Summer in Bethlehem

Cast: Suresh Gopi, Jayaram, Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Mayoori
Language: Malayalam
Banner: Kokers Films
Director: Sibi Malayil
Producer: Siyad Koker
Camera: Anandakuttan
Story: Ranjith
Screenplay: Ranjith
Dialogue: Ranjith
Lyrics: Gireesh Puthenchery
Music: Vidyasagar
Distribution: Kokers Release
Year: 1998

Jayaram, failed businessman, is living off his friend, Suresh Gopi's generosity at his stud farm, Bethlehem. He had invested his uncle's money as capital in another stud farm nearby, but the business was a failure from the beginning. Jayaram's uncle arrives with his wife and four nieces for the summer at the stud farm, and wants him to marry one of the nieces. This is an essential clause in his will in order for him to inherit the uncle's property. Jayaram discovers that one of the nieces is in love with him, but reluctant to reveal herself. Manju is an adopted niece, who also arrives at the farm from Bangalore. She seems unusually depressed. Jayaram suspects her of being his secret damirer, but she makes it clear to him early in the movie that she isn't the one.

Suresh Gopi falls in love with Manju, but she is unwilling to marry him. Her depression stems from the fact that her erstwhile boyfriend, Niranjan, played by Mohanlal, a communist activist, is jailed and sentenced to death for murder. Ever the gentleman, Suresh Gopi takes her to Bangalore to visit Niranjan in jail. He tells them he has seen the error of his ways and encourages the two to marry each other.

A movie noted for a couple of songs and for the colour and gaity of its production, but nothing much else. One good piece of acting from Manju is when she suddenly changes from a light-hearted mood to a depressed one. One could see the changes in expression moving slowly from laughter to self-pity. That said, see this movie only for its advertisement-like colour and tone, influenced, no doubt, by the several product endorsements it makes overtly.

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