Jaishankar Aryar’s Shivamma Yarehanchinala, which has won several awards at film festivals across the globe, was a crowd favourite at the recently held Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes). Organisers added extra shows, and the film’s final few screenings witnessed mad rush for seats. Given this reputation, it’s ironic that Shivamma Yarehanchinala, produced by Rishab Shetty, is less of a festival film and more of an entertainer suited for the masses.
The story doesn’t demand you to read between the lines. The film isn’t driven by technical mastery. Instead, Shivamma Yarehanchinala is a delightful comedy with a unique story, elevated by simple drama and subtle humour.
The movie begins with a bunch of women in a village jogging and exercising in saree. The scene is meant to generate giggles, but you feel the necessity of these homemakers to stay physically fit in the very next scene, when you see the men in the village either being lazy or unwell, putting the burden of managing household chores on women. Shivamma (Sharanamma Chetty) is different from the rest.
Of course, she works hard to run the family, which involves her ailing husband, college-going son, and a daughter who is set to get married. But unlike other women in her village, she is ambitious about her personal growth. Her spirited attitude convinces her to take up a second gig apart from her regular job of a cook at a government school.
Shivamma gets into a direct selling business (resembling Pon.