Achamillai Achamillai
Achamillai Achamillai is a 1984 Indian Tamil-language political satire film directed by K. Balachander. It stars Rajesh and Saritha in the lead with Pavithra, Gopi, Delhi Ganesh and Charle in other prominent roles. The film deals with party switching and depicts its influence on the lives of small-time politicians. The film met with critical acclaim, winning three awards at the 32nd Filmfare Awards South, as well as the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. The title refers to a popular poem composed by Bharathiyar.
Plot
Thenmozhi, a worker in a textile factory, resides in a small village with her blind father, a former freedom fighter. She develops a mutual attraction to Ulaganathan, an idealist in the same village who is respected for his integrity and unselfishness. Upon the approval of Ulaganathan's father, they marry on 15 August, coinciding with India's Independence Day. The couple lead a happy life and work for the welfare of the village. With elections around the corner, two political parties try to garner support by enlisting Ulaganathan to their side. Initially reluctant, Ulaganathan joins one of the parties when it promises to provide him with a ministerial position.Ulaganathan quickly slides down the slippery slope of political intrigue and intimidation, alienating both his wife and his father. Thenmozhi returns to her father's home to deliver her first child. Ulaganthan wins the election, but as neither of the parties receives a clear majority, the rival party bribes Ulaganathan to join them instead. When Thenmozhi returns after the birth of their child, she is disappointed over the transformation of her husband and refuses to live with him. To spite her, Ulagnathan brings home Alangaram as his mistress. Alangaram and her mother slowly take control over the household, which leads to Thenmozhi leaving her family. Ulagnathan's atrocities go beyond her tolerance when he plans to organise a communal riot in the village in order to safeguard himself from the critics. When Thenmozhi finds out about this, she goes to have a talk with him. But Ulaganathan defends himself by saying that political murders are not ethically wrong. The following day, a statue of Mahatma Gandhi is to be unveiled by Ulaganathan. During the ceremony, Ulagnathan makes a speech on his and his party's accomplishments. Thenmozhi approaches him with a garland; as she lays it on his neck, she stabs him to death. The police arrest her; at the end, Suthanthiram is seen crying at the feet of Gandhi's statue.
Cast
Production
The film was produced by Kavithalayaa Productions, Balachander's production house. Apart from direction, he took charge of the story, screenplay, and dialogue. Cinematography and editing were handled by B. S. Lokanath and N. R. Kittu, respectively.Themes and analysis
Achamillai Achamillai is a satire on the Indian political system. Its underlying theme is Party switching, a common phenomenon that exists in the country's political system, and its impact on small-time politicians. Balachander added a dwarf character named Suthanthiram to metaphorically depict that the freedom of the nation is stunted.Soundtrack
The film's score and soundtrack were composed by debutante V. S. Narasimhan, while lyrics were written by Vairamuthu and "Erode" Thamizh Inban. The soundtrack received positive response.Reception
Achamillai Achamillai was released on 18 May 1984 to critical acclaim. The film had a 100-day run in theatres and was commercially successful. It was the only Tamil film to be screened at the 'Indian Panorama' 10th International Film Festival of India in 1985. Saritha's performance won her a lot of accolades and critical praise.A contemporary review from Ananda Vikatan stated, "When everyone is using cinema for entertainment, Balachander uses cinema as a weapon to attack the evils of the society...". G. Dhananjayan, in his book The Best of Tamil Cinema: 1977 to 2010, called the film a bold attempt by K. Balachander after Thanneer Thanneer, and lauded the director for his dialogue filled with sarcasm. The film received negative reviews for showcasing violence. Some critics were concerned about the idea that even educated people would be corrupted if they come to politics, while a few others opined that the film did not provide a solution for the problem.
Legacy
The film is widely regarded as one of the finest that Balachander has directed. In a 2006 interview with The Hindu, Balachander listed the film as one of his favourites. Analysing the dominance of female characters in Balachander's films, Baradwaj Rangan listed the heroine of Achamillai Achamillai as an example.Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Outcome |
| 1984 | National Film Awards | Best Feature Film in Tamil | V. Natarajan K. Balachander | |
| 1984 | 32nd Filmfare Awards South | Best Tamil Film | V. Natarajan | |
| 1984 | 32nd Filmfare Awards South | Best Tamil Director | K. Balachander | |
| 1984 | 32nd Filmfare Awards South | Best Tamil Actress | Saritha |