As someone described it as "sinster version of The Lunchbox" - yeah.
P.S The lead actress is so beautiful. 😍
P.S The lead actress is so beautiful. 😍
98 Reviews
The Lunchbox of another world.
riddhimaakaritu30 April 2020
MAMI MFF Review: Aamis (8 Stars)
nairtejas23 October 2019
In Aamis (Ravening; English: Meat), the central male character Googles 'platonic love' soon after he admits to himself that he has fallen for an older woman. It is a hint to the type of turn that the relationship between the two characters will then take as the story proceeds, so beautifully it feels like you are having a full-course meal with unlimited supply of your favourite dishes. It paves the way for the genuinely novel plot as the characters find themselves losing self-control and being hypnotized by their own desires. The female character utters how gluttony is not a good thing right at the beginning and that gives another hint to what might ensue, despite the sweet little spark that burgeons between them as director Bhaskar Hazarika puts them into a traditional rink of relationships. The story about a young anthropology scholar and a successful paediatrician who is married, with a kid, is as eccentric as the idea of squeezing a type of bug, oozing all its liquids out, and then munching on it either to satisfy hunger or get an intoxicating trip. But what sets Aamis apart from other romantic stories chafing physical and emotional boundaries between the participants is that it gives you a new definition about platonic love. The concept of sharing one's body with another person takes a new meaning here and one that corroborates that carnivorous makeup of homo sapiens. This Assamese crime drama makes the normal likable characters explore the various possibilities that the idea of 'edible meat' brings to their table as well as their palate whether it is trying out bat meat or avoiding broiler chicken for organic alternatives. The enterprising cast of Lima Das (beautiful and so emotive) and Arghadeep Baruah (with a dovelike performance) push the movie forward and make it far more delightful than it actually is, often shooting bulbs of original humour at you. With themes such as acute carnivory, illicit love affairs, societal dogma, and psychosis forming the bizarre story and making you think about your own eating habits as well as the relationship with your loved ones, Aamis makes you feel like life is, after all, absurd. But not as absurd or obnoxious or outlandish as the things that happen in the final 30 minutes of this film that is hard to describe without using up all the synonyms for the word 'bizarre'. It is nothing like you have ever seen before in Indian cinema. But vegans, strict vegetarians (lots of sequences involving meat-based foods but no violence or gore), and environmentalists are cautioned that they should go in with an open mind. But go in they should for this is about more than the love for meat-eating. TN.
(Watched and reviewed at its India premiere at the 21st MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.)
(Watched and reviewed at its India premiere at the 21st MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.)
Sadistically Sophisticated!!
plabitabaruah24 November 2019
Once in a bluemoon do we get to witness art in a form so rare and raw that it strikes the exact chords in your heart where it rings. Aamis is a chilling tale of two ordinary people with ordinary lives who ordinarily bumps into one another leading to yet another ordinary start of a ordinary affair which results in an extraordinary tale of love, lust, longing and life. The story of a beautiful lady in her late thirties, who is a doctor by profession and a caring mother and a doting wife in her personal life developing a baffling chemistry with a young PhD student doing research in meat eating habits of people in Northeast India. What starts as a sweet attraction and an innocent bond over the love of food turns into a dangerous and spine chilling addiction of bizarre kind. With both the leads playing along effortlessly, the movie takes you from what seems like a pleasant dive into calm waters to a twisted lunge into deeper and darker depths that takes the meaning of platonic love to a whole new level. A quality film in all aspects, Aamis blends the flavors of drama, romance, suspense and psychological thriller into the perfect two hours of entertainment that leaves you wanting for more at the end. Sadistically sophisticated, this is a must see for all adventurous movie aficionados who loves to explore the unconventional, defying- the-norms forms of Indian cinema.
Must Watch!
bibhashrajbongshi24 November 2019
Weird, Haunting, Mesmerising and Beautiful
swarnavasen13 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
My interpretation of the movie is that
the meat symbolises love and sexual act. The protagonists are unable to express their natural feelings due to our social and moral norms and they find 'meat', a way to express that feeling.
Sumon calls her 'baido'(elder sister) and Nirmali is also open to her husband about Sumon as she invites him for dinner.
When Sumon is scared to touch her, thus failing to get physical with her, he discovers the idea to give her his flesh. This act probaby symbolises sexual intercourse as Sumon is getting inside her body. When Nirmali eats the meat she founds it very tasty and soon Nirmali gets addicted to the stuff. We can see her feeling ecstatic as she flies in the sky after consuming the meat that probably signifies orgasm. At the end we can finally see Nirmali touching Sumon's hand for the first time as their true identity is revealed to everyone. They have no one to be afraid of. They have lost everything and by losing everything they have found eachother.
