Few days back, I happened to watch Ambili. This is not a formal review of the movie per se, but my thoughts on the overall craft. At the end of this post, I shall share a link wherein you can delve into a much detailed comprehensive review. Ambili a beautiful, gently crafted story of compassion that I really enjoyed watching. I’m an ardent admirer of the director’s previous work Guppy, which was a well-made movie that walked through different stories and beautifully wove them through an ingenious screenplay that was nothing short of pure genius. I was impressed with the passion and zeal in that movie and the art and the overall way of making that film and have been eagerly waiting for Ambili right from the time it got announced.
Guileless like a child and ever so full of life, Ambili is beloved by everyone in his village. The story traces Ambili’s outlook towards life and of challenges others surrounding him that face him on an everyday basis.
It embraces a beautiful, subtle way of communicating compassion, love and caring through a magical blend of music and stellar visuals. The movie is set at Kattappana, a lush green place in Idukki district, Kerala. Ambili, in the movie, is a joyous, guileless character and through subtle events, the story unfolds the reservoir of love and affection packed inside him. Regardless of opportunists and other hatred towards him from people at his village, he transfigures them into an aura of unconditional love. He is full of affection and selfless compassion towards his childhood friends Teena and her brother Bobby. After few happenings that demonstrate his affection, the story takes the byway of a road movie, wherein Bobby, who is a cyclist champ and decides to go on a solo trip on a cycle from Kerala to Kashmir, where they met during their childhood. Ambili accompanies him and we’re treated with beautiful visuals and instances of unconditional affection and caring. I’m not delving into the details much, should you plan to watch this anytime soon.
The background music is gracefully composed, the flute being predominant and hugely complements the emotional nuances in different scenes of the movie. And the way story unfolds along with the nicely woven musical interludes is so well blended that it makes you walk out with a tear or two. The music in the film is highly commendable and some of the songs of the movie would be in my playlist for quite a long time.
Some frames of the movie reminded me of Children of Heaven, The Color of Paradise and some other Persian movies known for their amazing visuals and moving art. If you’d like to read a more all-inclusive detailed and comprehensive review, I suggest this page.
This movie is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I got in love with this flick and yes, aradhike is playing in the background as I write : )