Payasam: Bheebhatsa
Episode 4 of Navarasa begins in 1965 with a guy known simply as Subbu’s uncle heading down to the shore for a bath. He’s overshadowed by his nephew’s achievements and clearly envious. Despite being 77, he’s convinced that he can compete with Subbu, dut that’s obviously not true. The theme here is very clearly one of jealousy, as a wedding is on the verge of getting underway. Val sits with Subbu’s uncle and tries to encourage the guy to see sense, as he struggles to hold back tears. Loud music starts to echo through the air as this envious man makes a big decision and decides to show up at the wedding after all. After praying to Shiva, struggling not to complain, Subbu’s uncle does his best to put on a brave face. He tries to be polite but it’s clear his envy runs deep. In fact, the man actually sabotages the whole event in the end, heading away from the main festivities and tipping over a boiling hot vessel. Val looks at him with disgust, as it becomes clear that she’s lost her faith in him.
The Episode Review
Navarasa’s latest episode bows out with a petty move from Subbu’s Uncle, one that reinforces the themes of envy and betrayal while failing to actually show any sort of character or depth. There’s just not a lot going on in this episode beyond the jovial celebrations and that makes for a tepid and indifferent watch. The episode does have a few nice inclusions though, with decent cinematography and a pretty simple plot to boot. When it comes to character however, this one fails to really stand out or portray anything that memorable.
