Bangalore Days

Overview

Bangalore Days is a 2014 Indian Malayalam-language coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Anjali Menon. The film follows three cousins—Krishnan, Arjun and Divya—whose lives intersect in the city of Bangalore, exploring themes of friendship, family, marriage, ambition and self-discovery. Produced by Anwar Rasheed and Sophia Paul under the banners of Anwar Rasheed Entertainment and Weekend Blockbusters, the film became one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of its time and is widely regarded as a landmark in contemporary Malayalam cinema.

Key facts

Plot

The narrative centres on three cousins from Kerala who reunite in Bangalore. Krishnan P. P. (Kuttan), a tradition-loving young man from a village, takes up a job in the city and hopes to find a "homely" Malayali bride. Divya, intelligent and ambitious, finds her plans of higher studies cut short by an arranged marriage to Das, a reserved Bangalore-based engineer. Arjun (Aju) is a free-spirited motorcycle enthusiast who runs a garage and dreams of competitive racing. As the cousins navigate their personal struggles, they meet new partners, confront old wounds, and rediscover the bonds of family.

Cast

• Dulquer Salmaan as Arjun (Aju)
• Nivin Pauly as Krishnan P. P. (Kuttan)
• Nazriya Nazim as Divya Prakash
• Fahadh Faasil as Shiva Das (Das)
• Parvathy Thiruvothu as Sarah
• Isha Talwar as Natasha
• Nithya Menen as Meenakshi
• Vijayaraghavan, Praveena, Maniyanpilla Raju and others in supporting roles

Production

The film was developed by Anjali Menon following her earlier critical successes Manjadikuru and Ustad Hotel (for which she wrote the screenplay). Principal photography was carried out largely in Bangalore, with portions filmed in Kerala. Cinematographer Sameer Thahir captured the urban texture of Bangalore alongside the rural landscapes of Kerala, while Gopi Sundar composed the soundtrack, which featured popular tracks such as "Thudakkam Mangalyam," "Maangalyam," and "Ethu Kari Raavilum."

Release and reception

Released in 2014, Bangalore Days received widespread critical acclaim and emerged as a major commercial success in Kerala and overseas markets, particularly in the Gulf region. It performed strongly across multilingual audiences and ran for an extended theatrical run in several centres. Critics praised the ensemble performances, Anjali Menon's screenplay, the soundtrack, and the film's portrayal of contemporary urban Malayali youth.

Awards and recognition

The film won several honours at the Kerala State Film Awards and the Filmfare Awards South for that year, including recognition for Anjali Menon's writing and for performances by members of the cast. It was also screened at film festivals and is frequently cited in critical writing on the "New Generation" wave in Malayalam cinema.

Remakes and adaptations

The film was officially remade in Tamil as Bangalore Naatkal (2016), directed by Bhaskar and produced under the same production banner, with a partly new cast that included Arya, Bobby Simha, Sri Divya, Rana Daggubati, Parvathy Thiruvothu (reprising her role) and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.

Significance

Bangalore Days is regarded as a defining film of the Malayalam New Wave of the 2010s. It marked a high point in the careers of its principal actors—Dulquer Salmaan, Nivin Pauly, Nazriya Nazim, Fahadh Faasil, Parvathy Thiruvothu and Nithya Menen—and consolidated Anjali Menon's standing as one of the leading mainstream filmmakers in Malayalam cinema and among the few prominent women directors in the industry. The film is often cited for its sensitive treatment of marriage, disability, ambition, and the diasporic experience of young Malayalis in Indian metros.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack, composed by Gopi Sundar, was released by Satyam Audios and became commercially successful. Notable tracks include:

• "Thudakkam Mangalyam"
• "Maangalyam"
• "Ethu Kari Raavilum"
• "Njaanonnezhuthatte"
• "Ooty Pattanam"

Related topics

• Anjali Menon
• Malayalam cinema
• Dulquer Salmaan
• Nivin Pauly
• Nazriya Nazim
• Fahadh Faasil
• Parvathy Thiruvothu
• Nithya Menen
• Anwar Rasheed
• Bangalore Naatkal
• Malayalam New Wave

References

• Promotional and production material released by Anwar Rasheed Entertainment and Weekend Blockbusters.
• Contemporary reviews and reports in Indian film publications and newspapers covering Malayalam cinema in 2014.
• Records of the Kerala State Film Awards and Filmfare Awards South for the relevant year.