Aachar & Co

Aachar & Co^[a] is a 2023 Indian Kannada-language coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy and starring herself, Vamsidhar Bhogaraju, Harshil Koushik, Anirudh Acharya and Jagadishwar Sukumar. The movie marked the directorial debut of Sindhu.^[1] The movie had mostly women technicians, which is a rarity in Sandalwood.^[2]

Aachar & Co
Poster
Directed by	Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy
Written by	Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy Kanan Gill Trilok (dialogues)
Produced by	Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar Gurudath A Talwar
Starring	Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy Vamsidhar Bhogaraju Harshil Koushik Anirudh Acharya Jagadishwar Sukumar
Cinematography	Abhimanyu Sadanandan
Edited by	Ashik Kusugolli
Music by	Bindhumalini
Production company	PRK Productions
Distributed by	KRG Studios
Release date	28 July 2023 (2023-07-28)
Running time	103 minutes
Country	India
Language	Kannada

The film was released on 28 July 2023. It opened to mixed to positive reviews from critics but the movie went to complete 25 days at the box office by striking a chord with the audience.^[3]

Plot

The film follows Suma (Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy) and her nine siblings of a typically orthodox family headed by Madhusudhan Aachar (Ashok), as they explore changes in patriarchy, arranged marriages, gender roles, education, and work opportunities for women in Jayanagar, Bengaluru during the 1960s and 1970s.^[4][5]

Cast

• Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy as Suma
• Vamsidhar Bhogaraju as Sudheendra
• Harshil Koushik as Raghu
• Anirudh Acharya as Jaggu
• Jagadishwar Sukumar as Jaggu
• Vamsidhar Bhogaraju as Lokesh
• Mandara Battalahalli as Sheela
• Ashok as Madhusudhan Aachar
• Sudha Belawadi as Savithri
• Sonu Venugopal as Chandra

Themes and influence

The movie was heavily inspired by Wes Anderson aesthetics.The film also has a gentle commentary on patriarchy and feminism.^[6]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Bindhumalini.^[7] "Bengaluru's Suprabhata" was the first song to be released and the song became an instant hit among the audience with its catchy lyrics and the peppy track.^[8] The Next release was "Pickle Song" which also became one of the chartbusters with praise for its whimsical lyrics accompanied by its cheerful music.^[9]

Track listing^[10]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Bengaluru's Suprabhata"	Trilok Trivikrama	Rama Mani	2:46
2.	"Pickle Song"	Trilok Trivikrama	Emmjee, Deepika Kumar, Preethi Bharadwaj, Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy	3:03
3.	"Baavi Kappe"	Trilok Trivikrama	Bindhumalini, Anjana Rajagopalan	3:54
4.	"Sapthaswara"	Avinash Belakalla	Varijashree Venugopal, Bindhumalini, Nakul Abhyankar, Anjana Rajagopalan	3:57
Total length:				13:40

Reception

A critic from Deccan Herald wrote that "If you want to reminisce about the good old Bangalore, travel through its traffic-free, tree-lined lanes, breathe its crisp air and prefer your pickles saved in large ceramic jars and sparingly served in smaller ones, then 'Aachar & Co.' is homemade for you".^[11] A critic from Bangalore Mirror wrote that "All in all, it is a clean movie worth a watch for the whole family".^[12] A critic from The Times of India wrote that "With Bengaluru weather providing an apt backdrop, Aachar & Co makes for a perfect family outing this weekend, especially when accompanied by parents and grandparents, who can surely enjoy the nostalgia".^[10] A critic from The South First wrote that "Despite some flaws, Aachar & Co. is relevant in many terms; for it talks about the essence of family bonding and how life moves on despite all the hurdles one may face in their life".^[13] A critic from The New Indian Express wrote that "Achar and Co delves into essential themes such as women's empowerment, family bonding, and self-reliance, as it provides a glimpse into the life of a woman in that era. While the film can be a delightful ode to the past, it also raises a pertinent question... Have things really changed?"^[14]

In contrast, a critic from The Hindu wrote that "Aachar & Co. is a harmless film, but it's hard to dismiss the fact that it exists without a bigger purpose. Even if small in scale, it could have offered us the excitement of watching a period drama on the big screen with solid writing".^[15] A critic from The News Minute wrote that "Ultimately, you are likely to walk out of the hall feeling that Aachar & Co. is a bit of a missed opportunity. It's genuinely refreshing to see a woman filmmaker being backed by a mainstream entity like PRK Productions and that together, they have tried to bring something very unconventional to the fore".^[16]

Accolades

Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy was selected for the BAFTA Breakthrough Talent Award 2024-25 for this movie.^[17]

Notes

1. Aachar (variant of Acharya, Achari, etc.) is a name suffix used by Kannada Brahmins, in this case applied to the character played by Ashok. As a pun, in Hindi it also means pickle. Aachar & Co refers to Aachar's family.

References

1. Service, Express News (27 July 2023). "I was chosen on merit, not based on gender: Director Sindhu". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
2. "Aachar and Co to bring alive old Bengaluru". The Times of India. 6 April 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
3. "Aachar & Co on OTT: 'An entertaining and nostalgia-driven film', say audiences". OTTPlay. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
4. "Achar & Co, led by an all-woman team, gets a release date". The New Indian Express. 4 July 2023. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
5. "Aachar & Co: The movie is about love and family, says co-writer Kanan Gill". OTTplay. 14 July 2023. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
6. S, Pranati A. "Kannada cinema: Debut directors shine in 2023". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
7. "Inspiration for Achar & Co's music came from my home: Bindumalini". The New Indian Express. 27 July 2023. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
8. "Aachar & Co's Bengaluru's Suprabhata is a nostalgia-filled hit among netizens". OTTPlay. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
9. "The Pickle Song from Aachar & Co.: Bindhumalini's song is deliciously witty, whimsical". OTTPlay. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
10. S., Sridevi (29 July 2023). "Aachar & Co. Movie Review : From Aachar to achar, this simple, nostalgic film works in parts". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
11. Mruthyunjaya, Vijay (29 July 2023). "Sweet Bengaluru nostalgia and a comedown". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
12. Reddy, Y. Maheswara (27 July 2023). "Achar & Co Movie Review: A glimpse into Bangalore". Bangalore Mirror. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
13. S. M., Shashiprasad (26 July 2023). "Aachar & Co. review: This simple coming-of-age tale is best watched with parents and grandparents". The South First. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
14. Sharadhaa, A. (29 July 2023). "'Achar & Co' movie review: A flavourful and heartwarming trip down memory lane". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
15. M. V., Vivek (28 July 2023). "'Aachar & Co.' movie review: Partly nostalgic period drama lacks emotional punch". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
16. Shuklaji (28 July 2023). "Aachar & Co review: Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy's film is endearing, but lacks depth". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 28 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
17. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/sindhu-murthy-on-bafta-nod-its-a-huge-validation-that-im-on-the-right-path/amp_articleshow/115597743.cms

External links

• Aachar & Co at IMDb