Director Thankar Bachan is known for his poignant tales of human relationships on celluloid and he follows the same syntax in Ammavin Kaipesi too which is a cinematic adaptation of his own literary work of the same name.

Thankar is identified for his uncompromising styles of film making and Ammavin Kaipesi is no exception either. AK is about the boundless love of a mom towards her youngest wastrel of a son and his tryst with life to prove a point to the world. The pain that a mom feels on being forced to evict her son out and then suffer his absence are all well etched out by Thankar. And a cell phone plays a significant role in the film justifying the title.

For Thankar, traversing in the intricate emotional by lanes is just a sweep and he does that in AK too. The ironical aspect of what happens to mom and son is very interesting and is a typical Thankar style. The pace is leisurely but at points, brisk especially in the second half. The director’s passion for nativity is well known and praise points are due to the film’s real feel approach in showcasing the customs and practices of rural Tamil Nadu.

Casting is one of the highlights of Ammavin Kaipesi where every artist from the core to the periphery has done their job convincingly. For Shanthanoo, AK would be a milestone in his career graph that has essayed the role of Annamalai with deep understanding and an apt body language. Iniya delivers it right but the young girl is on the road of getting typecast as village belle. Thankar as the money crazy and spineless Prasad is a good choice and he earns brownie points in the scenes with his wife and also later as the guilt ridden man on a mission. Meenal, Azhagam Perumal and Revathy are adequate as support cast.

AK abounds in maudlin moments and such melodrama on the lines of television soap may prove pure poison at the cash counters and with the contemporary audience. The film certainly has a succulent story line but sadly the narrative style, the premise and the presentation are not in tune with current sensibilities. Entertainment value is minimal in Ammavin Kaipesi which appears quite lengthy at 152 minutes. Close to climax, the director builds his tempo in untangling the knot and if this pace was uniform, AK may have fared better.  

Rohit Kulkarni’s background score is neat and ‘enna senju pore’s melodious rhythm is soothing. A few songs appear quite forced like the one which involves Thankar and his wife Meenal. Even the item number types in the initial scene are also unwarranted. Thankar’s cinematography is functional and his frames are good.

For audience who patronize, Thankar’s work, Ammavin Kaipesi does not disappoint. For the main stream entertainment expecting populace, AK will prove to be a different experience.

Verdict: Thankar Bachan’s style of film that works in parts