Reports say that divorce cases are on the rise in contemporary Kerala. And studies point out that the actual reasons behind the cases are often very minor, to the point of being ridiculous, like the obesity of the partner or even the snoring ! And there are families who refuse to read the signs of the changing times and try to manipulate the lives of their offspring by pushing them into disharmonic matches.
The case file of Kakshi: Ammninipilla opens in the context of these bizarre realities. The film deals with the struggles faced by a lawyer from Thalassery who takes up a divorce case and about the couple involved in the case.
Shajith is an average Malayali young man, Ammini being his pet name given by the family members. He is forced into an arranged match as soon as he arrives from the Gulf. The marriage lands in troubled waters from the very beginning. Shajith finds the bride a far cry from his dreams and insists on getting an immediate divorce. But, the bride has no plans to part from him. The film meanders through the attempts made by the lawyer, Adv. Pradeepan Manjoly, to obtain a divorce for Ammini.
The film that revolves around humour and sentimental moments is directed by a newcomer, Dinjith Ayyathan. Produced by Riju Rajan under the banner of Sara Films, ‘Amminipilla’ has a script written by Sanilesh Sivan.
Asif Ali appears as a lawyer in the film, which is a first in his career. The other important members of the cast include Ahmad Siddique, Basil Joseph, Vijayaraghavan, Nirmal Palazhi, Sudheesh, Sreekanth Murali, Harish Kanaran, Mamukkoya, Unniraja, Sudhi Paravoor, Aswathi Manoharan, Shibila and Sarasa Balussery.
Bijibal and Arun Muraleedharan have set the music to the lyrics by Rafeeq Ahmed, background score by Jakes Bejoy. Cinematography is by Bahul Ramesh while editing is done by Sooraj E.S.
The first half of the film succeeds in drawing the viewers closely through the beauty of Thalassery as well as by exploring its culinary heritage. The second half centres around the court scenes more or less. The film has managed to create the court scenes with a lot of originality. It ends at the unexpected turn of events that takes place on the day of the final judgment after long days of arguing the case.
Ahmed Siddique has shown ample justice to Amminipilla whose character is fickle, while the lawyer who tries to balance his career with political ambitions is safe in the hands of Asif Ali. Shibla has beautifully portrayed the character, Kanthi who is Amminipilla’s wife. The comedy numbers of Basil and Nirmal Palazhi helps to keep the flow of the film.
Another positive trend that is visible in Malayalam cinema is the increasing acceptance for ‘plus size’ heroines, subtly sabotaging the conventional notions about the heroine figure. Another recent hit, ‘Thamasha,’ also had strong portrayals of women who were bold enough to ignore body shaming and go on happily with their lives.
Even though ‘Amminipilla’ has no complicated twists or turns of the plot, the final revelation on the warmth of wedded bliss can provide the viewers with a hearty experience. The film ends with the message that understanding is the key to a good married life. In short, even though the film has multiple layers of meaning, it is accessible to viewers of all categories without the load of hefty criticism.