The human flesh can also be interpreted as the 'forbidden fruit'. The forbidden meat makes them to commit the sin i.e. gluttony and sets them to the path of crime.
The weird thing is that one can relate to the protagonists. Nirmali, a lonely woman who seeks the company of a young adventurous man. She gets addicted to the 'forbidden'. Sumon who selflessly provides her with his parts of body and even murders a man. The same man with whom the movie starts alongside the other two(the rickshaw driver). The man becomes the collateral damage. Despite the protagonists have a twisted psychological mindset and follow the path of crime, somehow they are very much human and relatable. They are as close to as your friends and neighbors. We all have a 'Sumon' and 'Nirmali' within ourselves and that is just haunting.
One of the central theme of the movie can be summarised by a dialogue from the movie itself, " Actually, the definition of 'normal' isn't universal. When it comes to eating meat what's normal for you... May be abnormal for others."
Thus the movie deals with north-eastern food habits, platonic love, lust, desire, repressing thoughts, spiritual love, forbidden love, murder and gluttony. The screenplay, cinematography, acting and the background score is mesmerising. The atmosphere of Guahati can be easily felt. The BGM and the off screen violence was chilling and will send you to a translucent state. This movie is not meant for everyone but still a must watch.
When Sumon is scared to touch her, thus failing to get physical with her, he discovers the idea to give her his flesh. This act probaby symbolises sexual intercourse as Sumon is getting inside her body. When Nirmali eats the meat she founds it very tasty and soon Nirmali gets addicted to the stuff. We can see her feeling ecstatic as she flies in the sky after consuming the meat that probably signifies orgasm. At the end we can finally see Nirmali touching Sumon's hand for the first time as their true identity is revealed to everyone. They have no one to be afraid of. They have lost everything and by losing everything they have found eachother.
The human flesh can also be interpreted as the 'forbidden fruit'. The forbidden meat makes them to commit the sin i.e. gluttony and sets them to the path of crime.
The weird thing is that one can relate to the protagonists. Nirmali, a lonely woman who seeks the company of a young adventurous man. She gets addicted to the 'forbidden'. Sumon who selflessly provides her with his parts of body and even murders a man. The same man with whom the movie starts alongside the other two(the rickshaw driver). The man becomes the collateral damage. Despite the protagonists have a twisted psychological mindset and follow the path of crime, somehow they are very much human and relatable. They are as close to as your friends and neighbors. We all have a 'Sumon' and 'Nirmali' within ourselves and that is just haunting.
One of the central theme of the movie can be summarised by a dialogue from the movie itself, " Actually, the definition of 'normal' isn't universal. When it comes to eating meat what's normal for you... May be abnormal for others."
Thus the movie deals with north-eastern food habits, platonic love, lust, desire, repressing thoughts, spiritual love, forbidden love, murder and gluttony. The screenplay, cinematography, acting and the background score is mesmerising. The atmosphere of Guahati can be easily felt. The BGM and the off screen violence was chilling and will send you to a translucent state. This movie is not meant for everyone but still a must watch.
You are sucked into the Story...you can't help.
kabir-hazarika1 December 2019
Some stories run seamless and you become a part of the narrative ~ engrossed and emotions play out in your mind...you are no longer an audience.
Aamis is definitely one of them. You feel the characters, Dr. Nirmali's inner transitions or Sumon's desperation.
For me it s a full on "watch again" movie...all credit goes to the writer-director, Bhaskar, his cast and the entire team. He has succeeded in giving the audience back what they didn't come for.
In all it's subtleness the movie takes you deeper into a realm you never thought could become so dominant by the time the it ends...the ripples reached my dinner table...Aamis or Niraamis? But thankfully I managed my emotions well...it was Aamis for me.
But effect lives on...
Aamis is definitely one of them. You feel the characters, Dr. Nirmali's inner transitions or Sumon's desperation.
For me it s a full on "watch again" movie...all credit goes to the writer-director, Bhaskar, his cast and the entire team. He has succeeded in giving the audience back what they didn't come for.
In all it's subtleness the movie takes you deeper into a realm you never thought could become so dominant by the time the it ends...the ripples reached my dinner table...Aamis or Niraamis? But thankfully I managed my emotions well...it was Aamis for me.
But effect lives on...
Disturnbingly delicious
ppbaruah0924 November 2019
There are movies which follow the popular trend and whose story can be easily predicted and there there are those movies which break the stereotyping and give the audience absolutely a new kind of taste. Amis falls firmly in the second category. With a story that gives a weird definition to love, Aamis will haunt you for many hours after you leave the theater.
The only complain I have is that the ending could have been a bit different . I mean a 'wanting for more' kinda ending would have been a perfect desert (at least for me).
