Bro Binny
Directed by Nicholas Arnold Aska | Reviewed by Samiksha Periwal
Life is not always a straight road for everybody, there can be certain unexpected sharp turns, it is important to be careful while you take these turns and find your best way out of it. ‘Bro Binny’ is an inspirational, short film based on the life of the protagonist Binny Cameroon. His philosophy of life largely deals with innocence, childlike love for others and the need to help people out in their tough times; this is what he has learnt from the various hardships that have impacted him as a child. Binny enters medical school with this positive attitude and right away goes out to question Dean Michael’s unethical and somewhat evil ideas about being a doctor, taking him on singlehandedly. It is interesting to witness the story evolve from a harsh beginning to a more holistic end. The rest of it is for you to watch and get your humanitarian side motivated by the same.
The story begins on a depressing note with the demise of a young Binny’s parents, who is left all alone with an alcoholic man, who is apparently responsible for his upbringing. This rough start teaches him the lesson of perseverance and the need to value people around. He begins to work on himself, swears to be a better man in future and studies well to get into one of the best medicals schools in the country, McRoosters University. His early psychological and emotional maturation builds a strong system of values in him which crop up every time he witnesses something wrong. The inaugural ceremony of his college appears to be one such day where he picks up an argument with his dean just to stand by his ethics and propagate the importance of empathy in the medical profession. The message that this story tries to put across can be considered somewhat commonplace, however its manifestation in terms of positively dealing with every obstacle one after another and never losing hope in his own style is what stands out in the movie. Hardships are a part and parcel of every individual’s life yet the way to deal with it is different for different people and Binny’s way is surely one of the best.
The performance of the entire cast, especially Cameron Le Roy and Brandon Dulson who play young and adult Binny respectively is praiseworthy. In these kinds of movies, it is very essential to have actors who can feel the pain of the character and at the same time communicate it well to the audience to maintain a connect. Both the above-mentioned actors have successfully managed to do that. The cinematography and direction also fall in line perfectly with the underlying message of the film.
The storyline may seem Utopian in the sense that a person having such major childhood trauma in real life doesn’t usually get through it so easily, having a stable mental health with healthy coping mechanisms. However, this story is based on an actual person’s life and hence its essence remains throughout. While the shift in Binny’s character from a young teenager to an adult seems a little abrupt in the film, the ending makes up for it by showcasing life as a complete cycle for an individual like Binny, acting as a revelation for all.
‘Bro Binny’ is Nicholas Aska’s first film which is based on the life of his late brother Kamal Brenham Aska also known as Binny. This is the director’s way to pay homage to his brother and express his passion for filmmaking. This film has done exceptionally well getting acclaimed across several film festivals including Cannes World Film Festival, Chicago Cinema Awards, Swedish International Film Festival and so on. It is an extremely beautiful film in terms of the storyline, message and characterization. It can be considered as a commercially likeable movie which is sure to touch the hearts of many and inspire them to do good in life. It should definitely be added to your watchlist as soon as possible!
Samiksha Periwal is an 20 year old student from Kolkata, West Bengal. She is an enthusiast, eager to learn and explore. She has done her schooling from Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Kolkata and is currently a student of Christ University, Bangalore pursuing a triple major in BA Psychology, Sociology and English. She is a passionate writer and has won many laurels for her school through the years.
