Lived in Munirka, Delhi during my 3 university years. I totally feel it in my bones what the movie tried to bring across. Loved the Diversity Ethnic colors, differences & the battle with mainland Indian.
I also lived in south India where I felt non of the above differences highlighted in the movie.
Love the movie makers attempt to educate those who are not aware of how diverse & rich India is with ethnicity. And also how much more we have to be tolerant with our rich God gifted indigenous ethnicity rather than duel in our box.
For the movie to become global, we desperately needs more.
74 Reviews
Simple and Powerful
jalesa64213 June 2020
No masaala, right to the point. Excellent acting by all cast. Some nice symbolic acting of shop watcher. Extra Kudos to Shiv character, awesome!!
When we talk about Floyd at his time of year, racism, discrimination, is everywhere in many different form (religion, caste, race, profession, place of birth, your eye shape, skin color, rich, poor, etc.) but in between all this unfortunate circumstances, there is pure warmth of friends, families, and many nice people. Peace !!
When we talk about Floyd at his time of year, racism, discrimination, is everywhere in many different form (religion, caste, race, profession, place of birth, your eye shape, skin color, rich, poor, etc.) but in between all this unfortunate circumstances, there is pure warmth of friends, families, and many nice people. Peace !!
A witty, hard-hitting attempt to convey the plight of Northeast Indians! [+62%]
arungeorge1314 June 2020
Axone (pronounced Akhuni), named after a traditional Naga dish, is a bittersweet film portraying the struggles faced by Northeastern Indians in the national capital of New Delhi. Directed by Nicholas Kharkongor, the story revolves around a group of North-easterners getting together to host a wedding party in an apartment and their attempt to cook a special dish for the occasion.
The racial slurs, the out-of-place feels, the sexist comments, the hampering of the right to cook and consume what one wants - all of these pains are packed into a neat 97-minute film that also raises a toast to the lives of these regular people. Each of the lead characters (Upasna, Chanbi, Minam) manage to leave an impression. The supporting cast is okay-to-good, with some getting remarkable scenes to themselves (like the drunk friend). The tone jumps frequently between happy to angry to upsetting but the performances manage to hold it together.
Even the 'comic relief' character gets a memorable scene where he gets called a "****ing Indian" and asks his Northeastern counterparts whether they don't consider themselves Indians. One of the characters' backstory is based on a horrific real-life racist bullying incident and to the director's credit, it fits incredibly well into the film's structure. The humour too is cent per cent situational and doesn't go overboard. While the film carries all the traits of a direct-to-OTT movie, Axone thankfully doesn't fall into the list of 'message movies' that bite off more than they can chew.
Food wins! Friendship wins! Sisterhood wins! Love wins!
The racial slurs, the out-of-place feels, the sexist comments, the hampering of the right to cook and consume what one wants - all of these pains are packed into a neat 97-minute film that also raises a toast to the lives of these regular people. Each of the lead characters (Upasna, Chanbi, Minam) manage to leave an impression. The supporting cast is okay-to-good, with some getting remarkable scenes to themselves (like the drunk friend). The tone jumps frequently between happy to angry to upsetting but the performances manage to hold it together.
Even the 'comic relief' character gets a memorable scene where he gets called a "****ing Indian" and asks his Northeastern counterparts whether they don't consider themselves Indians. One of the characters' backstory is based on a horrific real-life racist bullying incident and to the director's credit, it fits incredibly well into the film's structure. The humour too is cent per cent situational and doesn't go overboard. While the film carries all the traits of a direct-to-OTT movie, Axone thankfully doesn't fall into the list of 'message movies' that bite off more than they can chew.
Food wins! Friendship wins! Sisterhood wins! Love wins!
A delightful movie to watch!!!
bijoyds204 July 2020
As I am from Northeast I could relate this movie with my northeastern friends, but I will give a faithful review unbiased review
Story is new and very well directed and no over dramatic or fancy shot has been taken which makes it a realistic movie , but at times I felt like some shots were unwanted and flat, movie could have few more humorous moments, but the movie ended very well , please give it a watch and praise new talents from every corner of our very own country... well directed movie Nicholas Kharkongor !!!!
Good to see movies on the NE community of India!
yaminiyuvaraj18 September 2020
Northeastern Enlightenment
cafbrooks4 October 2019
I was lucky enough to see this at the BFI London Film Festival. A great movie which highlights a little seen community in India. Funny and moving at times, but captivating throughout the duration. Here's to hoping this opens the gateway to more movies featuring Northeastern stars and culture.
Different idea
vj_bhatt2 July 2020
Delightful watch
shambavi-6211014 February 2020
I watched it today at the NE film festival in Pune. A movie with an underlying theme of discrimination, alienation and the longing for acceptance of one's cultural identity felt by North Easterners in the mainland - but in a very subtle way. Tho' a very sensitive issue, it's never ' in the face' but treated in very organic way. Axone itself is a metaphor for the principal characters'identity.The humour is so delightful . Go for the movie.
