Bangalore Days Movie Review: A Heartwarming Malayalam Gem

Three cousins-Aju (Dulquer Salmaan), Divya (Nazriya Nazim), and Kuttan (Nivin Pauly)-leave their small-town lives in Kerala to chase dreams in Bangalore. Aju, a free-spirited biker with a chip on his shoulder, seeks escape from family expectations. Divya, freshly married and smothering under a traditional husband (Fahadh Faasil), longs for independence. Kuttan, a perpetually unlucky-in-love techie, just wants to find a girl-and maybe a job that doesn’t make him feel invisible.

Their separate journeys collide, unravel and reweave over the course of a year, as the city becomes both a backdrop and a third protagonist. Romance blossoms, friendships fray, and secrets surface. The narrative doesn’t shy from heartbreak, but it always leans back into hope.

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Let’s address the runtime first: 172 minutes is a big ask for any film, especially one that could easily be mistaken for a breezy rom-com. But Menon writes with such generous detail-each character gets a full arc, each subplot a payoff-that every minute feels earned. The first hour sets up the trio’s individual conflicts with a light, almost sitcom-like touch; by the second hour, the layers peel back, and you realize you’ve been watching a quiet drama about loneliness, ambition, and the compromises we make for love.

The performances are the film’s backbone. Dulquer Salmaan brings a wounded tenderness to Aju, masking insecurity behind cocky smiles. Nivin Pauly’s Kuttan is a masterclass in physical comedy and pathos-the scene where he nearly proposes to Natasha (Nithya Menen) is both hilarious and heartbreaking. Nazriya Nazim, as Divya, balances vulnerability with quiet defiance; watch her eyes during the silent ride with her husband after a betrayal. Fahadh Faasil, as the possessive husband Shiva, avoids cartoonish villainy-he’s a man trapped in his own fragility, and that makes him far more unsettling.

The real star, though, is Bangalore itself. Menon shoots the city not as a postcard but as a living organism-the traffic jams, the indie cafes, the rain-slicked streets. The film captures that specific immigrant feeling: the chaos of a new place becomes a mirror for internal chaos. The soundtrack, composed by Gopi Sunder and sung by a rotating cast (including a haunting “Ethu Kari Raavilum”), weaves through scenes like a second heart.

If there’s a flaw, it’s that the film occasionally leans too far into sentiment. The climax-a group hug on a rain-soaked rooftop-is earned, but some viewers may find the resolutions a little too tidy. And while the female characters are well-drawn, Divya’s arc still revolves heavily around her marriage, leaving her agency slightly muted compared to her male cousins.

Yet these are minor quibbles. Bangalore Days works because it understands that moving to a new city isn’t just about changing your address-it’s about learning who you are when no one’s watching. And on that front, it’s nearly flawless.

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Pros

• Outstanding ensemble cast with no weak links
• Rich, layered screenplay that balances humor and emotion
• Bangalore feels authentic, not like a film set
• Music that enhances every scene without overpowering it
• The 172-minute runtime flies by-the pacing is deceptively tight

Cons

• Occasional over-sentimentality in the final act
• Divya’s character arc leans too much on her relationship
• Some subplots (e.g., Kuttan’s office life) feel underdeveloped
• A few plot resolutions are convenient rather than earned

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Bangalore Days is a film that understands the ache of starting over-the loneliness, the laughter, the unexpected friendships that feel like family. Anjali Menon directs with a light but sure hand, and her cast delivers performances that linger long after the credits roll. It’s a movie about dreams that don’t always come true, but about finding something better along the way. In a landscape of flashier blockbusters, this quiet gem still shines. Don’t miss it.

TMDb rating: 7.612/10 - Malayalam Movie Buzz agrees: a solid 8.5/10.