Ayothi: Sasikumar's THIS special gesture for his team wins hearts of fans

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Sasikumar's latest outing Ayothi, a sleeper hit. The action drama, helmed by debutant R Manthira Moorthy, stars Sasikumar, Preethu Asrani, Yashpal Sharma and Pugazh. The film is an emotional drama that delves into how human society is divided in many forms, be it in the name of caste, creed, religion, language and culture. How hate is manufactured in these names also becomes a pivotal part of the plot. The film, which claims to be inspired by true events, talks about human beings going any length to protect their caste and religion, without a care about other people.

The plot revolves around a family from Ayodhya that goes on a spiritual trip to Rameshwaram. The patriarch of the family is played by Yashpal Sharma, who is a misogynist and treats his wife badly. However, their lives changed forever after the car they travel in meets with an accident.

Sasikumar plays the protagonist who steps in during the time of needs and fights against the chauvinist attitude, casteism, religious fanaticism, superstition et al. While Sasikumar has scored brownie points for his subtle acting, comedian Pughazh has tested waters in a serious role, too, which has won the hearts of many. The film marks the comeback of Hindi actor Yashpal Sharma in Tamil. The last time he was seen in Tamil was in Kamal Haasan's Aalavandhan.

Music for the film is by NR Raghunathan, editing by San Lokesh and cinematography by Madhesh Manickam. The film hit screens on March 3 and opened to positive reviews from critics and audience alike. Meanwhile the digital rights of the film have been acquired by ZEE5 and the film is all set to drop on the platform on March 31, along with Jayam Ravi's Agilan, which met with a lukewarm response at the box office.