Arun D Jose’s Bromance delivers an energetic mix of comedy and utter mayhem, clearly aimed at Gen Z. And you know what? It mostly works. Sure, the first hour fumbles with some jokes that don’t quite land, and the writing has its fair share of inconsistencies. But once the second half kicks in, the film fully embraces its own madness in the best way possible.
At its core, the story follows Binto and Shinto, two brothers who get tangled in a series of absurd misadventures. Binto (Mathew Thomas) is your typical Gen Z chaos machine—lazy, perpetually annoyed, and obsessed with making viral reels under a pseudonym. His entire existence seems to revolve around chasing internet clout.
On the other hand, Shinto (Shyam Mohan) is a seemingly responsible millennial working as a stock market expert and supporting Binto financially. Binto despises the comparisons to his brother but, deep down, still loves Shinto.
The madness starts when Binto heads to a New Year’s Eve party in Coorg, only to land in trouble after slapping a local guy in the middle of a chaotic fight. Meanwhile, back in Kochi, Shinto mysteriously goes missing. Enter Shabeer (Arjun Ashokan), Shinto’s friend, who informs Binto about the disappearance. The reluctant younger brother is forced to trade his reels for real-world responsibility as he embarks on an unpredictable search.
Mathew Thomas’ performance as Binto comes off as shaky, relying heavily on loudness rather than nuance. Though his character’s arc improves in the latter half, the performance leaves a lot to be desired. Shyam Mohan as the responsible-yet-flawed Shinto delivers a decent performance, but it reminds you heavily of his performance from Premalu. Arjun Ashokan’s Shabeer truly comes alive in the second hour, especially once the gang crashes a wedding and things spiral into delightful chaos.
That said, his performance does echo his Romancham role, making it feel a bit repetitive. The humour surrounding the investigation of Shinto’s whereabouts takes unexpected turns, including an awkward but hilarious meeting with his ex, Aishu (Mahima Nambiar).
The makers wisely incorporate Mahima’s real-life Kasaragod slang in a couple of key moments, both of which had the audience in splits. More importantly, Aishu isn’t just a token female presence intended solely as an eye candy or a stock love interest—she holds her own amidst this gang of men.
But let’s be real—the biggest scene-stealer in Bromance is Sangeeth Prathap as Hariharasudhan, an outward theist hacker tasked with tracking Shinto’s whereabouts. If Gen Z were to describe his performance, they’d say, “He ate and left no crumbs.” Essentially as Amal Davis 2.0 from Premalu, the actor’s deadpan delivery and impeccable comic timing make him a delight to watch.
The contrast between Hariharasudhan’s extreme theism and Binto’s lack of belief results in some of the best comedic moments in the film. As the search intensifies, the gang crosses paths with Courier Babu (Kalabhavan Shajohn), a local thug with a goofy yet menacing presence.
Turns out, Shinto owes him money, and if they don’t pay up, things will get ugly. The latter half takes the gang on an even wilder ride, leading them to a wedding, a hot-headed brother of the bride, and a Priyadarshan-esque comedy of errors. The film embraces its over-the-top energy here, delivering some of its best humour and action. There’s even a cheeky nod to Arjun Reddy that lands perfectly.
From a technical standpoint, Akhil George’s cinematography is a major plus, capturing Bromance’s youthful vibrancy with a well-thought-out colour palette. The editing by Chaman Chakko ensures that even when the story wobbles, the pace doesn’t.
Govind Vasantha’s background score is good but often way too loud, almost yelling at the audience instead of enhancing the moment. Ultimately, this is the kind of film best enjoyed with your close pals in a packed theatre as a no-brainer. Is it flawless? Nope. Is it fun? Absolutely.