Aachar & Co

This has a fairytale-like quality to it, be it in the storytelling style or the frames. Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy, whom I recall seeing in 2020's French Biriyani, showcases her love for everything retro and takes us back to '60s & '70s Bangalore, when it carried the vibe of an aesthetically pleasing hill station, while also being a bustling city. It talks of an era where interpersonal relationships (and togetherness), especially between siblings and family members, held utmost importance. The visuals have an inherently vintage beauty to them, and this is majorly the case in interior shots where you get to feast your eyes on intricate household items, decor, and delicious-looking food.

From a plot perspective, Aachar & Co takes us through the journey of ten siblings and their process of dealing with life as part of an orthodox household in Bangalore. I'm guessing the greatest challenge would've been to find real locations to depict the city in those times. The art department has (mostly) done a fine job, and only in very few shots did I feel a momentary jump to the modern day. Casting less-known faces in primary roles also helps establish a faster connection with their characters. In many ways, the writing celebrates the resilience of its women characters, trying to break gender stereotypes, and it is evident in the way Suma gradually (and organically) evolves into the film's protagonist.

Music is also a key ingredient here. Right from the altered version of Suprabhatam in the very beginning, the music underlines both the funny and the emotional scenes. The "Pickle Song" inventively uses kitchen utensils to create a truly unique sound. Some narrative choices did baffle me a little, like the elder brother's absence, especially in the second half, and the film chooses to go for a supremely optimistic finale where all is well. But I fully felt the warmth of being in the Aachar household and would've loved to be a silent member who gets to feast on all the snacks from that locked shelf. I'm really excited to see what Sindhu Srinivasa Murthy does next!

Watched the Kannnada movie ' Achar and Company '. A light hearted comedy set in the 60's and 70's. Totally relatable banters between brothers and sisters of 5 plus siblings. Felt like an evening well spent and a must watch. It's a retro feel good retro movie which got me memories of my childhood, our struggles on employment and money. Yet we were totally and emotionally bonded. The Protagonist Suma Achar has done a wonderful job in portraying her character.

In a large joint family how the relationships blossom between the siblings and how the equations change is very well depicted. Music score is good and the songs and lyrics are meaningful and catchy.

Top class direction with able support from all actors. After a long time I was gasping for more of the story to unfold. Felt sad to leave the family of Achar and Company.

Although known for its accurate portrayal of old age Bengaluru, there is more to it. It is a narrative of decades of story in a small runtime leaving you wanting more substance for each plot of each decade. Often this is a negative aspect of many movies but once you leave the theater with this sense. You realize that is one of the best attributes of the movie.

Predominantly consisting of newcomers, all the actors provide worth for each role they portray. Timely background score matching the decades and amazing music and songs overall keep you happy. The storytelling of Kannan Gill and Sindhu is amazing and so is the direction.

All in all it's a must-watch movie and you can basket it under the comedy/feel-good genre. You will thoroughly enjoy particularly if you are from Bengaluru and make sure to watch it with generations of family to get all the additional stories for each prop and situation.

Defying societal conventions, the shift from patriarchy to matriarchy unfolds gradually over the years. The film is a masterpiece, with its impeccable direction, screenplay, and dialogue leaving a lasting impression. It effortlessly blends realism, humor, and poignant moments, making it a must-watch for everyone, including Kannada-speaking audiences. Notably, it guarantees both entertainment and a powerful social message, and you won't even notice that it features debut actors. This is a movie you cannot afford to miss. The direction is exceptional, the performances are top-notch, and the humor is on point. The film's portrayal of 1900s Bangalore is simply enchanting, making it a perfect choice for a weekend drama outing.

First off need to give credit where its due, thanks to non other than our one and only Power star Puneeth Rajkumar for PRK Productions. His vision for contributing to such movies and openness to welcome new age Directors and actors is matched by no one. Almost everyone else wants it to be big and noisy but he choose to throw weight to such movies where the characters come to light with stories and ability to showcase true talent of what acting is all about. Thank you Sir, even though you are gone you surely are living among us with producing such movies. We need movies like these which compliments originality and authenticity. Director has really ticked all the right boxes by ensuring to keep characters simple and elegant and let the story talk.

Kudos to everyone associated with this movie,