# Aramm

**Aramm** (Tamil: அறம், transliterated *Aram*, meaning "virtue") is a 2017 Indian Tamil-language political drama film written and directed by Gopi Nainar in his directorial debut, starring [Nayanthara](https://www.edgepedia.org/nayanthara) as District Collector Madhivadhani.<sup>[1](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies/22095-aramm-2017)</sup> The story follows a four-year-old girl who falls into an open borewell (narrow drilled well shaft; children can fall in and become trapped) in a drought-stricken village, and the rescue mission that becomes a professional and personal crisis for the district collector.<sup>[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/aramm/movie-review/61594479.cms)</sup> Produced by Kotapadi J Rajesh under KJR Studios, the film was released on 10 November 2017, received positive reviews, and was a commercial success.<sup>[3](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%28%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%29)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writer | Gopi Nainar, his directorial debut<sup>[4](https://chennaifilmfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/festival-book.pdf)</sup> |
| Lead role | Nayanthara as IAS officer Madhivadhani, the district collector<sup>[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/aramm)</sup> |
| Release | 10 November 2017, Tamil language, India<sup>[3](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%28%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%29)</sup> |
| Runtime | 119 minutes (BBFC: 119m 17s)<sup>[6](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/aramm-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zotiwody)</sup> |
| Music | Ghibran; cinematography by Om Prakash<sup>[7](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDW_vJIeGzA)</sup> |
| Certification | U (all ages) from the CBFC<sup>[8](https://m.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/aramm/aramm-review.html)</sup> |
| Recognition | Best Film at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for 2017<sup>[9](https://www.tnpscthervupettagam.com/assets/home/media/general/doc/February_01_-_Tamil3.pdf)</sup> |

## Spoilers

### Plot and themes

The film is set in Kattur (also spelled Kattoor), a backward seaside village in [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu) where residents suffer an acute shortage of potable water and travel kilometers to collect drinking water.<sup>[10](https://onlookersmedia.in/reviews/aramm-review-tamil-cinemas-best-this-year/amp/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://m.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/aramm/aramm-review.html)</sup> The first half establishes the village's water crisis and a family: painter [Yugendran](https://www.edgepedia.org/yugendran) (Ramachandran Durairaj), his wife Sumathi (Sunu Lakshmi), and their children, including son Muthu (Ramesh of *Kaaka Muttai* fame), who dreams of becoming a swimming champion.<sup>[11](https://chennaivision.com/tamil-movies/aramm-movie-review/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/aramm/movie-review/61594479.cms)</sup>

The turning point comes when the young daughter Dhanshika falls into a deep borewell, and her rescue becomes a huge professional and personal challenge for Madhivadhani while the incident turns into a media blitz.<sup>[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/aramm/movie-review/61594479.cms)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[11](https://chennaivision.com/tamil-movies/aramm-movie-review/)</sup> The film unfolds as an enquiry into the incident, with the collector questioned by her superior, and uses the rescue to comment on official apathy, the greed of power-hungry politicians, and the urban-rural divide.<sup>[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/aramm/movie-review/61594479.cms)</sup> Director Gopi Nainar repeatedly draws an analogy between a rocket launch celebrated by the nation and the girl trapped underground, signifying that as one India soars, another sinks.<sup>[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/aramm/movie-review/61594479.cms)</sup> The British Board of Film Classification described the content as prolonged, claustrophobic threat to a girl whose prospect of survival seems small, with an intense rescue mission against the clock, and noted that the film includes images of real bore hole rescues.<sup>[6](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/aramm-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zotiwody)</sup>

The film treats water scarcity as a political issue directly. In one scene a villager asks Madhivadhani for a "medicine for thirst," a question that leaves her speechless; the Times of India review noted that villagers drink salt water while officials have mineral water at hand.<sup>[12](https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/sensible-woman-lead-aramm-moral-attempt-genuine-cinema-71486)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[13](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/tamil/2017/Nov/10/aramm-a-powerful-film-that-doesnt-flinch-from-asking-tough-questions-3006.html)</sup> Nainar said the film is not anti-government, arguing that "the people are the government," and that the story shows the government not doing enough when ordinary people are affected.<sup>[14](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/aramm-story-is-not-related-to-the-kaththi-controversy-director-gopi-nainar-4930119/lite/)</sup>

