Among the high-profile lineup of films for Pongal, Jayam Ravi’s Bhoomi directed by Lakshman made its premiere directly on Disney+ Hotstar. The actor in his 25th outing in films puts his weight behind the current pressing issues on the plight of farmers in the country, through this narrative. He plays Bhoominathan, a brilliant NASA scientist who forgoes an envious position abroad to return to his homeland in an attempt to save and revive agriculture after corporatization wreaks havoc on farmers and their livelihood. As he toils to bring about a socio-economic change, his efforts are thwarted at every step.
It’s a Jayam Ravi show…and little else
Bhoomi is obviously meant to be a marquee film for Jayam Ravi’s landmark 25th and the actor dominates every frame of the screenplay. While he is earnest, this leaves absolutely no room for any other character to make an impression on the plotline. The female lead played by Nidhi Agerwal appears exactly in 2 scenes and a song and is uncomfortable even in this short span. One wonders why the director needed to write in a romantic track when it serves absolutely no purpose. Even more under-utilized are veteran actors Saranya Ponvannan and Thambi Ramaiah who play the protagonist’s mother and uncle respectively. Their roles apart from being one-dimensional, have no depth. Similarly, Ronit Roy as the villain is roped in only to look suave but makes no impact beyond being a cardboard figure.
Logic and reasoning take a back seat
While Bhoomi takes on the ongoing topical issue of the plight of farmers in the country, director Lakshman fails to create a believable milieu for the audience. As a result, the narrative throws logic out of the window with way too many fantastical events that are jarring and out of context. Details are carelessly thrown in, solutions are miraculously found, explanations are conveniently given without rhyme or reason. While the film isn’t overly long, it feels arduous because of these factors. Imman’s score and music are decent but not rousing enough.
WATCH OR NOT
Bhoomi could have been an important and socially relevant film but sadly fails to rise up to expectations. Watch it if you are a Jayam Ravi fan only.
Director: Lakshman
Cast: Jayam Ravi, Nidhi Agarwal, Ronit Roy
Music: D Imman
Streaming on: Disney+ Hotstar
Language: Tamil