‘Brother’ movie review: Jayam Ravi shoulders this bland family dramedy

Fairly early in Brother, we get Paal Dubba’s infectious song, ‘Makkamishi.’ It isn’t a usual hero introduction song. For, the lyrics skip the tired tropes about how love conquers all, all gods are one, or Tamil is the ultimate language. It introduces the character to the audience. Roughly translated, the first few lines say, ‘You’re in the wrong, but you glare at me. You talk about rules in your house, but when I bring them up outside, you can’t handle it.’ The song, apart from being catchy, serves a purpose (we cannot say the same about the other songs in the film).

Right away, we see Karthik (Jayam Ravi) as a guy who doesn’t mince words. He’s a rebel with a cause, a truth-teller. He’s had this trait since his school days, when he argued with teachers. It’s why he decided to study law — except he cannot ignore it when his professor volunteers to cheat for a minister’s son in the bar exam. Karthik records it and leaks it, costing him his degree. Does he care? Not one bit.

Later, when he discovers shady practices in his apartment’s construction, he files a complaint, leaving his neighbours fuming. For Karthik, justice comes first, even if it means constant conflict. His dad, though, is worn out by this endless fight and worries himself sick over it, literally — he faints from stress and high blood pressure.

Seeing the toll, Karthik’s sister (Bhumika Chawla) steps in, promising their parents she’ll take him to her place in Ooty and “fix” him. But Karthik in Ooty is still Karthik—always chasing the “right thing,” which soon drives her husband and in-laws up the wall and even splits the family. Finally, pushed to breaking point, the frustrated father drops a truth bomb that shakes Karthik to his core, making him rethink his ways. Now, for the first time, he must choose: continue to stand by his values or bridge the family rift to earn his dad’s approval.

The conflict here feels like a diluted version of what Ambi faced in Anniyan, but the setup in Brother just doesn’t hit the mark because of a flimsy screenplay. The entire first half is dedicated to establishing Karthik’s unwavering “do the right thing” attitude, which writer-director M Rajesh largely treats as lighthearted comedy. Because of this, neither Karthik nor his values feel genuinely impactful, and when the film suddenly shifts gears into full-blown melodrama, the emotional logic feels muddled.

Rajesh, known for nailing big comedy set-pieces in his first three hits, tries to replicate that magic here, but most of the humour falls flat—fizzling out without so much as a chuckle. These scenes slow down the plot, and the performances don’t do much to save it. While Jayam Ravi shines in a few serious scenes, comedy does not seem to be his strength; his delivery often feels too deadpan. Meanwhile, Priyanka Mohan’s character is underwritten, mostly limited to “love interest” status, and her underwhelming performance doesn’t help. While some actors are lacklustre, others, like VTV Ganesh and Saranya Ponvannan, crank it up a few notches too high—resulting in performances that feel like unevenly reheated lasagna.

Rajesh has faced criticism in the past for portraying women poorly, but here he makes some amends with Bhumika’s character. When her father-in-law insults her parents and her husband slaps her for standing up to him, she leaves the house, refusing to return until they apologise. Even when her parents urge her to return, she stands firm, adding a rare moment of strength. 

The director tries to sell us on the brother-sister bond with a clichéd flashback, drenched in sentimentality and backed by a sappy song. But with spiritless performances and uninspired writing, the supposed affection falls flat.

Ultimately, the weak writing bears most of the blame. Had Rajesh chosen to create a straight-up family drama without the forced comedic bits, Brother might have worked better. Instead, it ends up neither funny nor serious enough to make an impact. The camerawork and editing sometimes give it a soap-opera feel, and while Harris Jayaraj’s music tries to lift the film, only the catchy ‘Makkamishi’ stands out.

Brother is currently running in theatres