Good movie on northeastern
dy3849320 June 2020
Disappointment
rayangogoi13 June 2020
Would have worked out better as a short film series with the punch line messages, but as a whole, I feel the directing, acting, dialogues could have been better. Felt more of a mixture of jumbled emotions and feelings, caught up trying to save the friends marriage. Really liked the character played by Sayani Gupta. Commendable was the actor who played the role of Shiv. Need more people like him in reality, he really brought up the spark in the movie. Really disappointed after the hype that was being created. The movie name is the major catch phrase, and very relatable why the smell would bother the people who aren't accustomed, but as a movie, in the mainstream, it has to be portrayed with better directing. I want to know the perspective of the people who rated this movie10star. Man, I am so disappointed and frustrated. Everyone is free to hate and comment back on my criticism.
Lastly, Mr. Director of the movie, I hope you accept this criticism optimistically.
Brilliantly done!
gogoirahul-5335912 June 2020
A good attempt
harinia22 June 2020
Interesting subject but what a drag
mandarbhalerao-8280526 July 2020
I found the subject interesting but the writing is so pedestrian, it just turns it into a juvenile attempt of a movie.
Very much predictable, actors dull than a butter knife and... just meh..
I understand the point of discrimination and racism, but.. its just boring.
A Delightful Watch / 7 Stars
nairtejas17 October 2020
Axone (Akhuni; a Naga dish with a pungent smell) snuck up on me, giving me weird feelings and a lot to think about. It's a simple story of a group of friends from Nagaland and other parts of Northeast India living as paying guests in Delhi. They are trying to prepare the dish for their friend on her special occasion, which is hindered by a variety of issues, ranging from catcalling to discrimination. It does get uncomfortable at times and that is the essence of watching Axone; it hits you because what it shows you is true. Delightful performances (and a bubbly Sayani Gupta in perhaps her best role so far), excellent background music with a tinge of NE cultural music, and a linear screenplay makes it a very good watch. I highly recommend it. (Grade B). TN.
A delight to watch, a good attempt which tries to be different
cseabhi8 August 2020
Axone was a good watch for me. Loved the fact that makers tried to enlighten the culture of northeast states, the diversity of India. I personally have many friends from north eastern states but I dont think they faced this much problem in their day to day life. But yes, I have heard many shocking stories.
The movie is simple yet it delivers the message. All the actors were great in the movie. It was a nice attempt, however it could have been much better.
The movie is simple yet it delivers the message. All the actors were great in the movie. It was a nice attempt, however it could have been much better.
Yoodlee Films has raised the bar for great filmmaking in India
rcdagr13 June 2020
With its focus on delivering high-impact yet simple storylines, Yoodlee Films has raised the bar for great filmmaking in India.
"I can't do this, I will tell them I only sing English songs"
'Axone' starts with Bendang who is struggling to sing a Hindi song in the hope to get the only paid gig he could manage in Delhi. A small group of friends is preparing for their closest friend's wedding eve and cooking a special dish of Northeast India.
Themes of racism, eve-teasing, relationships & conflicts between both friends & lovers are addressed in the film and are highly relevant to the present socio-cultural situation of our country.
The movie shows two (and more) isolated communities coexisting in a locality of Delhi, having a tough time adjusting with each other. Where 'Shiv' a.k.a. Hyper played by Rohan Joshi is a symboling character who attempts to blur the line of their differences, assisted by 'Upsana' who being from Nepal faces difficulties finding acceptance amongst her friends.
A must watch!
"I can't do this, I will tell them I only sing English songs"
'Axone' starts with Bendang who is struggling to sing a Hindi song in the hope to get the only paid gig he could manage in Delhi. A small group of friends is preparing for their closest friend's wedding eve and cooking a special dish of Northeast India.
Themes of racism, eve-teasing, relationships & conflicts between both friends & lovers are addressed in the film and are highly relevant to the present socio-cultural situation of our country.
The movie shows two (and more) isolated communities coexisting in a locality of Delhi, having a tough time adjusting with each other. Where 'Shiv' a.k.a. Hyper played by Rohan Joshi is a symboling character who attempts to blur the line of their differences, assisted by 'Upsana' who being from Nepal faces difficulties finding acceptance amongst her friends.
A must watch!
Emotions of North Eastern Part of India
bhowmicktathagata13 June 2020
The film is basically to understand the spirit of North East Indians, their cultures & emotions. Sayani Gupta is a versatile actress, Her accent was really superb. Every character play their roles very benignly. Overall good movie :)
Stigma, culture, food, friendship and mental health awareness in 90minutes
matrixdukenukem3 July 2020
How the writers managed to achieve this is beyond me. A story revolving around a dish that smells bad when it's cooking takes a group of friends to a journey and as audience I was experiencing range of emotions like humor, rage, dismissal, warmth, love, shame and so much more.
There are about 5-8 jokers complaining about how this movie is shoving the smelly culture of northeast down their throat ... Burp .. mutton roganjosh. Don't listen to them. Watch this. Sayani Gupta and Lin Laishram are a force to reckon with.