## Production

Nainar, also known as Minjur Gopi, wrote the script without assigning a gender to the collector role and spent about a year seeking a producer; many production houses questioned its commercial viability because he insisted on omitting songs and other commercial elements.<sup>[14](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/aramm-story-is-not-related-to-the-kaththi-controversy-director-gopi-nainar-4930119/lite/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[15](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/tamil/2017/Nov/09/we-can-expect-to-make-enemies-nayantara-starrer-aramm-director-gopi-nainar-1696023.html)</sup> A friend introduced him to Rajesh of KJR Studios, who arranged a meeting with Nayanthara. According to Nainar, she agreed to the project within minutes of the narration, telling him it was now her responsibility to get the film made.<sup>[15](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/tamil/2017/Nov/09/we-can-expect-to-make-enemies-nayantara-starrer-aramm-director-gopi-nainar-1696023.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[16](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/flix/aramm-wins-over-rajinikanth-superstar-lauds-entire-team-71595)</sup> "I did not choose ma'am. When I narrated the story to Nayanthara ma'am, she was in the position to choose me," the director told [Behindwoods](https://www.edgepedia.org/behindwoods).<sup>[17](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/director-gopi-nainar-talks-about-how-aramm-went-to-nayanthara.html)</sup>

Shooting took place in arid southern Tamil Nadu: although the story's backdrop is North Tamil Nadu, the chosen location had unexpected rains, so the unit moved to a village in Ramanathapuram district, where blistering heat caused crew members to faint daily; the shoot wrapped in under a month.<sup>[15](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/tamil/2017/Nov/09/we-can-expect-to-make-enemies-nayantara-starrer-aramm-director-gopi-nainar-1696023.html)</sup> The technical team included composer Ghibran, cinematographer [Om Prakash](https://www.edgepedia.org/om-prakash), art director Lalgudi N Ilayaraja, and stunt choreographer [Peter Hein](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-hein); the climax scenes involved almost 1,000 junior artists.<sup>[7](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDW_vJIeGzA)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[18](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/flix/ar-rahman-releases-teaser-nayanthara-film-aramm-59954)</sup> Om Prakash said he used gray color schemes and special lenses to convey a contaminated, lifeless landscape and to instill fear in the borewell sequences.<sup>[19](https://www.studioflicks.com/interview/cinematographer-om-prakash-about-aramm/)</sup> Credit listings disagree on the editor: Behindwoods credits Ruben, while Nowrunning and the teaser credits name Gopi Krishna.<sup>[8](https://m.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/aramm/aramm-review.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[20](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/20026/tamil/aramm/cast-and-crew/)</sup>

## Release and reception

Academy Award-winning composer [A. R. Rahman](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-r-rahman) released the film's teaser on 5 April 2017, dedicating it to farmers; the teaser highlighted issues facing farmers and deaths caused by water scarcity.<sup>[18](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/flix/ar-rahman-releases-teaser-nayanthara-film-aramm-59954)</sup> Sun Network acquired the satellite rights while the film was in post-production.<sup>[21](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/tamil/sun-tv-bags-the-satellite-rights-of-nayantharas-aramm/articleshow/59383378.cms)</sup> The film was screened in the Tamil Film Competition at the 15th Chennai International Film Festival in December 2017.<sup>[4](https://chennaifilmfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/festival-book.pdf)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[22](https://chennaifilmfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/day1.pdf)</sup>

Reviews were positive. The Times of India gave 3.5 out of 5, calling it effective both as a tense rescue thriller and as hard-hitting socio-political commentary, and noting that the film asks Nayanthara to step into the shoes of a mass hero, which she does in style.<sup>[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/aramm/movie-review/61594479.cms)</sup> [Hindustan Times](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindustan-times) critic Haricharan Pudipeddi also rated it 3.5, writing that Nayanthara shines in a very strong role.<sup>[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/aramm)</sup> The News Minute praised the film for not making its heroine a superwoman with a handy solution for every social issue, noting that Madhivadhani is aware of her limitations.<sup>[12](https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/sensible-woman-lead-aramm-moral-attempt-genuine-cinema-71486)</sup> On Rotten Tomatoes the film held a Tomatometer score of 62% based on three reviews.<sup>[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/aramm)</sup> After release, [Rajinikanth](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajinikanth) lauded the team for delivering a hard-hitting film.<sup>[16](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/flix/aramm-wins-over-rajinikanth-superstar-lauds-entire-team-71595)</sup>

The Tamil Nadu state government's announcement of the state film awards for 2016 to 2022 listed Aramm as the Best Film for 2017.<sup>[9](https://www.tnpscthervupettagam.com/assets/home/media/general/doc/February_01_-_Tamil3.pdf)</sup> The film is available for streaming on Sun NXT and ManoramaMAX.<sup>[1](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies/22095-aramm-2017)</sup>

