Shri Vaijprabha Chitra’s Bhera (Marathi) is the story of a deaf orphan.
The film is set in a Konkan village in June 2020 against the backdrop of the Coronavirus lockdown. Anibai (Shraddha Khanolkar) lives alone in the village as her son, Suresh (Gaurav Raool), works in Bombay. He cannot return to the village because of the lockdown restrictions. Anibai is suffering from appendicitis. Vishnu (Deepak Joil) is a deaf boy who is an orphan. He and his sister, Rekha (Akanksha Khot), live with their maternal uncle (Vivek Walke). Vishnu looks after Anibai. After some days, Suresh returns to the village but is sent to the quarantine centre for 14 days. During this period, Anibai’s appendicitis needs to be operated upon. What happens after that?
Prasad Khanolkar has penned a commonplace story which has some good moments but the audience won’t fancy watching a routine story set in the COVID-19 times. Prasad Khanolkar and Shrikant Prabhakar have written a screenplay which is good in parts only. Most of the scenes are predictable, though, and that’s what often makes the drama boring. After a point of time, the drama looks stretched. Also, since the actors aren’t known faces, it is anybody’s guess that the public won’t be attracted to the cinemas. The duo’s dialogues are so-so.
Deepak Joil does very well as the deaf Vishnu. Shraddha Khanolkar acts ably as Anibai. Pramod Koyande is okay as the sarpanch. Akanksha Khot lends average support as Rekha. Vivek Walke is so-so as Vishnu’s maternal uncle. Gaurav Raool is fair in a brief role as Suresh. Others pass muster.
Shrikant Prabhakar’s direction is alright. Pradyumna Chaware and Pranav Jantikar’s background music is quite effective. Sameer Bhaskar’s camerawork is fair. Shrikant Prabhakar’s art direction is appealing. Smita Phadke has done a reasonably good job of the editing.
On the whole, Bhera is too routine a fare to do anything worthwhile at the box-office, more so because of lack of face value.
Released on 21-3-’25 at Gold Dadar (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Swayambhu Chitra. Publicity & opening: very poor.