Review Overview
Performances
Plot & Narration
Music
Ammani is a pleasant surprise. Do watch it with your loved ones.
Like Kaaka Muttai, Kuttram Kadithal, Visaaranai and Kuttrame Thandanai, Ammani is another little gem from Tamil cinema. It deserves a fair run.
Cast: Subbulakshmi, Lakshmy Ramakrishnan, Nitin Sathya, Robo Shankar, Sri Balaji & others
Cinematography: Imran Ahmedh
Music: K
Editing: Rejith
Art Director: AS Raja
Written & Directed by: Lakshmy Ramakrishnan
Produced by: Tag entertainment
Release Date: 14-10-2016
Run Time: 01:32:00
Lakshmy Ramakrishnan is an actress of note as we all know. She also ventures into the direction space, every now and then. Ammani is her 3rd film as the ‘captain of the ship’, and she has also enacted a key role in the film. The film is inspired by one of the episodes from her popular TV show, which addresses societal issues.
Very rarely do we get to see a 80 year old woman as the pivotal character in a film. In Ammani, octogenarian Subbulakshmi has played the titular role of a freespirited ragpicker who leads an independent life after being abandoned by her family. She goes around spreading positive vibes and believes in sharing whatever little she has. Lakshmy Ramakrishnan plays Saalamma (Ammani’s neighbor), a cleaner in a government hospital, who is on the verge of retirement. She has a large dysfunctional family as her two sons (and their respective wives) aren’t on good terms and one of them also suffers from alcoholism. Saalamma finds it increasingly tough to handle her family issues. Post retirement, what’s the path she takes and how Ammani influences her ideologies? Watch the film to find out.
Lakshmy Ramakrishnan deserves a round of applause for handling the direction duties as well as playing a demanding role with distinction. She also pulls off the Madras dialect fairly well. She has given us a bird’s eye view of a lower class household residing in the slums nearby a railway track. The desperate thirst for money which is prevalent in the lower strata of society has been portrayed very well by Lakshmy.
After Kaaka Muttai, Ammani is another film which has gotten its visual authenticity and nativity right. Kudos to cinematographer Imran for this output. Most of the indoor action happens in small, restricted spaces but Imran has delivered good visuals.
K is another pillar of the film with his lovely melody montages and engaging re-recording. The classical flavored title song, sung by Vaikom Vijayalakshmi, is particularly delightful. K continues to impress with his unique music and after Aandavan Kattalai, this is another fruitful outing for him.
Among the other performers, Nithin Sathya is typically energetic while George Mariyan lends some lighthearted moments to the film. Subbulakshmi shows remarkable energy and charm for her age. The other actors are mostly newcomers and do their parts fairly well. The run time of the film is just over 90 mins and the film is devoid of commercial compromises and other needless moments. Even the jolly death song featuring Robo Shankar has some relevance to the film’s theme.
Like Kaaka Muttai, Kuttram Kadithal, Visaaranai and Kuttrame Thandanai, Ammani is another little gem from Tamil cinema. It deserves a fair run.
Ammani Movie Review Rating: 3.5/5
Written by Kaushik LM