Aachar & Co
Introduction
It is still a Wednesday and my quest for good content continues! With that, I finished watching the new Kannada film Aachar & Co which is now streaming on Amazon Prime. After a massively successful 2022, this year hasn’t been the best for the Kannada film industry even in terms of its content(so far). But having said that, there is a certain level of sweetness in the industry that continues to churn out some extremely rooted and charming little gems. One of the reasons why I was looking forward to watching Aachar & Co was because it was directed by Sindhu Sreenivasa whom I had spotted as an actor in one of my favourite Telugu films of 2021, Cinema Bandi. And there is an additional element of empathy that a film with a woman gaze brings to the table. I hadn’t previously watched the trailer of Aachar & Co nor did I know what to expect, but my gut feeling was that this film will most definitely strike a chord with me. So then does Aachar & Co manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Aachar & Co follows the story of a traditional family who begin to evolve through the 1960s. This is a period drama and there is almost a sense of sweetness everytime when you are transported to the era when cell phones weren’t present or in this case even further back when a young nation was just about finding its feet. The story here is coated with saccharine while deftly touching upon the concepts of patriarchy and marriage while staying extremely rooted in its approach. The screenplay standing at a tender runtime of just about a 100 minutes makes for a fun watch wherein its style of narration reminded me of the Wes Anderson films which do have a certain flair with respect to the art design.
The drama does open with almost like a coordinated chant that introduces you to the Aachar family who are very traditional in their approach wherein the patriarch of the family does take most decisions for the family. Those were the days that birth control wasn’t taken seriously, and so we see that there are a bunch of children who are a part of the family. Like is the case always, the eldest son has to bear the brunt of the father more often than not while the viewers are acquainted with the intellect of the family. You can almost make out the care-free approach atleast of the girls who are just engrained to get married even if they haven’t studied enough. The eldest daughter does meet with this challenge of finding a job soon after her father passes away and her eldest brother shifts bases, and when the family begins to feel the pinch of surviving without their patriarchy.
The proceedings are wonderfully engrossing with a flair for humour and its art design that is always lingering in some frame or the other especially while showcasing the shift of years. It was the most beautiful feeling witnessing a small little film showing the flair of a Wes Anderson film and I couldn’t be prouder! But what the moving screenplay also does is focus on the character of the eldest daughter and the kind of maturity that she inculcates over time while dealing with her own set of vulnerabilities. Yes, she finds a hard time finding a job and she is considered far too ‘old’ to get married while her siblings start to take the marital plunge, but it doesn’t deter her from supporting her family over the years. This can also be attributed to a bit of self discovery and independence given how she starts her own business on a small scale to begin with. This also showcases the shifting mindset of the country and the city who slowly started tilting towards matriarchy even though it ain’t quite a reality even today, unfortunately!
Along the way, the film also touches upon some vital concepts of marital issues ranging from having the right to move away from it, if it gets toxic or abusive to simply communicating with your partner your expectations from the marriage. The writing is progressive and constantly on the move while staying true to the tonality of the drama. While it is predictable and to an extent niche, it will most definitely put a smile on your face while embracing you with a warm fuzzy feeling. Overall, the screenplay is smartly written and makes for a wonderful watch.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are playful yet very insightful with their storytelling. The music is wonderful and blends beautifully with the vibe of the drama. The BGM also enhances the drama at multiple junctures. The cinematography is excellent with the use of some vibrant frames that enhance the viewing experience wonderfully so. The art design is perhaps the strongest element of the film showing a great amount of flair for the aesthetically matching ambience in the drama. The editing is sharp and crisp as well. Director Sindhu Sreenivasa does a wonderful job in her debut outing. Her ability to weave some poignant situations with a hint of humour was fabulous to witness. And this piece of direction would make Wes Anderson proud! It was a debut to savour and cherish!
Performances
The performances are very impressive here. Vamsidhar Bhogaraju as Sudheendra has his moments to shine as does Nisha Hegde as Rukmini. Mandara Battalahalli as Sheela is wonderful to watch as is Sudha Belwadi as Savithri. Kirana Varshini as Leela and Keerti Varshini as Gowri are excellent in their respective roles. Trishara as Uma is wonderfully restrained in a commendeble act. Anirudh Acharya as Jaggu has an impeccable sense of comic timing and he scores beautifully so. Harshil Koushik as Raghunath is first rate adding a sense of dignity to his performance. Sindhu Sreenivasa doubling up as an actor too, as Suma shows exemplary levels of maturity in a character that has a terrific character arc. She takes you on a roller coaster of emotions wherein you are always invested in her character.
Conclusion
Aachar & Co is a charming little gem on the life from the 60s that makes for a poignant and a fascinating watch. I am going with an additional half star for the attempt at making a ‘Wes Anderson-esque’ style of drama. Available on Amazon Prime and Highly Recommended!
