea that had its heart at the right place but execution fails at multiple levels sadly. Also, of many non-Indians it will be hard to identify with the family dynamics and how and why every relative has a say in what goes and what doesn't. We have seen quite a few films about coming-out, but here the focus seems on father an family and the societal pressure rather than the actual dilemma of being gay/coming out and being with your loved one.

Sidhu, a young introvert guy is about get married. Preparations are in full swing and it just a couple of days away , but something is bothering him and he doesn't say anything. His father is clearly boss of the house, very dominating and always worried about society and what people will say or think. The film goes on showing us wedding preparations and also the fact that something is bothering Sidhu. Eventually when his uncle comes, he tells him he doesn't want to get married, but never tells the reason. Eventually the day before, Sidhu has had enough and cannot take anymore. He finally tells his family he cannot get married, because he loves someone else. When probed further on who the girl is, he says it's not a girl. The family is shocked but the father still insists that he cannot do such a thing a day before wedding and will have to do the right thing. Then we find out that Sidhu has an estranged sister who eloped to get married to a guy of different caste. She comes back, makes sense to father and he eventually agrees to talk to the girl's family.

None of the conflicts in this film are handled correctly. More anymore characters are added just for the sake of it. Ideally I would have liked to see Sidhu, his conflict, and how he deals with it. Sure, he keeps it all in and then just blurts it out on the day of wedding. Fair enough, but then as an audience we never get to see or hear about his boyfriend. Which is still ok, but even the parents reactions are weird. It's as of nothing matters, gay, straight or whatever else. All they want their son to do is get married to this girl , because otherwise what will society say. I do know of Indian families, who ill go through various charades just to keep up the appearances, so I do get that. But what I don't like is that the film doesn't give us an opportunity to connect with anyone at all. It has all usual tropes, of a worried mother who can't balance her husband and her son, a nagging aunty who thinks she is th best and has a say in everything, an understanding uncle seemingly the only person who understands younger generation, an understanding cousin and a dominating father. But none of these made me feel any sympathy for Sidhu as a character only because I just don't know anything about his personality, his life, his love etc. If he was so much in love with his partner, where is he and why did he wait till the very last day to bring this up? Was he expecting magic? Then there was this thing about a musician coming and playing for the wedding and the whole stage setup. That whole thing had absolutely nothing to do with the film at all whatsoever. Acting wise everyone does a decent job and it is fun to see another India film with wedding backdrop. But honestly this film does nothing, Not for the gay cause, and neither of making families understand that love is love. The idea and heart was definitely at the right place but execution was allover and it's almost impossible to connect with the film. But I do appreciate more film makers trying to tell LGBTQ stories from the heartland of India. (3/10)