Unusual Shakespearean man 'MEATS' women romance when they 'meat'!
samxxxul25 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
First of all, this was one of the most beautiful viewing experiences committed to the celluloid. A great film from director/writer Bhaskar Hazarika,this is an extraordinary piece of drama bathed in atmosphere, haunting score by Quan bay and from the opening scenes as the viewer sees straight away this isn't going to be an usual type of film.
"Aamis" uses a very disturbing metaphor that if people allowed themselves the chance to see and take the time to discuss, could be very influential long term, which demands further discussion and thought. My favourite scene will be the dream sequence in the 2nd half, the frame soaks in a Kafkaesque reality. A must watch for serious movie buffs, go see this with caution, also with an open mind.
"Aamis" uses a very disturbing metaphor that if people allowed themselves the chance to see and take the time to discuss, could be very influential long term, which demands further discussion and thought. My favourite scene will be the dream sequence in the 2nd half, the frame soaks in a Kafkaesque reality. A must watch for serious movie buffs, go see this with caution, also with an open mind.
Be prepared to get uneasy in this beautiful tale
shravanmes1 December 2019
I do not understand Assamese language. I wasn't even aware they had a film industry there. Got a few recommendations on YouTube and I rented this movie online just to give it a try. I was blown away by the unusual story line. The movie whichs initially starts as a new found friendship between a young research scholar and a married doctor, turns into an intriguing discovery of their shared love for food. Sometimes, there is a very thin line between doing something we love and doing something that's wrong. The movie shows this transition making us realise how a need could turn into an ugly thirst for more.
Unique Concept in a Regional Movie But Somehow Predictable for Regular Foreign Movie Watchers!
nitishkumarmohanta15 April 2020
(This is the very First Time I am going to Write an IMDB Review! )
It was my First Assamese Regional Movie.. i liked it.. but deep inside I felt that, Something this type of things (those who watched will get my point) gonna Happen in the middle of the Movie! It's Not Everyone's cup of Tea! But If you're in touch of some Mystery, Crime Genre movies of Hollywood or Any Foreign movies then you can easily Predict this Movie's theme a Bit!
Anyways from my side it will be 7 Out of 10 Stars!
Fresh Debutant are Just Amazing to watch.. i Loved their Expressions of Odd-Love! But This theme take us all into a Dark-Story, which may be Uncomfortable to Watch for Some sort of Peoples!
Well placed
abichoudhury25 January 2020
Appetite for Taboo
Anik9911 September 2020
Be warned, Aamis is not for everyone. You must have a strong stomach to take it in, and also enjoy the charm. The director never derailed from from the original concept, the growing love between the two main leads finally bloomed in an unnatural way. Everything in this movie stands for the forbidden - she's forbidden for him, and he's forbidden for her, sexually, and so they find a way to connect, touch, share a piece of each other. They have sinned, together, but not the typical sin one would be expecting throughout the movie. In the end, it was up to the audience what to do with them, love the way they loved, or hate them.
Waste of time!
user-264-89337515 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I went by the highly positive reviews of this crap film and I regret after wasting 2 hrs , don't know what message was being conveyed ??... why would I feed my lover with my own flesh if I can't have sex with her?? And if my lover became a cannibal because of that , I would now murder someone to satisfy her and this my platonic love??? And finally we got caught & exposed in public and for sure spending rest of the time behind bars or in some rehab, why???
Haunting obsession for love
anubhabnandy10 May 2020
The trailer suggested this movie to have some unexpected twists and turns in a romantic relationship.But it never even hinted about the dark and realistic often undiscovered territory of the human mind that is showcased in the
second half of the film.
Like many other romantic movies this movie opens up with a normal relationship building up from day to day events.The character played by Lima Das named as Nirmali is a pediatric surgent and with a sudden turn of fate somehow meets the male protagonist Suman played by Arkaprava Barua. Though by the first half it was clear that Nirmali is married and this relationship was sort of extramarital but that was pretty common in movies like this.
The original twist comes in the second half of the movie.This slow pace of events through out the entire runtime was the main catalyst to what comes next.The change in the tone of the movie was so gradual that it slips right under our skins and we only realize it at the end of the story that whatever we were watching is just a twisted representation of human obssessions. The story is revealed in such a flawless fashion that we cannot even fathom to realize for a moment the signs of extreme darkness lurking around every scenes .
Aamis is a Bengali-Assamese word which generally means non-veg.Both of the protagonists have this common trait of love for non veg dishes.However a twisted enough meaning of this word is more than enough to describe the true nature of the movie or story to unfold.The English naming of this movie "Ravening" is more suitable to describe it.
