My Dear Bootham

Fantasy movies are stress busters, and with all that glitter, they are a treat for the eyes. When I stumbled upon the poster with the genie at the center, I was in the mood to watch such a movie.

A kid faces a series of problems in life due to his stammering issues, and then lady luck smiles on him. He accidentally finds the king of all genies, Karkimuki, to help with his problems. The bond they create and what the genie wants in return is what the story is all about.

The story is meant for kids but is treated in such a way that even adults would enjoy it. It also touches upon parenting and the role of a teacher in a student's life. This is a good angle to explore in such movies, but it needs to be done subtly. That is where it goes wrong, especially with the teacher angle being too unrealistic and preachy. That's a minor glitch; otherwise, it is a fun movie where the genie does many fun things for kids.

Prabhu Deva as the genie is endearing, and you can't help but fall in love with him. Shakthi Ritvik does a decent job and plays the character with a speech issue to a great extent. However, he could have been replaced with any other child artist who might have done better. Ramya Nambeeshan is fine in her limited role.

The costume and makeup of the genie are done quite well, adding great value to the film. The VFX or CGI is of prime importance in these movies, but maybe due to a stringent budget, the work is highly shabby and can't be ignored. Even a person with limited knowledge can understand that what is shown on screen is fake. The fun song sequence featuring Prabhu Deva and Shakthi is pleasing to watch.

It could have been way better as the climax too is highly indigestible. It looks rushed and unnecessarily adds an emotional angle to the story. It turns out to be a merely average movie, but it would be fine to watch with a kid, as they may enjoy it. #pranureviews #MyDearBootham #MyDearBoothamReview.