## Context in Tamil cinema

Scholarship on twenty-first-century [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema) lists Aramm among the women-centric films the industry released in the 2010s, alongside *Magalir Mattum*, *Irudhi Suttru*, *Aruvi*, *Amma Kanakku*, and *36 Vayadhinile*, in an industry otherwise dominated by male heroes and hero-centered narratives.<sup>[23](https://api.pageplace.de/preview/DT0400.9780429520761_A40636651/preview-9780429520761_A40636651.pdf)</sup> An academic survey of female-centric South Indian films likewise cites Aramm as an example of the trend, noting that its story of an empty borewell in a rural area brings to light the issue of children falling into such wells and losing their lives.<sup>[24](https://www.ijoes.in/papers/v6isss2/PROV-FINAL.pdf)</sup> Silverscreen India's review observed that the film gives a woman the treatment usually reserved for male leads, including a low-angle closing shot in which the character towers over the camera.<sup>[25](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/reviews/aramm-review-nayanthara-gets-a-heros-treatment-in-this-poignant-drama/)</sup>

## References

1. [Aramm (2017) – GudVibe](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies/22095-aramm-2017)
2. [Aramm Movie Review {3.5/5}, M Suganth, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/aramm/movie-review/61594479.cms)
3. [அறம் (திரைப்படம்), தமிழர்விக்கி](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%28%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%29)
4. [15th Chennai International Film Festival book](https://chennaifilmfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/festival-book.pdf)
5. [Aramm, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/aramm)
6. [ARAMM, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/aramm-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zotiwody)
7. [Aramm Official Teaser, Think Music India, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDW_vJIeGzA)
8. [Aramm (aka) Aram review, Behindwoods](https://m.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/aramm/aramm-review.html)
9. [Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 2016–2022 announcement, TNPSC Thervupettagam](https://www.tnpscthervupettagam.com/assets/home/media/general/doc/February_01_-_Tamil3.pdf)
10. [Aramm Review: Tamil cinema's best this year, Onlookers Media](https://onlookersmedia.in/reviews/aramm-review-tamil-cinemas-best-this-year/amp/)
11. [Aramm Movie Review, Chennaivision](https://chennaivision.com/tamil-movies/aramm-movie-review/)
12. [With a sensible woman lead, 'Aramm' is a moral attempt at genuine cinema, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/sensible-woman-lead-aramm-moral-attempt-genuine-cinema-71486)
13. [Aramm: A powerful film that doesn't flinch from asking tough questions, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/tamil/2017/Nov/10/aramm-a-powerful-film-that-doesnt-flinch-from-asking-tough-questions-3006.html)
14. [Aramm's story is not related to the Kaththi controversy: Director Gopi Nainar, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/aramm-story-is-not-related-to-the-kaththi-controversy-director-gopi-nainar-4930119/lite/)
15. [We can expect to make enemies: Aramm Director Gopi Nainar, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/tamil/2017/Nov/09/we-can-expect-to-make-enemies-nayantara-starrer-aramm-director-gopi-nainar-1696023.html)
16. ['Aramm' wins over Rajinikanth, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/flix/aramm-wins-over-rajinikanth-superstar-lauds-entire-team-71595)
17. [Director Gopi Nainar talks about how Aramm went to Nayanthara, Behindwoods](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/director-gopi-nainar-talks-about-how-aramm-went-to-nayanthara.html)
18. [AR Rahman releases teaser of Nayanthara film Aramm, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/flix/ar-rahman-releases-teaser-nayanthara-film-aramm-59954)
19. [Cinematographer Om Prakash about 'Aramm', StudioFlicks](https://www.studioflicks.com/interview/cinematographer-om-prakash-about-aramm/)
20. [Aramm Cast and Crew, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/20026/tamil/aramm/cast-and-crew/)
21. [Sun TV bags the satellite rights of Nayanthara's Aramm, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/tamil/sun-tv-bags-the-satellite-rights-of-nayantharas-aramm/articleshow/59383378.cms)
22. [15th CIFF screening schedule](https://chennaifilmfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/day1.pdf)
23. [Tamil Cinema in the Twenty-First Century: Caste, Gender, and Technology, Routledge](https://api.pageplace.de/preview/DT0400.9780429520761_A40636651/preview-9780429520761_A40636651.pdf)
24. [Women-Centric Films – The New Trend of South Indian Cinema, International Journal of Engineering Science](https://www.ijoes.in/papers/v6isss2/PROV-FINAL.pdf)
25. [Aramm Review: Nayanthara Gets A Hero's Treatment In This Poignant Drama, Silverscreen India](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/reviews/aramm-review-nayanthara-gets-a-heros-treatment-in-this-poignant-drama/)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Tamil films of the 2010s › Tamil drama films of the 2010s*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

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