Story of Money and it’s Impacts on Human Life

It’s impossible to count how many hands a currency note passes through during its circulation. Along with changing hands, it also changes lives. Director Ratnatanaya attempts to tell the story of a ₹2000 note through “Aa Ondu Note”. Although the film was ready back in 2019, its release was delayed due to various reasons. Nevertheless, the journey of the note is presented in an engaging manner and holds the viewer’s attention.

A poor mother (Akshata), whose young son is suffering from illness, admits him to a government hospital. Due to lack of money, she sells her earrings and gets a ₹2000 note. The journey of this note begins from a pawn shop owner’s locker and reaches her hands. However, a thief (Anand) snatches the money from her and runs away. He gambles with it—first winning, then losing. The note then reaches Gopi (Balrajwadi), the owner of a gambling club. He is in an illicit relationship with a sex worker. When both discover they are HIV positive, they decide to get married. The note then passes into the hands of a transgender person, a bar owner, a vegetable vendor who comes to a cremation ground to end his life, an APMC market trader, a farmer, the farmer’s son, criminals, a police officer, a car mechanic, a lorry driver… and many more, before eventually returning to the same mother. How this note impacts each of their lives during its journey forms the crux of “Aa Ondu Note.”

Through this film, Ratnatanaya presents an interesting drama. Though it feels slow in parts, the curiosity about whose hands the note will reach next and what it will do keeps the audience engaged till the end. As the story progresses, the characters, their backgrounds, and subplots unfold alongside the note’s journey. A tighter screenplay could have made the story more impactful. Still, performances by Akshata, Balrajwadi, Gopalakrishna Deshpande, and others are well-executed and engaging. Overall, “Aa Ondu Note” is worth watching at least once.