First things first. Director-producer Kannan (of Vedham Puthithu fame) deserves fullest praise for attempting a serious and sensitive story even in these times of mindless masala movies.
Amirtham, though slow in pace to a world used to MTV-5-frames-a-second-montages and takes time to warm up and move on, is what cinema used to be: An exploration of a theme in a simple straight forward story. The director has intelligently woven the idea of clash of cultures (in this case of theism Vs rationalism) even while taking up a sensitive (and believable) love story, He also touches on the issue of displacement of common citizens in the name of development. In a sense, it is an ambitious canvas. And quite surprisingly, he seems to have pulled it off simply because the director has kept things simple. In the process, he has also been helped by a clutch of actors who understand what the story is all about and what their roles in it are.
The story is about the eponymous Amritha (Navya nair). She, the daughter of a highly orthodox priest (played with consummate ease by Girish Karnad) and a tradition-bound mother (Anuradha Krishnamoorthy). Amritha develops a liking for the temple nadaswaramvidwan's son Ganesh (Ganesh). The latter is a fire and brimstone rationalist. In other words, his world is the antithesis of her father's.
Caught in this crossfire, Amirtham is unable to make up her mind. In the meanwhile, petrol is found in the town and the government wants to move out the people and the temple from the vicinity. So circumstances force both the priest and the angry young man on the same side of the fence as they oppose the government's move (albeit for two different reasons). What happens eventually is the story.
Navya Nair is the scene-stealer. She is, in one word, splendid. She gets the nuances absolutely right and gives her character a beguiling attraction. Girish Karnad as her father is efficient. Anuradha Krishnamoorthy, the Carnatic singer whom we saw in the serial Sahana, fits the bill perfectly as a traditional housewife. Ganesh, the newcomer, is also energetic.
Another special attraction in the movie is Bhavatharini's classical music. The strains are melodious and add value to the movie. The camera work and the art work are also of the highest order.
Kannan has an idea and has pursued it without any compromise. That in itself deserves credit, and he has also made a good job of it. It is by no means a perfect film. But it certainly is a worthy attempt at it. Amirtham has to be patronized by the public who value cinema. If they don't support such ventures then they have no right to crib over being overwhelmed by mindless masalas.
