Language : Kannada
Director : Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy
Writers : Kanan Gil, Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy
Cast : Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy, Vamsidhar Bhogaraju, Harshil Koushik, Anirudh Acharya, Jagadishwar Sukumar
Genre : Comedy | Drama | Coming of Age
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Aachar and Co comes as a breath of fresh air amongst the plethora of dark and bloody films, and that’s exactly why it feels like a warm hug that you receive when you’re least expecting it. Right from the excellent world building to the smooth story progressions, the film gets almost everything spot on. The tweaked Suprabata after the opening shot instantaneously draws you in and gives you an idea of what the makers have prepared for us. The quirk filled narration and semi satirical approach that takes constant digs at the patriarchal society keep the proceedings entertaining throughout, even when some really sad events occur at the Aachar household. I loved how the story seamlessly shifts from being an outsiders gaze of the family to the one about Suma and her evolution towards the latter half of the narrative. The inspired casting and the impeccable art work also play crucial roles in the success here. The latter coupled with the story telling style gives it a very Wes Andersonish touch.
While this said style works for the most part, I felt the emotional connect that you usually expect from such a premise was missing. We aren’t given enough insights about a few of the siblings, and after a point it just becomes Suma’s story, sidelining the others; for e.g. we don’t get to know anything about the younger daughter other than a few dialogues that indicate she embodies the cultural shift that was happening in the 70’s, and the same is true for the twins. The elder son is forgotten midway as well.
But none of these are deal breakers in any way and I think once you buy into the tone of the film, it’s sure to be a fulfilling watch that boasts of a lot of heart. This is a solid debut by Sindhu Sreenivasa and I’m eagerly looking forward to her next ventures. Aachar and Co is proof to the discourse that we need more female writers and directors in our industries, their perspectives are distinct and film-making, competent.
Verdict: 5/7 Stars.
Excellent.
