OTTplay Awards 2023: Aishwarya Lekshmi wins Best Actor Female for Ammu

Actors Aishwarya Lekshmi won the 'Best Actor Female Film - Popular Choice' prize at the OTTplay Awards for 2023, which were announced on Sunday. 

At a star-studded event, the emerging talent of Indian cinema was honoured with one of the top awards of the evening. 

Aishwarya Lekshmi won the award for her portrayal of the titular role in Ammu. The 2022 family drama portrays the life of a newlywed woman named Amudha, also known as Ammu. The storyline delves into her initially ideal marriage to Ravi, a police officer played by Naveen Chandra. However, the film takes a darker turn as Ravi's abusive nature emerges, leading to domestic violence against his wife.

"I would like to thank Amazon Prime first. They were ready to produce the film, which was a very important film for me. Not just because I got to play Ammu, who was a victim of domestic abuse. But, it was also a very, very sensitive take on the subject. And I am grateful that I could be here, representing the film. I am thankful to have gotten the opportunity to play Ammu and to work with (director) Charukesh Sekar," she said in her victory speech.

Ammu's character evolves as she initially lets Ravi off the hook for his violent outbursts, only to be later trapped in a cycle of deception and physical abuse. Aishwarya Lekshmi's compelling performance effectively captures the plight of a domestic abuse survivor.

"After Ammu, a lot of women, who were enduring abuse, going through cycles of trauma, wanting to come out of marriage but couldn't, come to meet me. This one lady who came to my door and cried to me and spoke to me. Her name is Sreelakshmi. I would like to dedicate this award to her and all of you actors here right now," she added.

Danube OTTplay Awards 2023 was co-presented by Dabur Chyawanprash and driven by Volkswagen, with Colors Infinity being the telecast partner.