Director Lakshmy Ramakrishnan’s Ammani will finally release on 14 October. The film was slated for a Diwali release last year, but had been stalled due to some issues between Lakshmy and the producer Ven Govind.
At a press meet for the film, Lakshmy Ramakrishnan and Ven Govind confirmed that the issues has been resolved. “She wanted the film to be sold to someone known while I wanted to simply release the film. We’ve patched up now. The film is a compelling story and it has to be told,” Ven Govind told Silverscreen.
Ammani is said to be a story inspired by the TV series Solvathellam Unmai hosted by Lakshmy Ramakrishnan. “The real inspiration for the paati (elderly lady) in my film is from an old paati who once came to my show. Valamba paati. She had come to my show and has changed the way I look at life now. For me, the purpose behind Ammani is not a business package, but is to tell a story with a social responsibility,” Ramakrishnan told Silverscreen.
Lakshmy will essay the role of a 57-year-old woman. Senior actress Subbulakshmi will play the role of an 80-year-old ragpicker. While the film will tackle social issues, Lakshmy is of the opinion that her film cannot be slotted into any particular category. “It can be anybody’s story. While it is a female-centric film, it’s more of a universal concept that I’m employing,” she said.
Here: Ammani Movie Stills.
Ammani marks Ramakrishnan’s third time as a director. Her first film was Aarohanam (2012) about a bipolar mother who goes missing just two days before her daughter’s marriage. The film was lauded for its honest portrayal of mental illness. Her second film was Nerungi Vaa Muthamidathe (2014), focusing on the petrol crisis in South India.
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When asked if she had to choose between acting and directing, Ramakrishnan chose the latter. “I like watching popular commercial films but at the same time, I feel like directors have a social responsibility. It’s more than just making the buck. As a director, I get to tell somebody else’s story my way. It pays because you assume the role of a creator. And there’s nothing that beats the intoxicating feeling of being a creator,” she added.
Late lyricist Na Muthukumar has written the lyrics for the film, while the music has been composed by K. Actors Nithin Sathya and Robo Shanker have supporting roles in the film.