Ammu review: A chilling account of a woman standing up to domestic violence

3/5

Story:

Ammu, the only daughter of her parents, is married to CI Ravindranath a.k.a Ravi, the son of her neighbours. Ammu and Ravi are convinced about starting a life together. All’s well in their marriage initially and they seem like a match made in heaven. It takes Ammu a stray incident to discover the demonic side of Ravi and all hell breaks loose. Ravi tortures her day in and day out and a disappointed Ammu blames herself for it, only until she decides to stand up for herself and teach her husband a lesson.

Review:

Ammu isn’t Amudha’s story alone but also of the many women who choose to remain silent sufferers in abusive marriages across the country. It’s hard to fault Ammu for her choice initially. Ravi is after all the son of her neighbours whom she has known for long and there’s no reason to say no to the alliance. However, do we really know our neighbours or the sons they raise? Ammu receives the shock of her life when Ravi beats her up for a trivial reason and realises this cycle isn’t ending anytime soon.

The essence of Ammu is summarised beautifully in a conversation between the titular character and her mother early on. When Ammu, in a temple, confesses that Ravi had slapped her once, the mother asks, ‘Did you do anything wrong?’ and the daughter responds, ‘Does that really matter? Does he deserve to slap even if I was wrong?’ After a brief exchange, the mother smiles and gathers the courage to say, ‘Do what feels right for you and choose yourself first. Those are the words my mother should’ve told me.’

Ammu is effective because the pivotal character doesn’t turn resilient overnight to end the abusive marriage. Despite the trauma that Ravi puts her through, she blames herself for the abuse. Ammu is a story of a woman coming to terms with herself, prioritising her safety first. The conflict is intriguing here as the man in her life is a cop, expected to safeguard the public but can’t even treat her wife as a human. It’s a man on the other side of the law who comes to Ammu’s rescue as she fights back.

While the first hour of the film establishes Ammu’s psychological condition in detail, the focus of the story later shifts to a criminal and how he gives a new direction to her life. Director Charukesh Sekar tells his story skillfully, keeps his world compact and succeeds in transitioning from a drama to a thriller in the second hour (there are a few jerks, of course). The film throws light on the various phases that a woman goes through in an abusive marriage and refuses to be simplistic.

As long as the film sticks to the story of Ammu and Ravi, it has terrific momentum. However, it’s with the dull, convenient characterisation of Prabhu, the criminal that the film is found to be wanting. Prabhu’s character aside, the director’s script has enough meat with several twists and turns, sustaining the viewer’s curiosity about Ammu’s plight. The screenplay is crisp, doesn’t overstate the obvious and still presents various perspectives of the same situation well.

A personal favourite in the film is the equation that Ammu and a beggar share at a railway station. It’s always easier for someone to discuss their problems with a stranger over a friend or an ally. With the beggar’s character, what Charukesh does is hold a mirror to Ammu’s psychological state in contrasting situations in the film. It’s not a new device really, but the director uses it smartly to present the evolution of the character.

If there’s something that Ammu could’ve done better, it’s with the use of music in driving the story forward. While the lyrics in most songs are praiseworthy, the tunes remain largely unmemorable and feel like an opportunity gone down the drain. The absence of a strong regional flavour affects the film considerably too. A better command over the backdrop could’ve lent more character to Maharanipalli and let the town be a mute witness to Ammu’s journey.

It’s also difficult to understand why there aren’t enough recognisable Telugu faces except for Naveen Chandra and a few supporting actors. If you look beyond this issue, it’s hard to not be moved by Naveen Chandra and Aishwarya Lekshmi’s performances. Aishwarya’s internalised portrayal of a woman stuck in an abusive marriage and her calm resilience are a true reflection of the progress she’s made as a performer. The silence between her dialogues and expressive body language haunt you long after the film.

Of course, Aishwarya’s performance is enhanced because of Naveen Chandra’s brilliance in the shoes of a toxic, mean husband. His chilling transformation from a caring man to an insensitive partner sends a shiver down your spine and even helps you overlook a few scripting issues. Ammu is another addition to a growing list of OTT projects in his career that unleashed the performer in him.

A flamboyant Bobby Simha deserves praise for picking a unique supporting role. If his character had matched his enthusiasm, the impact could’ve been more hard-hitting. Maala Parvathi, Raghu Babu, Prem Sagar, Subba Rao, Anjali Ameer, Sanjay Swaroop and Satya Krishnan make a mark. Padmavathi Malladi’s precise, introspective dialogues further the director’s vision.

It’s fantastic to see that the makers have walked the talk in empowering a woman’s voice with the presence of cinematographer Apoorva Shaligram and editor Radha Sridhar. This is a commendable debut for Charukesh Sekar, he’s largely in control of the proceedings and drives his message across without pushing it down your throat.

Verdict:

Ammu is an important and equally engaging story of a woman refusing to be a mute victim in a toxic marriage, taking the viewers through several stages of her mental trauma. The filmmaker Charukesh Sekar smartly packages the film in the garb of a thriller and still offers impactful insights. Naveen Chandra and Aishwarya Lekshmi’s solid performances add credibility to the result. Make time for Ammu this week.