SendhilRamamurthy.net sees Brahmin Bulls!

This past weekend I had the opportunity to see Brahmin Bulls at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival with a complimentary pass from Sendhil. As a long time biased Sendhil fan and owner of this website, I can honestly tell you that Brahmin Bulls is truly Sendhil’s finest work to date. I am so thrilled to announce that the film will be showing in 20 cities nationwide on November 14th and will be released on Video on Demand in early 2015.

I’ve known about this project for several years and was able to speak to Sendhil a few times about the project, as well as his involvement in it. Every conversation and interview heightened my excitement, especially when I heard comments such as “Sid is the most fully formed of all the roles I have played” from Sendhil and “This is a great role for Sendhil” from the film’s director Mahesh Pailoor.

None of these observations could have prepared me for the exceptionally powerful performances by Sendhil as Sid Sharma, Roshan Seth as Sid’s father Ashok Sharma, and supporting performances by Cassidy Freeman and Mary Steenburgen.

At the heart of this film are two parallel storylines of Sid and Ashok that intersect several times through the tale of an estranged family, disappointment and regret, and finally acceptance with the promise of moving forward.

I won’t spoil this film since many have yet to see it, but the depth of Sid’s depression and the rut he’s been in for so long is seen most potently in silent scenes of Sid alone. These dialogue-free scenes show a side of Sendhil that viewers have not previously seen in his work. Sid Sharma is a man who is deeply stuck, intensely unhappy, and a bit lost and in those moments of stillness, the audience can see all of the heartbreak, all of the disappointment, and all of Sid’s regrets through a silent performance in Sendhil’s eyes.

On the other hand, Roshan Seth’s Ashok Sharma at first seems like a standard film widow. A man who is seemingly ambivalent with his work and his loneliness at home almost painful to watch as his duty of watering the plants plays out in the silent house he lives in. But when Ashok’s story plays out over the course of the film, there is hope, desire for connections and a sweet love story (with a cat… long story).

When the two characters are together, years of history and miscommunication, of disappointment and missed opportunities, come to the surface as Sid and Ashok find their way around each other again.

I implore you to see this film if it plays in your city (and we will let you know where it will be released when we are able) and to watch it when it’s released on VOD next year.

– Jenn

ps – Thank you, Sendhil!