Evoking Faith, Fear, and More

Ammoru (1995): Film Review

Uma Maheswari’s essay, ‘Devotion and Horror in a Women’s Genre: Exploring Subalternity in Cinema’, discusses the relevance of the 1995 Telugu film, Ammoru, in the evolution of the Devotional (Bhakti) film genre. Maheswari explains how devotional films essentially catered to women and explored their plight on the big screen with the help of mythological, religious, and even supernatural narrative themes. Kodi Ramakrishna’s mythological/thriller revolves around Bhavani (played by Soundarya), a young devotee of Goddess Amman (played by Ramya Krishnan and Sunayana) who develops a special relationship with the divine deity as she finds herself constantly battling evil forces in her new marital home. While this is an age-old trope in devotional films, Ammoru successfully manages to bring something new to the genre by heavily indulging in the construction of subaltern identity and authority. Maheswari, in her article, notes that the local Goddess Amman in the film defies Sanskritic traditions as she channels a strong lower caste identity through abstract idol worship and a cult following characterised by possession and sacrificial rituals.

Goddess Amman in Ammoru (Pic Credit: Alchetron)

The film champions various feminist themes, the primary one being the idea of a divine, fierce feminine force rescuing the docile, troubled devotee in need. However, there is an active attempt made in the film to bridge this gap between Goddess and devotee by showing a more transcendental and personal relationship between Goddess Amman and Bhavani. They share a strong mother-daughter bond in the film while being unable to cross certain borders owing to their respective constraints (the Goddess is bound by a promise made to her devotee while Bhavani is bound by her evil in-laws who don’t let her leave the house). It is crucial to note that devotional films such as Ammoru evoke very powerful emotional reactions in women. The primary reason behind this is the fact that these films offer a divine solution to the deeply distressing domestic problems of married women, i.e., various forms of emotional and psychological abuse from their in-laws in their marital homes. For a country like India where domestic abuse and dowry deaths are the most common crimes committed against women, films like Ammoru offer a powerful idea of justice and retribution deeply rooted in divine femininity.

It is fascinating to note that Ammoru blends mythological fantasy with horror in order to visually construct a deeply terrifying and majestic spectacle. The film makes use of computer graphics and special effects to showcase the miraculous aura of the Goddess. These cinematic techniques help in substantiating the omnipotence and almost frightening presence of the deity. These horror film tropes also express the horrifying consequences of domestic abuse and therefore elevate the need for divine intervention in the plot. Bhavani quite literally embodies domestic suffering and emotional torture in the film and only survives due to her immense devotion and faith in Goddess Amman.

Bhavani in Ammoru

Maheswari, in her essay, talks about certain key elements of citizenship in the film, as, unlike other devotional films, Ammoru features a relatively rational citizen in the form of Bhavani, who also asserts her will as a devotee and asks the Goddess to only show up when she asks her to. This sense of agency successfully situates the devotee in a modern society characterised by notions of justice, citizenship, and sovereignty. The major flaw of the film, which simply cannot be overlooked, is its problematic outlook towards sexual assault, which surfaces in a ‘humorous’ sequence in which Bhavani’s in-laws’ attempt to tarnish her character by hiring a rapist to assault her. These problematic tropes, repetitive torture techniques, and a prolonged runtime lead up to an epic climax where the Goddess unleashes her wrath on the evil shaman and restores Bhavani’s family by blessing her with a child.

The need for such devotional films arises from a place of not only worship/faith but also fear. Patriarchal family structures in our society thrive off of this fear, the fear that subjugates women and keeps them in check. When these family structures happen to be the strongest unit of society, it becomes especially difficult to reform them or to rescue women from domestic oppression. In such dire circumstances, a mythological/religious deity becomes a powerful source of belief and assurance. Goddess Amman’s miraculous powers cannot be contained by any force on Earth. This conviction evokes immense confidence in her devotees, who find Bhavani’s story of plight relatable. The film, therefore, crosses certain cinematic boundaries as it successfully represents something much larger than itself.