Bethlehem Kudumba Unit Review: Nivin Pauly, Mamitha Baiju Light Up Girish AD's Breezy Age-Gap Romance

When one thinks of Nivin Pauly and romance, one immediately thinks of his 2015 coming-of-age romantic cult classic, Premam. However, with director Girish AD's Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, the Malayalam star returns to a more understated kind of romance - one that's rooted in everyday relationships, family dynamics and the small moments that make love vulnerable and believable.

What makes Girish AD films stand out is how he takes familiar genres and situations and puts regular, flawed and yet recognisable characters in them. The director is drawn to slice-of-life stories and Bethlehem Kudumba Unit is no different, finding humour and warmth - along with their quirks and complexities - in ordinary people.

In Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, the story begins in Mundakayam (Kerala) where Ashley (Mamitha Baiju) lives with her family. Her parents' sudden decision to shift to Ernakulam means she has to say goodbye not just to her college friends and music band but also her old textbooks, cassettes and other knickknacks she has held on to since childhood.

Carrying her cherished memories, she moves to Ernakulam with a heavy heart and no matter what, doesn't seem to find real joy in anything. But her neighbours - she soon finds out - are very interesting people. While in the opposite house, the three Morelli sisters keep the surroundings lively, next door it is brothers Justin (Nivin Pauly) and Joel (Sangeeth Pratap) who make the area more happening.

It's when her laptop conks off that she gets a formal introduction to Justin who is in his mid-30s and yet single. College-going Ashley is intrigued by singleton Justin and it's through awkward conversations that an unlikely romance takes shape between two people with a significant age gap. But do Justin and Ashley get their happily-ever-after despite social norms and societal pressures? The film explores this question without turning their romance into a conventional love story nor making it a mockery of their age gap.

Director Girish AD has chosen to explore romance through the lens of an age gap, a much-needed subject in an industry that often limits romantic relationships to conventional pairings. He doesn't rush into telling us a story of a great cinematic romance but unpeels it layer by layer through the couple's awkward encounters and small moments in their daily lives as neighbours. The two main characters are never shown to desperately try to prove themselves because of their age gap and that's a big relief for the audience.

The director is most comfortable in the details and every character in the various families, friends and neighbourhood is highly relatable and takes the story forward. Most of these characters have eccentricities that are touched upon making them more endearing while adding humour to the film. He has also etched out the character arcs of Justin and Ashley beautifully, giving both characters enough depth while they navigate their own feelings. In fact, Girish AD has created a small social world for the audience using these various characters making us feel as though we are inhabiting it rather than simply watching a story unfold on screen. And that's what makes this film a delight to watch.

Nivin Pauly as Justin is remarkable because he encapsulates the character's vulnerability, charm and awkwardness effortlessly. Justin isn't perfect either - for instance, Justin loves his drink and enjoys hanging out with friends his age at the bar whenever he gets the chance. And it's in moments like these that Nivin brings out Justin's easy-going nature along with possibly conveying his loneliness which he covers with a happy-go-lucky exterior. The Malayalam actor has a flair for natural comic timing and in Bethlehem Kudumba Unit he aces it.

What makes the entire relationship work is the charming on-screen chemistry between him and Mamitha Baiju - and this is one of the biggest strengths of the film. Interestingly, this is the second film of Mamitha Baiju's in recent weeks where we see the actor romancing a middle-aged man (the other being Vishwanath & Sons). The young actress proves yet again why she has struck a chord with audiences. She is a natural performer, bringing an effortless ease and spontaneity to her role which is what makes the relationship believable. The supporting cast deserves credit for this film as well as each of them have elevated the film with their presence.

There is a warmth that runs through Bethlehem Kudumba Unit and it embraces you completely. Director Girish AD has shown us once again how ordinary people can be so interesting and live such rich lives filled with love, friendship, flaws and little joys. And Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju make us believe that romance doesn't always have to conform to convention - it's just about two people who love each other.

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