Nowadays a film or a web-series, especially when released on the OTT (Over the Top) platforms attain success not only on the basis of casting or the plot twists,
but also on the basis of the kind of content produced. The content is the key
that drives the vehicle to the destination of a blockbuster. One such film
released on Netflix recently is Axone (pronounced as “Akhuni” in regional
Language).
#All lives
matter
Axone is a movie addressing the issue of casual racism against the north-eastern
Indians based on their appearance, language accent, customs, and even their
food. The discrimination has been a long lasting issue and Axone deals with it
with a pinch of Humor and friendship.
The Filmmaker Nicholas Kharkongor’s film Axone is basically about a
group of friends belonging to the north-eastern states of India, trying to cook
a traditional Naga Cuisine as a wedding present for a friend, in which the
major ingredient is Axone (Akhuni) which has an unpleasant smell.
With only a few hours to go for the wedding, these friends are
confronted with so many circumstances, starting from racist behavior,
eve-teasing, cat calling, internal group conflicts, and the unforgiving Delhi-ites.
Upasna (Sayani Gupta) and Chanbi (Lin Laishram) want to time their
cooking in such a way there are fewer people in the apartment and hence no
objection. The film also portrays the character Shiv (Rohan Joshi), the
landlord’s grandson who was genuinely concerned to help them with their
friend’s wedding despite his grandmother’s permission.
However, with the wedding taking place just as planned at the end along
with the Akhuni cooked and served the film has a happy ending. The film deals
with the issue of racism both casual and serious against the north-east people,
along with various other social issues.
Food holding
the film together
The duration of the film is 1 hour 40 minutes, which beautifully handles
the issue of racism with a pinch of humor and touch of satire. The factors
connecting the film together were social events like marriage and obviously
food used metaphorically.
Food is a fundamental pillar of every culture, and holds us all
together. Every dish has its own style and tradition of being prepared. In a
country like India which is so diverse, every community has their own language,
attire and definitely food.
Casting
However, along with the different story line the cast has also grabbed
attention of the audience. Sayani Gupta, who played a Nepali girl in the film
left audience in absolute “awe” with her accent. Her performance was also
breath taking as she showcases the character of a girl depicting her struggle.
Chanbi, is another girl in the group played by Lin Laishram. The character
of Chanbi is quite courageous and out spoken. She is ready to call out anyone
who is doing wrong and at the same time she is ready to take up stand for the
people she cares about, just like she did for her boyfriend.
Chanbi’s boyfriend who was carrying a heavy load of his past on how the
people treated him on having the blonde hair, where he confesses hate for Delhi
is also very praiseworthy.
Critical
Talking about lagging, the film’s biggest drawback is its connectivity
from one scene to another. Due to the less duration, films go in various
directions, where the audience loses connectivity. You will observe cutting at
some points where you want to see more of a scene.
The relationships, friendships have not been allocated proper screen
time to make a lasting impact. Despite all this, there is a message which the
movie can convey very precisely and effectively.
The film’s biggest win is its strong content bundled with solid
performances of Sayani Gupta and Lia Laishram. Through the food used metaphorically,
it properly conveyed the message of friendship, wedding at the climax also
portrayed the old traditions adopted in North-eastern Tribes.
The second best thing is that it never gets one-sided towards any North-eastern
citizen and others. It equally criticizes both of them in one way or the other.
It is the first north-east community film which according to me is a
must-watch.
Written by – Utkarsh Samaiya
Edited by – Adrija Saha
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