Aami 2

How long should a film me. In the 60s, a film had to be 180 minutes for a paisa vasool. Over the years watching off and on western films, prefer 90 minutes and lots of silences; an absence of background music, incessant noise, is a relief. Rama and me liked Aami substantially. If you have not read Madhavikutty, Aami may not be interesting; must is a connect with Madhavikutty, says Rama. Have car loads of it, locked in, affections given me by Kamala Das and Joseph Kurien, a journalist in the Times of India. None else. Kamal need not have stretched the film to 150 minutes; shots of Aami losing a Parliamentary election despite having a two lakh readership; the death of Madhav Das and Aami lying beside the body after clearing the room of visitors; this shot is particularly needless and could have been passed over with a mention; has every death to be shown the same way, the dead body covered white, head and jaws tied up, a diya and huge doses of glycerined tears;  better is the telegram in brief informing Aami of the death of  Ammamma; Aami has written of a star dropping into a pond beside her home, rivers being far away, could have been better viewing. A child Aami having lunch tells low caste, Valli, 'Adiyannu pappadam venda.' 'We are high caste, not Adiyans', Ammamma butts in and me laughed. Smiles and laughs are rare, sadly. Me knows of the Lady's laughs. Bank House at Churchgate the venue. Cant films do away with disturbing background music, continuous as in Aami plus the needless songs. Back and forth camera style is fine if the director clicks. Aami could have had more hints than hurried shots, one after another. You cant haste Aami. Kamal speeds the easy pace of Aami. An odd feeling, Aami is a bit too much for Kamal? Yet, Kamal has done his best though the best comes from Manju Warrier. Lady, a request. No more love dances and loud dialogues, no dishoon dishoon for you. With Aami you have turned an artist. No more an actor. Kamal Saar promise to see Aami a second time.