Achchamundu! Achchamundu!
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Achchamundu! Achchamundu!
| image = achchamundu.jpg
| director = Arun Vaidyanathan
| writer = Arun Vaidyanathan
| starring = Prasanna
John Shea
Sneha
Akshaya Dinesh
| producer = Arun Vaidyanathan
Asma Hashmi
Ananth Govinda
P. Srinivasan
Ramzan Lakhani
| music = Karthik Raja
| cinematography = Chris Freilich
| released = {{Film date|2009|07|17|df=y}}
| country = India
United States
| runtime = 135 minutes
| language = Tamil
| budget =
}}
Achchamundu! Achchamundu! ({{translation}} There is fear! There is fear!) is a 2009 Indian-American Tamil language social thriller directed by Arun Vaidyanathan, starring Prasanna, Emmy Award–winning American actor John Shea and Sneha. It is the first film in Indian cinema to be shot with the Red One camera system. The music was composed by Karthik Raja with cinematography by Chris Freilich. The film was released on 17 July 2009 worldwide.
Plot
Senthil Kumar (Prasanna) and Malini (Sneha) are a happily married couple in New Jersey, living life like any other born-in-India, arrived-in-the-US couple do. Senthil submerges himself in the office and eats sambar rice at home, and Malini never misses a bhajan at the temple and shops at Indian stores. They have a 10-year-old daughter Rithika (Akshaya Dinesh), the apple of their eyes (their car's license plate carries the name of their daughter).
The family has just settled down in a new, spacious home about which Malini, understandably, has fears. The couple squabbles amicably about everything from Malini's perpetual laundry and cooking; while Senthil argues with friends about the significance of viboothi and takes his family on weekend trips and birthday parties. It is a normal, happy life in the US until Robertson (John Shea) arrives, to paint the basement. Now, things are never the same at home again.
Robertson's unusually kind behavior towards children sets off warning bells in your head, especially when he is shown to be a pedophile who exercises like mad within the confines of his home, always moving on towards his next target. How the couple saves their child forms the rest of the story.
Cast
Production
=Title=
The film's title is the inverse of the phrase "Achamillai Achamillai" coined by poet Subramania Bharati, and later used as the title of a 1984 film directed by K. Balachander.{{Cite web|url=http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2008/sep/22sli2.htm|title=rediff.com: Striking fear with Achamundu! Achamundu!|website=specials.rediff.com}}
=Filming=
The film was made in 28 days on a budget of ₹3.25 crore (worth ₹11 crore in 2021 prices). For the first time in Indian cinema, Red One camera was used for filming.{{Cn|date=February 2025}} The film was shot in New Jersey and New York during early 2008. Color correction and sound mixing were done in Los Angeles.{{Cn|date=February 2025}}
Release
The movie was released on 17 July 2009 in Tamil Nadu and select markets in the United States.
Reception
The film was officially selected for screening at the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival (under the International Panorama category),{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/tamil-film-selected-for-shanghai-fest/20090512.htm|title=Tamil film selected for Shanghai Film Festival|author=Shobha Warrier|work=Rediff.com|date=12 May 2009}} the Digital Cinema Film Festival in Japan, the Cairo International Film Festival,{{Cite web |date=14 October 2009 |title="Achchamundu!" to be screened at Cairo festival |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/lsquoAchchamundursquo-to-be-screened-at-Cairo-festival/article16886664.ece |work=The Hindu}} the International Film Festival of India in Goa,{{Cn|date=February 2025}} and the Chennai International Film Festival.{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/52977.html |title='Achchamundu..', 'Pasanga' emerge winners|work=Indiaglitz|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122191708/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/52977.html|archive-date=22 January 2010|date=25 December 2009}}
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by Karthik Raja.{{Cn|date=February 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics !! Length | |||
| "U.S.A U.S.A" | Rahul Nambiar, Anupama, Krish | Palani Bharathi | 4.18 |
| "Kannil Dhaagam" | S. Sowmya | rowspan=2|Andal Priyadarshini | 3.42 |
| "Parvai Vali Sumandhal" | Rahul Nambiar | 1.25 | |
| "Theme Music" | Instrumental | - | 3.35 |
Reception
Rediff wrote "For the guts in coming up with a unique, important theme that needs to be addressed sensitively, this movie works. A must-watch".{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-achamundu/20090717.htm|title=Review: Achamundu is a must-watch|website=Rediff|access-date=2 June 2022|archive-date=2 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602071917/https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-achamundu/20090717.htm|url-status=live}} The Times of India wrote "The average Indian may shy away from paedophilia, but director Vaidyanathan makes a compelling case to watch this film. Subtlety is the byword here rather than gory, knife-edge moments. The approach makes a deeper impression than a dramatic one could have."{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/achchamundu-achchamundu/movie-review/4792412.cms|title=Achchamundu Achchamundu Movie Review {3.5/5}: Critic Review of Achchamundu Achchamundu by Times of India|newspaper=The Times of India }} A critic from Deccan Herald opined that "Despite its shortcomings, ‘Achamundu Achamundu’ deserves a dekko".{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/18488/achamundu-achamundu.html|title=Achamundu Achamundu|work=Deccan Herald|first=S.|last=Vishwanath|date=8 August 2009|access-date=2 June 2022|archive-date=2 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602071916/https://www.deccanherald.com/content/18488/achamundu-achamundu.html|url-status=live}}
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Event !Category !Recipient !Result !{{Abbr|Ref.|References}} |
| Garden State Film Festival
|Best Homegrown Feature Film |Achamundu! Achamundu! (also for Split Ends) |{{Won}} |
| rowspan="2"|Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
|Achamundu! Achamundu! |{{Won}} | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |{{Cite web |date=24 July 2017|title=Hero Vikram, Heroine Aishwarya Rajesh and Villain Vijay Sethupathi|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/complete-list-of-tamil-nadu-state-awards-for-the-years-2009-to-2014-tamil-news-190108|work=Indiaglitz}} |
| Special Prize
|{{Won}} |
| Media Guild Awards
| Best Film Director |{{Won}} |
| Chennai International Film Festival
|Best Feature Film |''Achamundu! Achamundu! |{{Won}} |
References
External links
- {{IMDb title|1213631}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090519094240/http://www.aathefilm.com/ Official Website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080618200445/http://www.arunhere.com/aathemovie/ Director's Blog]
- {{IMDb title|id=tt1213631}}
- [http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/dec-09-03/film-festival-chennai-14-12-09.html Chennai International Film Festival.]
- [https://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=/ST/db/read.php%3fidx=8645 The Seoul Times review]
Category:Indian thriller films
Category:American thriller films
Category:Films set in New Jersey
Category:Films shot in New Jersey
Category:Films about women in the Indian diaspora
Category:Films scored by Karthik Raja
Category:Films about child abuse
Category:2000s Tamil-language films
Category:2009 directorial debut films
Category:Films directed by Arun Vaidyanathan