Prakashraj, who was being wasted in predictable and forgettable characters, had to direct Dhaya in order to get a role that did justice to his acting talent. Ranjith, who is rarely seen on the big screen these days, has followed in his footsteps with Bheeshmar, which he has written and directed, apart from playing the title character. It is a credible first effort and credit goes to Ranjith for not resorting to unnecessary elements like romance or a comedy track to try to make the movie more entertaining. But ultimately, the movie turns out to be too predictable and violent to make an impression.

Bheeshmar(Ranjith) is an honest, upright police officer who proves to be the odd man out in his department as he is surrounded by dishonest cops, the worst of which is his superior, the Assistant Commissioner. The AC is in cahoots with a longtime MP RK(Rami Reddy) and when Bheeshmar arrests RK's brother in a rape case, they begin to make his life hell. He refuses to give up the fight but his wife Gowri(Devayani) wishes he would give it all up so they could lead a peaceful life.

Though far apart in content, Bheeshmar is similar to Eera Nilam in that it meanders along for a really long time without a strong hook or story to catch our interest. Most of the entire first half is spent on Ranjith's encounters with local rowdies and the episodes in his police station. There is no real villain for Ranjith to focus on and we heave a sigh of relief when Rami Reddy makes an appearance. But the sequences in Ranjith's house when he and his daughter gang up against Devayani are sweet and provide some relief during these portions.

The movie offers nothing new in its depiction of the honest police officer fighting against all odds. Sequences like the corrupt officers at the station mistaking him to be a rowdy before realising the truth have been seen too many times to be funny or interesting. But inspite of the hero being a policeman, the movie equals Dhum in its rather poor depiction of the police force as a whole. Barring Ranjith, there is not a single good policeman in the movie and the actions of the Assistant Commissioner are really childish and disreputable.

Scenes of the beleaguered Ranjith trying to get his salary and buy some medicine for his daughter are touching. We genuinely feel sorry for him as he is sent from post to post and there is tension as he is chased by the hoodlums. These attest to the fact that he has created a three-dimensional character that affects us. As expected, the movie turns into a bloodbath towards the end. Both Ranjith's torture at the hands of the AC and RK and his killing spree on them are bloody and violent. But the movie throws in something to end on a pessimistic but realistic note.

Ranjith the actor scores the most points when compared to the other responsibilities he has taken on. The police uniform fits him nicely and he is believable when crying out at the injustice and corruption around him. His advice to the new policemen being trained, after he comes out of jail, is stinging and that piece of dialog brings out all the emotional pain he has undergone. Devayani is suitably subdued as the wife fearing for her family's life. Rami Reddy performs typical villainous acts but fails to make an impression.