Aarohanam - An Ode to Mother

[NOV]

I thot it was July release?
anyway, shades of vazhakku in the trailer...paarpOm

[Siv.S]

[Siv.S]

[Siv.S]

[balaajee]

anandha vikatan- 44 Marks

[mappi]

Aarohanam
Written & Directed by : Lakshmy Ramakrishnan
Produced by : A. V. Anoop

Starring :
Viji Chandrasekhar as Nirmala
Jayaprakash as MLA
Rajee Vijayasarathy as Aunty N°1
Uma Padmanabhan as Aunty N°2
Sampath as Psy Doc
Veeresh as Senthil
Jai Queheni as Selvi

Music by K

Before even you give a thought, get it straight that Aarohanam is a documentary type. As there are many new undefined genres floating around, I like to coin a genre for this picture "Filmocumenti" (sounds like Italian too). In the 80s - Mid 90s, there were 10 mins length "preachy" documentaries screened just before the main picture. Aarohanam comes under this category, except its runtime is 90 mins.

Two aunties while petering run down a lady, Nirmala. She is a mother of 2, Selvi and Senthil. She rises them all by herself by doing a variety of jobs including scavenging and provides them good food, education etc.., Her husband left her not tolerating her sudden change in her attitude. She gets angry, not always but she choses the moment to get angry. One night she goes missing, and thats the night of the day the 2 aunties ran her down. Senthil and his dad look for her in vain, after allowing us to take in all the family quarrels - past and present. To our suprise, Nirmala is unhurt in the accident (later the Psy Doc justifies it, don't worry). She is taken to Meridian hotel by the aunties, where she dances with the party goers (Dont even think to ask how is it possible for a unknown lady to dance in a high profile party that too in traditional dress/makeup). When the song ends, she gets mad. But luckily the psy doc is around, and takes her to his clinic. The family unite there and the Doc tells them that their mother is suffering from Bi-polar. All ends well, giving a lesson to the run away husband how big a women is Nirmala.
And during the end credits they show many historical characters who had Bi-polar. All were American or European, I wonder why they showed it to us ? And you will be disappointed if you are waiting to get a glimpse of Danush while end credits roll.

Firstly :
This film certainly had a big potential to give an interesting view of 2 different status women in the soceity. It started like that, but after 15 mins, the film concentrates on Nirmala and ends there. If it was about :- a Rich bachelor women & her struggle, a women married to a military man & her agony and finaly a not-so-rich women with mental disorder & her loneliness - fate brings them together and all the 3 realise the common thingy in them - Liberty. They use the night to unleash their freedom -:- it would have been an award winning materiel.

Secondly :
It could have been a mystery/suspence, if they did not show the initial accident. All could have been said as a revelation in the 2nd half. That could have atleast kept the viewers attentive. And rather than making her dance, the reunion of 3 women could have been more interesting.

Finally :
There is no contrast between the high style life and slums. They both look bright, clean and beautiful on screen. And Jayaprakash - why was he there as a MLA - just to say in the end that he enjoyed the party ! Sampath's mustach deserves a spl mention.

But in the given 90 mins, the creator does touch many social issues - and as a final touch creates an awareness for psy related problems and existing treatements.

For those who like to observe different camera angles, this film is to look out for.

[balaajee]

Aarohanam
Written & Directed by : Lakshmy Ramakrishnan
Produced by : A. V. Anoop

Starring :
Viji Chandrasekhar as Nirmala
Jayaprakash as MLA
Rajee Vijayasarathy as Aunty N°1
Uma Padmanabhan as Aunty N°2
Sampath as Psy Doc
Veeresh as Senthil
Jai Queheni as Selvi

Music by K

Before even you give a thought, get it straight that Aarohanam is a documentary type. As there are many new undefined genres floating around, I like to coin a genre for this picture "Filmocumenti" (sounds like Italian too). In the 80s - Mid 90s, there were 10 mins length "preachy" documentaries screened just before the main picture. Aarohanam comes under this category, except its runtime is 90 mins.

Two aunties while petering run down a lady, Nirmala. She is a mother of 2, Selvi and Senthil. She rises them all by herself by doing a variety of jobs including scavenging and provides them good food, education etc.., Her husband left her not tolerating her sudden change in her attitude. She gets angry, not always but she choses the moment to get angry. One night she goes missing, and thats the night of the day the 2 aunties ran her down. Senthil and his dad look for her in vain, after allowing us to take in all the family quarrels - past and present. To our suprise, Nirmala is unhurt in the accident (later the Psy Doc justifies it, don't worry). She is taken to Meridian hotel by the aunties, where she dances with the party goers (Dont even think to ask how is it possible for a unknown lady to dance in a high profile party that too in traditional dress/makeup). When the song ends, she gets mad. But luckily the psy doc is around, and takes her to his clinic. The family unite there and the Doc tells them that their mother is suffering from Bi-polar. All ends well, giving a lesson to the run away husband how big a women is Nirmala.
And during the end credits they show many historical characters who had Bi-polar. All were American or European, I wonder why they showed it to us ? And you will be disappointed if you are waiting to get a glimpse of Danush while end credits roll.

Firstly :
This film certainly had a big potential to give an interesting view of 2 different status women in the soceity. It started like that, but after 15 mins, the film concentrates on Nirmala and ends there. If it was about :- a Rich bachelor women & her struggle, a women married to a military man & her agony and finaly a not-so-rich women with mental disorder & her loneliness - fate brings them together and all the 3 realise the common thingy in them - Liberty. They use the night to unleash their freedom -:- it would have been an award winning materiel.

Secondly :
It could have been a mystery/suspence, if they did not show the initial accident. All could have been said as a revelation in the 2nd half. That could have atleast kept the viewers attentive. And rather than making her dance, the reunion of 3 women could have been more interesting.

Finally :
There is no contrast between the high style life and slums. They both look bright, clean and beautiful on screen. And Jayaprakash - why was he there as a MLA - just to say in the end that he enjoyed the party ! Sampath's mustach deserves a spl mention.

But in the given 90 mins, the creator does touch many social issues - and as a final touch creates an awareness for psy related problems and existing treatements.

For those who like to observe different camera angles, this film is to look out for.

I felt the same..

[NOV]

Finally managed to watch it... at just 1 hour 15 mins, its the shortest tamil film ever.
I expected a mother sentiment movie... nothing could be farther from this

More of 3 and ME... if you get what I mean.

What amazed me most was how the director moved from flashback to present and back again swiftly without the viewer losing track of the narration. shabash for that!

definitely one of the better movies of 2012.