Dulquer Salmaan is celebrating his 36th birthday today. (Photo: Instagram/Nivin Pauly)As the catchy song “Mangalyam” from Bangalore Days begins to play, Dulquer Salmaan’s Arjun walks up to his cousin’s house, dressed in a rather dishevelled manner as compared to Nivin Pauly’s Krishnan. But he’s already got your attention, with his unkempt hair, faded t-shirt and jeans. Nobody else is looking pleased to see him, except for Krishnan and Divya (Nazriya Nazim). But he doesn’t really care for anyone else at this point. He’s just here to celebrate his cousin’s wedding. There is an understanding smile, exchange of warm hugs and “Mangalyam” begins. The song ends on a high, while Aju looks around for Divya, who has been dragged off by her family for enjoying herself a little too much at her own wedding celebration. “Mangalyam” sets the tone for Bangalore Days, a wholesome film with pangs of bittersweet. And, it is probably one of the most real films in Dulquer’s career.
In an ensemble cast, Anjali Menon got each actor to stand out with their storylines, and none was overshadowed by the other. The film tells the story of three cousins who end up in Bangalore, each with a different baggage of their own. Aju is a free-spirited bike mechanic, while Divya, or Konju as she is called, is in a non-reciprocative marriage with Das (a brilliant Fahadh Faasil), and Krishnan is struggling with heartbreak, among other things. With the warmth of familial love at the centre, the story follows the three cousins as they overcome their hurdles together in Bangalore.
Dulquer Salmaan had already proven his mettle prior to Bangalore Days and today he’s one of the biggest stars—but yet, there is something entirely memorable and winsome about his turn as Aju in Anjali Menon’s film. For starters, the film was so entirely relatable and real, spinning gold from the ordinary lives of three people. Keeping with the nuance and subtlety in the film, Dulquer gave a raw and real performance of a carefree man with his own set of issues, but is determined to make it on his own without anyone else’s help. While his love for his cousins and determination to save Divya’s marriage is touching, it’s also his love story with Sarah (Parvathy), a paraplegic, that’s earnest and moving. Bangalore Days showcased Dulquer’s capabilities as an actor. It didn’t just relegate him to just one slotted role of a lover or a cousin, but fleshed him out thoroughly.
Dulquer has a delightful winsomeness when it comes to romantic roles, and only a handful of directors are able to tap into that. He doesn’t need to engage in profound declarations of everlasting love or be over-dramatic, his body language and eyes are enough to say what he wants—just like he did in Bangalore Days and later in OK Kanmani.
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