Annapoorani movie review: Food goes hand in hand with politics in this Nayanthara-starrer which falters packaging it – Firstpost
Director: Nilesh Krishna
Forged: Nayanthara, Jai, Sathyaraj, Karthik Kumar, Achyuth Kumar
Language: Tamil
Associated Articles
Khichdi 2 Film Overview: Supriya Pathak is the one saviour in a not so witty movie
Starfish film overview: Khushalii Kumar’s movie is fantastically shot however wanted to dig deeper
Meals is politics, particularly so in India. Beef is now extra a political weapon within the nation and fewer the standard meat that fed 1000’s of poor households. Decisions corresponding to being vegan comes from a spot of privilege and lots of ignorant folks peddle half-baked info such because the one the place India is meant to be a rustic that’s majorly vegetarian. So when a movie decides to deal with all this and extra, with Nayanthara because the driving power behind it, it’s positively a courageous selection. Sadly, the movie falters massive time in presenting the movie. There may be substance, however the seasoning doesn’t strike the precise steadiness to make this movie on meals profitable.
I personally preferred a couple of issues that the director had tried within the movie. To start out off, Nayanthara because the titular character Annapoorani hails from a privileged caste. Her household works within the temple, and her father is a temple chef who cooks prasadam for devotees that go to the temple. In her family, meals goes hand in hand with faith. Meat consuming is a sin. Neglect consuming, however even being in its neighborhood is unacceptable in her household. Nonetheless, her palate is so highly effective that she chases for style in meals. Naturally, her intrigue for cooking flares up at which instances she learns about society’s notion concerning cooking.
It’s a quite simple scene actually, that includes KS Ravikumar as the daddy of Annapoorani’s good friend Keerthi. He’s additionally a cook dinner, however one who cooks meat and greens. He’s what the society would understand as a ‘samaiyalkaaran’ or a cook dinner, who equals every day wage staff. Nonetheless, an individual who works at a star resort is given the title of chef — primarily due to the category of folks that he serves for. Class and privileged caste may even differentiate the identical job as respectable or not relying on the folks that they serve to. So her false impression is cleared on the very starting, permitting this younger woman to proceed belonging to the part of society that she is from whereas additionally dreaming of changing into a chef. The movie does this usually, because it makes use of references from faith to help Annapoorani’s goals. Be it talking of Karna’s failure to have donated meals, which led to him not getting a ticket to enter heaven, or references in Ramayanam about Ram, Lakshman and Sita looking animals for meals; the movie makes an attempt to make use of the very religions that has change into a weapon within the palms of conservative followers of the faith.
Now, Annapoorani has grown up in a strict family as a vegetarian. For her to decide on culinary arts as a course of examine comes with an enormous impediment. She should not solely be taught to cook dinner with meat, but in addition style it to grasp tips on how to make a scrumptious dish. The truth that people must unlearn prejudices that the society has conditioned human into believing from when they’re youngsters is depicted at a key second within the movie.
Like I stated to start with, meals can also be politics. Annapoorani’s palate helps her make the most effective dishes, however she can’t nail the biriyani. Each time she makes an attempt to make it, her childhood good friend Farhan (Jai) tells her that it’s nowhere akin to his mom’s dish. He’s being goal right here, and he really believes that biriyani is her solely weak spot. To achieve perfection, Annapoorani asks his mom — how is it that regardless of following her recipe and utilizing the identical substances, she is unable to recreate the style? Farhaan’s mom tells her that she does her namaaz earlier than she takes on the duty of cooking, and wonders if possibly it’s her religion in God that helps the dish purchase the style. Right here is one other associated between meals and faith, that’s binded by religion. Nonetheless, the purpose is that it isn’t within the type of shackles that may intervene with Annapoorani’s dream.
Equally, there are concepts corresponding to office sexism, patriarchy in a family amongst different points that are included within the movie. It’s possible you’ll assume, what a progressive thought. It’s possible you’ll assume, how courageous of Nayanthara to have taken on a topic as this within the right political local weather. I agree. Nonetheless, the intention alone can’t make a movie palatable. Simply as meals is determined by the steadiness of ‘arusuvai’ (six fundamental tastes), movie requires a seamless steadiness of participating screenplay, supporting visuals, and plausible performances. Right here, as a result of the movie has too many nice concepts, however none get explored to depth, it falters. A lot so, that it doesn’t successfully inform the story. What’s the crux of this movie? The daddy-daughter bond? A friendship that offers Annapoorani a path for her goals? No. It’s a few younger woman who works arduous to attain her goals. It’s about her obstacles, of which her father is one. It’s about her struggles, of which sexism and patriarchy are two. If solely all of them might have come collectively, this dish would have been scrumptious. Observe how I didn’t add faith to this combine? It’s as a result of people make faith an issue, any religion by itself is rarely one.
Ranking: 2.5 (out of 5 stars)
Annapoorani is enjoying in cinemas
[embedded content]
Priyanka Sundar is a movie journalist who covers movies and collection of various languages with a particular concentrate on identification and gender politics.
Learn all of the Newest Information, Trending Information, Cricket Information, Bollywood Information,
India Information and Leisure Information right here. Comply with us on Fb, Twitter and Instagram.
Adblock take a look at (Why?)
