Ajji

I saw this film at the UK Asian Film Festival in London - the lead actress rightly won the best actress award - don't miss this gripping drama - brilliant !

The story of Ajji is an average classic revenge drama, but with some brilliant & authentic elements of film making within it. The movie touches on the delicate subject of child rape and that too from a under privileged family. What makes Ajji to work in its favour is its ability to transfer the pain and suffering of the protagonist into the minds of the audiences. Though the entire premise is heavily cliched, and utterly unbelievable at times, its ability to arose certain curiosity in audiences mind drives the awe factor in Ajji.

Aided with some brilliant camerawork, which sets a dark tone to the movie, Ajji transcends us to a place, where only a few of us would venture. Director Devashish Makhija work is top class to get the horrors of the story into our head, his portrayal of the aftermath of the child rape and the police visit to the victim's home is exceptionally accurate. Screenplay could have been a little better and more believable. Top class acting by Abishek Banerjee as the antagonist will sent shivers down our spine. Yes such people do exist. Ably supported by Smitha Tambe, most of the supporting cast's acting is good. Editing could have been a little better considering the 105 minute length of the movie.

I completely agree that, Ajji has its set of flaws, especially the revenge part and the protagonist's ability to pull of such a thing. Taking law onto ourselves maybe right for people like you and me but what about the poor and the helpless? Can they afford such privileges? When they can hardly afford 3 square meals. This movie is made for audiences who don't have those luxuries in the corrupt world of ours. Though disturbing in many places, Ajji is a must watch for movie buffs to understand certain emotions & reactions in acting.

Ajji (2017) : Brief Review -

Probably, the Most Brutal and Barbarous Revenge Drama Ever Made in Indian Cinema. Bollywood's attempt to match Korean Realism. Ajji is that one daring attempt from Bollywood cinema which crosses all the limits of brutality but very honestly. This isn't a film for weak hearted people and even some of the strong fellas might not be able to recover from it. We have seen many films with this same storyline that a teenage or an underage girl is raped by an cruel man and then the girl or someone from her family takes revenge for her. Whatever hard-boiled ideas come in you mind, believe me Ajji brings it on screen and without any compromises. Ajji is Brutally Honest with its concept and it had to remain so unlike some of those Anurag Kashyap or other directors films which uses vulgar content and abusing language without any context. Korean Revenge Dramas are popular on global level because of hard-hitting, flinty and realistic touch which doesn't care about any censorship and adulterous compromises and believe me Ajji is somewhere close to them and possibly Indian Cinema's tallest statue to match that height. I believe, many female audience might hate this film but actually this one is more woman friendly content than men for the sake of importance it gives to the lead character of Ajji. I am saying it again, there is nothing much to tell about the storyline but it is the presentation that you mustn't miss. It will take years for Bollywood to match the realistic proportions of this film and who knows Ajji might get that deserving fame and praise after 50 or 100 years. A grand salute to director Devashish Makhija and Actress Sushama Deshpande for coming up with something unseen like this and moreover giving a full justice to it. I hope this film will scare the Rapists and they will not dare to do or even think of it again.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

The unconventionality of having a grandmother as the protagonist about crime and revenge is what makes Devashish Makhija's cold thriller a tantalizing watch. Ajji is an ambitious story of an old woman who takes the law into her own hands – cliché in the town – and asks us to wonder about the consequences. You tend to incline to the positive because you want her to win and so do the colorful characters who help her, but what we don't see are the obvious superhero powers that she possesses which you cannot blame on the power of will or circumstances. Sexual molestation of minors is definitely a grave topic and one that must be discussed openly but that doesn't mean you celebrate the idea of self-righteousness especially when related to the matters of justice. Ajji is definitely an engaging watch with clever camera work, mirror placements, wonderful performances, and above all, a magically complementing sunless setting. Everything works except for the enthusiastic plot for a film that is evidently the wheels of this crime drama. An accident is inevitable. TN.

(As part of the Young Film Critics Lab 2017 at the 19th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.)

This film perfectly showed us what should be done to a rapist. It is not for the faint hearted as it's very much disturbing. Devashish Makhija & Cinematographer Jishnu Bhattacharjee have done a splendid job.

Performances of all are simply superb. Even the little girl (Sharvani Suryavanshi) acted so brilliantly. Abhishek Banerjee gave one of his career best performance, Vikas Kumar is always underappreciated and of course Sushma Deshpande will blow your mind away.

DON'T MISS THIS ONE.