Other cast members do great as well. Editing is on point. Director did a fine job fitting all this greatness into a matchbox. DoP made the narrow uneven ruthless streets of Delhi look beautiful when needed and turned it ugly when the script required.
Couldve been a perfect score if they hadn't wasted Adil Hussain. I think his part got cut during the editing. Vinay Pathak could've done so much more with more screen time and except the two female front leads and their male counterparts, couldn't learn anything else about the other characters.
Strongly recommended.
There are about 5-8 jokers complaining about how this movie is shoving the smelly culture of northeast down their throat ... Burp .. mutton roganjosh. Don't listen to them. Watch this. Sayani Gupta and Lin Laishram are a force to reckon with.
Other cast members do great as well. Editing is on point. Director did a fine job fitting all this greatness into a matchbox. DoP made the narrow uneven ruthless streets of Delhi look beautiful when needed and turned it ugly when the script required.
Couldve been a perfect score if they hadn't wasted Adil Hussain. I think his part got cut during the editing. Vinay Pathak could've done so much more with more screen time and except the two female front leads and their male counterparts, couldn't learn anything else about the other characters.
Strongly recommended.
Celebration of tradition
niyantha18 June 2020
#Axone
We Indian's emotional fool's !!
Someone said while making akhuni it smells terrible, while watching I don't feel it !! It was sweet !!
Celebrating friendship love hatred
And exchanging culture tradition !!
Congratulations for the cast and crew !
Like your food don't force others to like that
drnitishsharma28 June 2020
Like your food but don't force people to like that, specially in others houses and taking moral high grounds as victims north eastern people never socialise with North Indians they just hate them and not interested in their culture at all but expecting from North Indians to love that akuni
Gem in a dirt bag
manishsep-8824117 June 2020
A very good attempt and well presented movie
kumarsunny-4712529 June 2020
A movie that conveys the message of north eastern states of India. It tries to say about their culture and food. Its not totally on rasicm but a try. This movie could cover many parts but anyways a good watchable movie especially for we north indians. We should see this
Big cliché movie, Netflix I expected better
cybertim12 June 2020
strictly ok
w1movie16 June 2020
The movie is only good in parts. Fellow citizens from NE states living in ND represent vast diversity that brings people from various regions together. Sayani is miscasted - Nepali girl speaking in chinese accent irritates big time. Rest of the cast has done good job, Hyper stands out and is extremely real. Go watch it.
A SNEAK PEEK INTO THE NORTH EASTERN CULTURE, TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS OF ITS PEOPLE IN DELHI
msunando21 June 2020
A group of young men and women from the north eastern states living in Delhi plan to throw a party for one of the girls Minam getting married in the evening. They plan to cook Axone (pronounced as Akhuni), a pungent dish made with various ingredients to celebrate the occasion. But there's one problem with the noble objective, Axone smells so much during the cooking that the neighbours come out revolting. The team spends most of the day finding a place to cook the dish, and placating the landlady of the flat where the party will be held to allow the ceremony to take place.
Axone gives us a window to appreciate the north eastern culture, traditions and ways of life. We also get to see how the people are stereotyped, often bullied and ridiculed in Delhi, where it is almost impossible for them to earn respect - racism against them runs miles ahead of diversity and inclusion. But then even they are quick to treat an outsider who wants to belong to the group with impunity. On the one hand it appears that they are looking to stand up and find their identity and on the other, they huddle together and remain exclusive.
Sayani Gupta is impressive as ever in the role of the Nepali origin girl Upasna, who is desperate to belong to the group having grown up in the north east. Her acquired accent and sprightly nature are delightful. Lin Laishram as Chanbi and Tenzing Dalha as Zorem are superb too. Dolly Ahluwalia, Vinay Pathak and Rohan Joshi offer comic relief. Axone is perhaps a little too long drawn for the content that it has to deliver, turning into a drag after a while, going repetitive over the subject of finding a place for the cooking. Otherwise, getting to know about the community, culture and its trials and tribulations make for an innovative watch, if not an interesting one.
Axone gives us a window to appreciate the north eastern culture, traditions and ways of life. We also get to see how the people are stereotyped, often bullied and ridiculed in Delhi, where it is almost impossible for them to earn respect - racism against them runs miles ahead of diversity and inclusion. But then even they are quick to treat an outsider who wants to belong to the group with impunity. On the one hand it appears that they are looking to stand up and find their identity and on the other, they huddle together and remain exclusive.
Sayani Gupta is impressive as ever in the role of the Nepali origin girl Upasna, who is desperate to belong to the group having grown up in the north east. Her acquired accent and sprightly nature are delightful. Lin Laishram as Chanbi and Tenzing Dalha as Zorem are superb too. Dolly Ahluwalia, Vinay Pathak and Rohan Joshi offer comic relief. Axone is perhaps a little too long drawn for the content that it has to deliver, turning into a drag after a while, going repetitive over the subject of finding a place for the cooking. Otherwise, getting to know about the community, culture and its trials and tribulations make for an innovative watch, if not an interesting one.
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