Like many other romantic movies this movie opens up with a normal relationship building up from day to day events.The character played by Lima Das named as Nirmali is a pediatric surgent and with a sudden turn of fate somehow meets the male protagonist Suman played by Arkaprava Barua. Though by the first half it was clear that Nirmali is married and this relationship was sort of extramarital but that was pretty common in movies like this.
The original twist comes in the second half of the movie.This slow pace of events through out the entire runtime was the main catalyst to what comes next.The change in the tone of the movie was so gradual that it slips right under our skins and we only realize it at the end of the story that whatever we were watching is just a twisted representation of human obssessions. The story is revealed in such a flawless fashion that we cannot even fathom to realize for a moment the signs of extreme darkness lurking around every scenes .
Aamis is a Bengali-Assamese word which generally means non-veg.Both of the protagonists have this common trait of love for non veg dishes.However a twisted enough meaning of this word is more than enough to describe the true nature of the movie or story to unfold.The English naming of this movie "Ravening" is more suitable to describe it.
Picture Perfect among Indian Cinema
cheks-0460216 May 2020
This movie is really a milestone in Indian cinema to portray an abstract idea so realistically. The story is very strong and intricate at the same time. The music score really brings all of it together so well. I even liked the casting. But thanks for this great movie. It does redefine place of indian cinema and story telling. Must watch for movie explorers. Highly recommended!
Masterpiece
iftekharwafid13 May 2020
Hard to digest, but.......
psychojisan11 May 2020
Bizarre film with an extraordinary ending.
jayantasaha-581951 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A slow-paced dark fantasy horror story. It revolves around Sumon, a bachelor pursuing his Ph. D., and Nirmali, a married doctor. Sumon can't express his feelings physically (the scene of eating a badger's meat), and it doesn't happen until the climax. How can love be expressed without breaking the rules? The protagonist decides to feed his flesh to his beloved to initiate a physical connection. Metaphorically, the saying "You are what you eat" holds true here. Like a man-eater tiger if someone tastes the flesh of a human, they can never be satisfied with any other meat. Nirmali symbolically turns into that tigress. This becomes a problem for the protagonist as if his plan backfires. In the ending scene by touching fingers, they show that they have moved beyond society's judgments and are not affected by them. It's a complete pleasing isolation. In the words of the poet Rumi, "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there."
The forbidden
suprabhattacharya2 April 2020
Nicely plotted but very disturbing
ashraf-208-1638076 June 2020
The movie is well plotted but for me, the development of the story was very shocking and disturbing. Both main actors did a good job. However, if you are easily disturbed, stay away from this one as it can get you really sick and you won't be able to eat anything (specially meat) for days!
Disturbingly surprised
vinayshardul13 May 2020
It's lunchbox type love story, which at the end will play with your mind and disturbs you.
I watch this movies with English subtitles after reading reviews and yes truely worth it.
Please don't watch if you are a faint hearted. This movie stay in your mind for long. Take risk on your own.
I watch this movies with English subtitles after reading reviews and yes truely worth it.
Please don't watch if you are a faint hearted. This movie stay in your mind for long. Take risk on your own.
Brave
devburmansaptarshi2 December 2020
Aamis is a brave attempt to cinema. But it has it's flaws. Pacing is considerably the major reason. The run-time is 108 minutes with nearly 70% of it is filled with a Blooming relationship between a PHD male student and a female doctor. The final act escalates the movie to whole new level, then falls face first to the ground. Leaving an unimaginable void. Although a fun watch. And supporting independent filmmakers is the need of the hour.
Veg people stay away from this
msubhedar3 October 2021
I don't understand the purpose of movie. Instead of movie it should be an episode of crime petrol. Meat meat and meat that's all. Nothing is there except that. I still don't know why people are reviewing this 8-10 stars. Please watch it and then review.
Beautifully bizzare
ukundu23 December 2019
I'm speechless ,hats off to the courageous director , producer and writer & actor actress too, for bravely making this kind of film .BECAUSE OF ITS UNUSUAL AND MIND BLOWING STORYLINE,THIS MOVIE IS DEFINITELY NOT FOR EVERYONE , YOU SHOULD HAVE A STRONG DIGESTION POWER, A STRONG DIGESTION POWER OF MIND ,HEART.
THIE FILM IS BEAUTIFULLY BIZZARE, I LIKE IT. AND YES THE BGM SOUNDTRACKS OF GIVES IT A EXTRA BENEFIT TO ENTER AUDIENCE'S HEAD .
THIE FILM IS BEAUTIFULLY BIZZARE, I LIKE IT. AND YES THE BGM SOUNDTRACKS OF GIVES IT A EXTRA BENEFIT TO ENTER AUDIENCE'S HEAD .
mind-blown
somyaparashar-0775612 May 2020
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