Movie Review : Anjaamai
Arundhavam , the son of a flower agriculturist in Dindigul area, comes first in the district. He aspires to be a doctor. His parents ( Vidaarth and Vani Bhojan) are thrilled.
A big college owner wants him to join his college but Sarkar ( Vidaart) his father refuses, as his son prefers to study locally. Despite not having the means for the costly studies, he sells his land and puts his son in a costly Neet coaching centre to let him prepare for the Neet exam.
But things get more difficult. To their utter shock ,after filling the online forms for a TN exam centre, they find that the exam centre allotted to them is all the way in Jaipur, which they have to reach in 3 days.
After an extremely tough train journey in an over ocuppied coach, and after train delays, with no sleep and proper food, the duo land in Jaipur. To their dismay, they find they are only 5 minutes away from closing time at the exam centre.
Somehow they manage to get in but all the stress proves too much for Sarkar and he has a heart attack on the road, while going to search for food for his son.
The shock of Sarkar's death has a strong impact on the family, especially Arundhavam. He goes to the local police station with a gun, in order to force them to file an FIR againt the government and all those who led to his father's death.
A good cop, Manickam ( Rahman) is moved by his story and decides to give up his uniform and fight the case in court, seeking action and justice for Arundhavam and all students who suffered in a similar situation.
What happens next? Do the students get justice?
The film attempts to highlight the tough situations faced by the TN students who attempt the Neet medical exam.
The movie takes you through the life and journey of one student, and his family, thereby giving you peek and an emotional connect into their lives, aspirations and sacrifices for education of their child.
With the introduction of the court case angle, the movie brings out well, one by one the points that deter students and lower their morale while writing the exam. The introduction of various officials and goverenment employees and even a minister, explaining in court, is well used mechanism in the screenplay, to highlight the director's vision and drives home to points effectively to the viewer.
While there is emotion, there is no melodrama, which works well for the film. The portions in the village, the train journey, in Jaipur and in the court, are well concieved and executed to create maximum impact of the story.
The film is held together by rock solid performances by everyone. Vidaarth as Sarkar is just brilliant, with his nuanced and extremely subtle yet highly moving and impactful performance. The scenes in the train and in Jaipur are superb. One wishes for more such meaty roles and performances for this fine actor.
Vani Bhojan delivers as superb, natural and realistic and mature act as the strict yet loving mother and the devastated wife who loses her living husband. An impressive performance indeed.
Rahman as Manickam is a rock solid pillar at the centre of it all. The way he performs, e with a finely nuanced display of integrity, emotional connect with his case and quiet confidence, in the court scenes, add value to the film and the cause it espouses.
On the flip side, the climax may not exactly offer closure to many.
But overall with its realistic performances, racy screenplay, non-linear narration, and detailing the points it seeks to highlighting in an engaging manner, the film keeps you glued to the screen till the end.
Rating 3/5
*DREAM WARRIOR PICTURES PRESENTS ANJAAMAI*
*ARTIST CHARACTER NAME LIST*
* Vidaarth – Sarkar
* Vani Bhojan – Sarasu
* Rahman – Manickam
* Krithik Mohan – Arunthavam
* Vijay Tv Ramar - Adhisayam
* Dhanya - Adhira
*TECHNICIANS LIST*
Presented by: Dream Warrior Pictures
Production: Thiruchithram
Created & Produced: Dr. M. Thirunavukarasu MD
Written and Directed by: SP Subburaman
Cinematography: Karthick
Music: Raghav Prasad
Trailer & Background Music Score: KalaCharan
Lyrics: Arivumathi, Karthik Netha, SP Subburaman
Editor : Ramsudharsan
Art: GC Anandhan
Costume Designer: Siva Balan
Choreography: Deena
Costumes : Amal Raj
Sound Design : T. Udhayakumar ( Knack Studios)
Makeup : Chandru
VFX & Di : Bee Studios, Aksha Studios
Project Designer : Kamalakumar
PRO : Johnson