Bro The Avatar: Time-loss Tales

Bro Movie Review

Star Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Sai Dharam Tej, Vennela Kishore, Priya Prakash Varrier, Raja Chembolu, and Ketika Sharma 
Cinematography by Sujith Vasudev
Music Composed by Thaman
Written by Trivikram Srinivas
Editing by Navin Nooli
Directed by Samuthirakani

తిమిర సంహారం… నైరాశ్య నిర్ములాకారం
మహా పాషాణం… మహా క్రూర వైరాగ్యం
మహా శక్తిమంతం… మహోగ్రస్వరూపం
మహా కాలం… నమో కర్మఫల ప్రధాతం

In Indian Mythology, Shiva is Mahakaal. He is the beginning and end of the time. Vishnu looks after Karma, Brahma decides or navigates through it while Shiva delivers the final blow. Hence, Shiva as Mahakaal is Karmaphala Pradatha. Shani, and Yama are also given the duties but when it comes to Mahakaal… he decides on the when, where, and what. Which is all related to time and hence, he is the keeper of Kaal Chakra. Yes, Mythology and thoughts are deep. For understanding these, it takes time and energy but to interpret them wrongly, you don’t need much energy. Bro movie is a mad-house on the fire film that never tried to get to the depth of the concepts it touched upon. Neither it tries nor it succeeds in at least being a surface-level interpretation. It keeps motoring on the concept of time not waiting for anyone in a superficial way. 

In Bible, Gabriel is an angel who keeps Time. Who records every incident and retribution is decided by Lucifer upon your death. God has given them specific duties to keep the system smooth. According to science, Time is non-existent or an easy definition we have given to understand Earth’s rotation cycle and revolving cycle around the Sun. In Space, time and timekeepers are absent. The fabric of space is guided and constructed by Gravity, which we only assume to be a force while it is elevated to the level of dimension in Quantum Physics and Astronomy. These things are important to know as we humans tend to either over-understand or over-simplify things rather than trying to think about logic or depth behind some weird concepts that we cross upon. Yes, Science and religion do say that humans don’t have control over time or the concept we understand as time. No, they don’t ever say, your fate is pre-decided and hence, stop acting on things. Bro goes through the same confusion and ends up telling us what they never hoped to say. That is, “Do Nothing”.

It tells do nothing but not while your alive it tries to tell do nothing to worry after death. “Death is the ultimate” destination of humans or life on earth. Maybe Silicon-based life or cells never degenerate and can exist for centuries and eons but carbon-based life has a time limit. To be able to absorb the weight of failure, to be able to move on, to be able to never be struck on one idea – Religion and science offer the concept of Time. Religion offers pre-determined life that never changes but motors on a specific time while Science says you need some medication and time off from the situation. Bro tries to bring religion and mix some science into it. And ends up being as confusing as its understanding of the concept.

Take a line early on, “Nuvvu brathikedi nee kosam kaadu bhavithrala kosame.” Now, look at the last line – “Nuvvu unna lekunna nee janam anukunna vallu kooda nee kosam aagaru.” If we are living for future generations, then moving forward or being struck is important for us. If we are living in the present and our actions do make a difference in the future, then also we need a closure to the curiosity of what happens. Don’t tell me that you don’t want to know about the future of a roof garden you’ve maintained or planning to maintain. Don’t tell me you’re not worried about your future wife or future kid and your future. Living in the present means – you leave the worrying part out and do what is in your hands – maintain a roof garden. And be happy you have that tomato or mirchi or radish today. At the same time, if you tell the importance of it, your kids might also get used to having a roof garden and learn to maintain it. This is how you pass on and never worry about what tomorrow holds.

Bro never touches on this basic. For 90 days, purpose ghosting around feels pointless as he changes nothing. Aa Naluguru [2004] had better way of screenplay and explanation for same. Ok, so he came back, why the family is at their homes and not at the hospital morgue? Did they tell their final goodbyes? Then, how come they are just happy and not surprised? Fine, Bro might have just created an illusion of time for Sai Dharam Tej’s character and the reality is the montage we got about 90 days before the climax. If that is the truth, then why do we need to push a girl to commit suicide? Why is a person who is in love and who knows how the world is evolving old-fashioned? What hypocrisy did the writer and director touch on here? It just feels like an excuse to have the same sequence that Thambi Ramaiah had in the original. Why not change it and have an even stronger scene? Why does Bro need to be in different get-ups and dance to Pawan Kalyan songs? If he dances to PK songs and takes on PSPK avatar, why can’t it be a figment of Sai Dharam Tej’s character’s imagination as he is a fan? Won’t that be better logic than parading with “fan moments”? At least the sanctity of Mahakaal wouldn’t have to be questioned in the script.

Don’t want to really talk about the execution. It is lousy, rushed, and lethargic. Not even one scene looked worthy for Sai Dharam Tej and Pawan Kalyan to come together. Maybe metaphorically, Sai Dharam Tej might have survived a near-death accident but that doesn’t serve the purpose of this story. Any individual can have hundreds of responsibilities or just one. But that shouldn’t stop them from being themselves. Torturing someone’s present self for a future benefit works in weight loss not in real life. The movie needed to be more sincere and serious in tone to really take it seriously. Bro is just a convoluted take on the big concepts of time and empathy, responsibility. Krishna who said, “Tu karm karta ja phal ki chinta mat kar” might change it “Brooooooooooooo … pre-determined things have Karma which doesn’t mean do nothing!”

Theatrical Trailer:

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