Tamil movies stick to rules and conventions quite rigidly and the hero and the heroine are usually the
characters governed by the strictest of these rules. Any movie that dares to veer away from the usual
and break atleast some of these rules is welcome and Ammuvaagiya Naan is one such film. And its
two newcomers who are responsible for the film's success. Its debutant director Padma Magan has chosen
an unusual subject and created some interesting characters while new face Bharathi presents the
all-important heroine's character with a maturity not usually seen in new actresses.
Gaurishankar(Parthiban), an eminent writer who doesn't shy away from writing on controversial subjects,
has missed the Best Writer prize the last 2 years. He is determined to win it with his next book and
wants to set his book in a whorehouse. His friend takes him to one and Parthiban ends up with
Ammu(Bharathi), who was brought up by the whorehouse madam(Sandhya). But Parthiban falls for Ammu
and is ready to wed her.
Its the way the heroine's character has been shaped up that makes Ammuvaagiya Naan stand apart
from most other movies. Bharathi here is a prostitute but not one who stumbled into the place by
mistake, hasn't done the 'act' and can't wait to get out of there. She did end up in the whorehouse
by fate but she has accepted that and is perfectly happy in there. She holds no grudge against Sandhya
and sees the place as her only home. So many of her dialogs are the exact opposite of lines usually
uttered by our heroines.
It is Bharathi's character that defines every aspect of the movie including her relationship with
Parthiban. There is no strong foundation for why Parthiban falls in love with her but once we get
beyond that, their relationship is portrayed very beautifully. These are two leads we don't see in
Tamil cinema all that often(she is a prostitute and he is a man who sleeps with one) and that
uniqueness is exploited very well in several segments (like the fantastic and sweet first night)
as they lead their life together.
Once Parthiban weds Bharathi, she begins to understand about life outside the whorehouse. It is
almost entirely positive in that Bharathi realizes the dignity and respect that she automatically
earns by coming out of that house. Life is good for her but that ends up being a little boring for
us. Barring one issue (which is also resolved easily), there are no issues problems created because
of her past. The movie doesn't delve into the problems that could arise because of a woman with her
past trying to blend into society but chooses to make it really smooth. Even potential problems(like
with the policeman) are deflected, leading to a little disappointment.
When a problem does finally come, it ends up being very predictable and cinematic. We know from the
film's opening scenes what the conflict is going to be and the way it is going to be resolved and
there are no surprises.
Parthiban does a good job hiding his usual nakkal to play it straight and thats exactly what
the role calls for. But its undoubtedly Bharathi who is the star of the show. Be it her her facial
expressions, body language or general lack of uninhibition in front of the camera, it is tough to
believe that this is her first film. One hopes she gets atleast a few more roles that utilize her
talent. Both Sandhya and Mahadevan manage to earn our displeasure but in very different ways. It is
easier to hate Sandhya since she knowingly allowed Bharathi to become a prostitute while Mahadevan
is the more typical and cinematic villain.
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