AXONE questions the Stereotypes in a flavorful and humorous tone

Still from AXONE

A grounded yet subtly minimalist in its approach, Axone wakes up question of nationalism yet revolves around the varied emotions in a bowl of traditional flavor of Nagaland. This movie in a surprisingly strong approach questions about humanity, its ideologies, stereotypes and norms which are still persisting around the globe in a state of utmost insanity and gore. It showcases different religion domains and their persistence through this battle of race and cultural ethnicity. Axone yet tries to recreate the essenceful magic that dwells in the platter that serves the North-East brilliance.

Director Nicholas Kharkongor creates an atmosphere evolving the varied chapters of human life and elevating the surface deep reality penned down by his own personal experience. This is a common notion pin pointed by our so-called countryman thorough the evolution of time and space, that a human on basis of his looks, his complexion and lifestyle is judged all around the globe, either it be a Muslim, Sikh, African- Negro, Nepalese or North Eastern’s, people are allowed to looked down and throw comments onto you without realizing the human centered emotions and aesthetics.

Axone or Akhuni been a signature dish made with fermented soya bean, holds the rhythm of the culture keeping the tone of the movie loud from its context. It delivers quite humor, with some parts showcasing the natural events yet the human possessed activity that throws wit, which even allows chaos to join is outstandingly surfaced by the director.

The story centers around two pivotal characters Upasana (Sayani Gupta) and Chanbi ( Lin Laishram) and their quest to create the traditional flavor of Nagaland Axone for their friend and bride-to-be Minam (Asenla Jamir) with some turbulent up’s and down’s which keeps the tone and puts the chord on the right note. It throws light on various human- carved emotions through its long-running minutes, dealing with questions about love, betrayal, broadening the conflicts among the characters and widens the notion of atrocity against women. Sayani Gupta flawlessly gripping up the Nepalese accent, that’s single handedly is the most crucial elements evoking layers of human persona and introducing wit to the screen with Lin Laishram giving up a rhythm push has to be the flavorful experience.

Veteran actor’s Dolly Ahluwalia (Nani) and Vinay Pathak put forth a strong and commendable performance even in a limited space time, holding the strings strong across the edges never falling apart. The characters of Nani (the landlady) possess her ideological notion towards her tenants (Upasana and Chanbi) that questions the societal norms and stereotypes perpetuated severely in the diverse minds.

The dilapidated morality is pushed in the scene where a group of friends are calling people in their own native language (showcasing the wide diversity emerging through the lanes of Old Delhi) to help them find a place to cook the traditional flavor of Nagaland the Axone which the landlady has disapproved, which throws light on the moral tradition been demeaned on the wider surface. Lines- "Tumlog sale sab ek jese dikhte ho” to “ Apki akhen itni choti hai kya puri dewar dikhti hai aapko", questions the nature of human ideologies through decade long existence, we have lived with disgrace with equality still at stake for millions of migrant out there still getting crushed by the harsh voices stinging them around the nation. This fear of exclusion, isolation is seen prominently when Bendong (Lanuakum Ao) utters “Fucking Indian” to Shiv (Rohan Joshi) after losing his calm to the atrocities faced over the years. It’s not them it’s us where we have divided the line between humanity and insanity closer to inexistence.

Axone carries various strong elements that questions the societies existence yet keeping the subject raw and fresh in this traditional bowl of delicacy with compact storyline and real approach by the characters make it more surreal to witness. If you want to ponder around human emotions yet breathing the aroma of Nagaland dive into the 1 hr. 40 min journey of the preparations of diverse elements creating the hot- ready to be served Axone into your platter.