AMMAVIN KAIPESI – REVIEW
Director : Thangar Bachchan
Music : Rohit Kulkarni
Cast : Shanthanoo, Inaya, Thangar
'Ammavin Kaipesi' was an eagerly awaited film of Shanthnu who has yet to strike it big in Kollywood. The film was touted as a realistic take on the lives of sons and mothers seen through a series of incidents in their lives.
Thangar Bachan who had done some good films is back after a long break. The film in his typical style is an emotional tear jerker like a 70-80’s glycerine drama. Here the story is engaging but is stretched to 153 minutes with too much melodrama.
The story is told in flashback with Prasad (Thangar Bachan) a poor worker for a quarry owner, coming into a bagful of money. This is rejected by his wife (Meenal) who suspects foul means in play. She pleads with him to return the money and so begins his journey of redemption told through a flashback.
It is Annamalai (Shanthnoo) who is the hero of the film, who has to leave home after being accused of stealing. So who is this Annamalai? The story takes us into his flashback. He apparently was from a good home, the pet of his mother Ranganayaki ( Revathi) and a wastrel who is not looked upon too kindly by his 8 siblings. But he is in love with Selvi( Iniya) his uncle’s daughter and the duo are slated to marry once he makes it in life.
He finds a job as a quarry worker where he finds the owner is getting swindled by his own employees. Meanwhile back home his mother is on the verge of losing her house. Can he save his beloved mother?
However, on the downside, there are definite lags in the screenplay and film drags big time. The movement of characters is slow at many places and this slow pace tries your patience at times.
Also, the very fact that the some foul play has happened is revealed close to the beginning itself and this dampens any suspense left about Shanthnu’s fate. The song filmed on Thangar and his ‘wife’ Meenal is a torture.
Shanthnoo as Annamalai is a revelation , he was always portrayed as a urban boy and here he has done away with some of his mannerisms and proved his acting capabilities. Inaya has hardly anything to do. Thangar as Prasad raises a few laughs.
On the whole 'Ammavin Kaipesi' is strictly for those who like old fashioned long winded sentimental melodrama.
