Death is a great teacher of life, in fact. Perhaps it is the passing of life that teaches us to be kind and that the greatest loss is what passes away while we are still living. Often times, nurtured distinctions, hubris, and prejudice defeat humanity's fundamental value of empathy and compassion. And the only way for us to learn the worth of life and understand that we are all just a mote of dust in the cosmos is via the merciless death of our loved ones. And Sasi Kumar's poignant drama Ayothi serves as a warning against losing our bearings and failing to transcend the artificial scourge that goes by the titles of religion, caste, creed, and race.
I was first sceptical about it, like many of them,Given that the title refers to the city of Ayodhya, which has a history of a political and socio-religious conflict over a plot of land, I was unsure if it was a political movie. Despite the fact that the movie starts with montage views of Ayodhya town, it quickly becomes clear that the movie is trying to portray a different message about life, death, and everything in between.
Ayodhya's chauvinistic patriarch Balram (Yashpal), together with his wife Janaki, daughter Shivani (Preethi), and baby son, plan to make the pilgrimage to Rameshwaram.
Balram misbehaves with the driver throughout the trip from Madurai to Rameshwaram, which results in an argument. Janaki perishes in the automobile accident caused by the driver losing control.
Sasikumar and Pugazh's characters, who represent the driver's buddies, resolve to assist the family in getting the body to where it belongs after learning the news. The movie follows a number of heart-wrenching daily incidents.
Based on actual events, the writer-director has chosen an unusual path to make his directorial debut. There is no big action sequence, no laugh-out-loud comedy, and no confusing love story.
One of the most notable characteristics of the movie is that the Hindi-speaking characters stay in their own tongue throughout the entire thing without than switching to Tamil or an overlaid Tamil dub. That assisted in keeping the movie grounded and emotionally authentic.
Despite the film's inspiring narrative, the experience is diminished because itsthe increasing melodrama in several scenes. For example, as the body is hauled out of the mortuary, the prolonged images of the children sobbing, the intermittent cuts to the dead body, and the melancholy background soundtrack struck out as being particularly oppressive.
As viewers are warming up to the notion of realistic film, the traditional method of forcing emotionally intense scenes might rob viewers of the chance to experience them naturally on their own. Similarly, Balram's character's treatment of his wife, callous disregard for his children's feelings, and holding onto rituals and beliefs without even expressing sorrow at the loss of his wife enrage, yet his excessively violent demeanour comes off as somewhat caricature-like.
With his compelling performance, seasoned actor Yashpal, however, fully fulfils the character.Preethi, a newcomer, who portrays the shy and innocent Shivani throughout the movie, has a confident role in the pre-climax that allows her to showcase her acting talent. The primary conflict of the movie is revealed when she snaps at her cruel father and makes him realise that he did not let her mother to live in peace but yet continues to observe traditions to allow her to rest in peace. And Sasikumar doesn't have any superfluous heroic moments, save from his choppy opening battle scene. The actor performs the character with ease and gives us the impression that he is one of us. Pugazh, a comedian, successfully breaks free of his stereotype.
The ultimate disclosure and various responses in Ayothi's storyline are among the predictable components thatYet, it might be disregarded because the writing shows sincere efforts. Despite the fact that it is an emotional drama, the writer has skillfully woven in some difficult situations to provide a satisfying experience. It is certainly a relief to witness a movie that, for the most part, stays loyal to its vision. The amateurish Singing and dance routine performed at the police station by a group of small-time criminals, however, is wholly inappropriate.
If only Ayothi had been handled with more dexterity and freshness, she may have had a more lasting effect. Even the cliched musical genre and the songs lacked nuance, which contributed to the unpleasant atmosphere. Using the idea of dying, Ayothi speaks on brotherhood, the importance of family, and demonstrates that love has no bounds.
