Thanga Meenkal

Thanga Meenkal
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRam
Screenplay byRam
Story byRam
Shri Sankara Gomathy Ram
Produced byJ. Satish Kumar
Gautham Vasudev Menon
Reshma Ghatala
Venkat Somasundaram
StarringRam
Sadhana
Shelly Kishore
CinematographyArbhindu Saaraa
Edited byA. Sreekar Prasad
Music byYuvan Shankar Raja
Production
companies
Release date
  • 30 August 2013 (2013-08-30)
Running time
138 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Thanga Meenkal (also spelt as Thanga Meengal; transl. Goldfishes) is a 2013 Indian Tamil-language children's drama film directed by Ram. The story was written by Ram and his daughter Shri Sankara Gomathy Ram, with the former, besides, played the lead role as well alongside newcomers Sadhana and Shelly Kishore. The film is jointly produced by J. Satish Kumar and Gautham Vasudev Menon under the banners JSK Film Corporation and Photon Kathaas, respectively. The film follows a poor man forced to live under the shade of his father, taking up a job beyond his reach to provide his daughter a good living.

The film's cinematography was handled by Arbhindu Saaraa, and editing done by A. Sreekar Prasad. The film's score and soundtrack composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja. The film's shooting commenced in mid-January 2011 and was completed by late 2011. The film was released on 30 August 2013, to positive reviews from critics but was considered an average grosser by box office analysts.[1]

The film won three prizes at the 61st National Film Awards, which includes the Best Tamil Film Award, Best Child Artist Award for Sadhana, and Best Lyricist for Na. Muthukumar. The film won three Filmfare Awards, three South Indian International Movie Awards and one Vijay Award. It was the only Tamil film to be screened at Indian Panorama in International Film Festival of India, held at Goa in 2013. The film was also screened at the 11th Chennai International Film Festival in 2014, with a Special Award for Sadhana.

Plot

A poor laborer named Kalyana Raman is devoted to his 8-year-old daughter Chellamma, but the latter has problems at school with her studies, classmates, and teachers. Kalyana Raman wants Chellamma to be happy no matter what. Kalyana Raman toils hard to meet both ends, thereby trying not to live in his father's shade but is forced to. Chellamma is a sweet, angelic girl who fares below average in class but is chirpy and gleeful when she is with her father. Without a proper job and an income, the tension that prevails in the house forces Kalyana Raman to take up a job far away from Chellamma's reach.

Cast

Production

The film was picked for production by Gautham Vasudev Menon via Photon Kathaas in 2010, despite director Ram's struggling market after Kattradhu Thamizh (2007).[2] Ram also plays the lead role. He said that the female lead and other characters would be enacted by newcomers, one of them being an eight-year-old Chennai-based girl Sadhana Venkatesh.[3] Ram auditioned over 150 girls for the role of Chellamma before he finalised her.[4] Malayalam television actress Shelly Kishore was roped in to play the mother character, Vadivu, making her Tamil film debut.[5] Filming started on 18 January 2011 in Nagercoil.[6] In January 2012, Padmapriya was roped in for an important role, making a comeback to Tamil films after a gap of 3 years.[7] The filming was held in places like Nagercoil and Achankoil and other scenic locations.[6][4]

Soundtrack

Thanga Meenkal
Soundtrack album by
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Released19 July 2013
Recorded2011–2012
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length16:01
LanguageTamil
LabelSony Music
ProducerYuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan Shankar Raja chronology
Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga
(2013) 		Thanga Meenkal
(2013) 		Thillu Mullu
(2013)

The music was composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, with lyrics by Na. Muthukumar. Yuvan said one composition "will make parents and the society at large sit up and take notice as it dwells into the realms of the current education system, examinations and teachers" and hoped it would become an "anthem for all school children".[8] The soundtrack album was released on April 30, 2013 at Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai.[9]

Milliblog gave a positive review stating "Two songs stand out in Thanga Meengal, that is shades below Yuvan-Ram’s earlier collaboration."[10] Kaushik LM rated the album 4 out of 5 stating "Yuvan is in top form delivering Thanga Meengal and he proves that he is a perfect mix of the old school and the new world."[11] Lakshman Sruthi stated "A superb soundtrack from the Kattradhu Tamizh trio (Yuvan-Ram-Muthukumar)", and rated 4 out of 5.[12] The Times of India, gave 3 out of 5 stars to the album stating, "Three songs in the album start off with dialogues that clearly spell out that the theme of the film revolves around the relationship between dad and daughter. The album proves that Yuvan Shankar Raja still has much musical prowess and should try out such themes apart from his regular musical offerings."[13]

All tracks are written by Na. Muthukumar.

Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Aanandha Yaazhai"Sriram Parthasarathy3:35
2."Nathivellam"Rahul Nambiar5:10
3."Yaarukkum Thozhan Illai"Alphons Joseph2:32
4."First Last"Baby Sadhana, Baby Sanjana4:44
Total length:16:01

Release

The distribution rights were acquired by JSK Film Corporation.[14] Thanga Meenkal released on 30 August 2013.[15] The film was selected for screening at the 44th International Film Festival of India which was held in Goa in November 2013. It was the only Tamil fim among 25 films selected for screening at the Indian Panorama section.[16] The film was also screened in the non-competitive section ("Children's World") at the 18th International Children's Film Festival India held in Hyderabad from 14 to 20 November 2013.[17] The film was named the best film in the 11th Chennai International Film Festival, while Sadhana was given the best child artist award.[16]

Reception

Rediff gave 4 stars out of 5 and wrote, "Thanga Meenkal is a heartwarming story told brilliantly with a simplicity and honesty that is seen so rarely in films these days".[18] IBN Live gave 3.5 out of 5 and wrote, "Barring few minor flaws, Thanga Meengal cuts you deep emotionally and achieves what several films in the recent past couldn't".[19] The Times of India gave 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote, "Thanga Meenkal shares many of Kattradhu Thamizh's film's strengths and flaws. It is a well-intentioned effort, strikingly shot, and held together by persuasive performances. At the same time, it is also relentlessly grim and bludgeons you into submitting to the point of view of the filmmaker, and by the time it ends, makes you believe you have personally gone through the ordeals of the film's characters. But, thankfully, it doesn't have the intense—and incredibly misplaced—anger that scorched through the latter, to leave you feeling miserable in the end. In its place, there is a welcome amount of poetry and grey, and a little bit of warmth, which shows a filmmaker evolving, trying to polish off his rough edges".[20] Sify wrote, "Thangameengal is an honest and brave attempt by director Ram, though not in the same league as his Kattradhu Thamizh. It is a simple, heart-warming tale of love and bonding between a father and daughter, told in a high pitched melodramatic way".[21] In contrast, The New Indian Express wrote, "A film should either entertain or be inspiring and stir one emotionally. Unfortunately, Thanga Meengal does neither". However, its review was lambasted by its readers in comments section.[22] Baradwaj Rangan of The Hindu wrote "(Director Ram) clearly thinks about what he’s doing, how he’s shaping his material. There are unusual point-of-view shots...but these stray stretches are undone by the director’s aggressiveness."[23]

Awards and nominations

61st National Film Awards[24]

61st Filmfare Awards South

8th Vijay Awards

3rd South Indian International Movie Awards[25]

  • Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Shelly Kishore (Nominated)
  • Best Child Artist – Sadhana
  • Best Lyrics – Na. Muthukumar for "Ananda Yaazhai"
  • Best Male Playback Singer – Sriram Parthasarathy for "Ananda Yaazhai"

Other awards

  • Kalvi Foundation Tribute Award 2013[26]
  • Chennai International Film Festival 2014 Special Award – Sadhna
  • Tamil Nadu Media Council Award
    • Best Child Artist – Sadhna
  • RKV Film Institute Awards[27]
    • Best Child Artist – Sadhna

Legacy

Sudhish Kamath picked Thanga Meenkal as one of five Tamil films that have redefined Tamil cinema in 2013, calling it "a heart-warming story about a father-daughter bond" and "a film treated with great restraint and understatement, one that rarely lapses into melodrama". He further wrote, "It’s never easy to direct and act at the same time, but director Ram manages to extract a fantastic performance from even the child actor Sadhna. But the reason it won me over is the painstaking cinematography. We haven’t seen better use of landscape in storytelling, and the director of photography Arbindhu Saara has literally climbed mountains for seconds of diegetic credibility and exhaustive coverage of ambience and location. World-class visuals."[28]

References

  1. ^ "Chennai Box-Office - September 6 to 9". Sify. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013.
  2. ^ "Gautham Menon guts into stock marketபங்குசந்தையிலும் களம் இறங்கியிருக்கும் கௌதம் மேனன்". 600024.com. 21 August 2010. Archived from the original on 9 March 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  3. ^ "'Katradhu Thamizh' Ram turns hero". Cinesouth. 5 January 2011. Archived from the original on 11 January 2011.
  4. ^ a b Naig, Udhav (29 April 2013). "Baby steps". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  5. ^ M., Athira (3 April 2013). "Starry dreams". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Gautham and Ram – Style and Substance". 600024.com. 5 January 2011. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  7. ^ "Padmapriya back in Kollywood with Thanga Meengal". Yahoo News. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  8. ^ Suganth, M (5 August 2012). "Yuvan composes anthem for school kids". The Times of India. Retrieved 2 September 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  9. ^ "'Thanga Meengal' audio launched in a unique manner!". Sify. 30 April 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  10. ^ Karthik (19 July 2013). "Thanga Meengal (Music review), Tamil – Yuvan Shankar Raja". Milliblog. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Thanga Meengal music review". 19 July 2013. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Thanga Meengal audio review| Lakshman Sruthi - 100% Manual Orchestra |". Lakshman Sruthi. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Thanga Meenkal". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Thanga Meengal releasing in July". The Times of India. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Ram's Thanga Meengal from Aug 30". The Times of India. 16 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  16. ^ a b "'Thangameengal' goes for Indian Panorama in Goa". Sify. 15 October 2013. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013.
  17. ^ "'Thanga Meengal' chosen for IFFI, director elated". The Times of India.
  18. ^ "Review: Thanga Meenkal is brilliant". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 1 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  19. ^ "'Thanga Meengal' review: This Tamil film is a brave attempt". IBNLive. 1 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  20. ^ M Suganth. "Thanga Meenkal movie review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  21. ^ "Movie Review : Thangameengal". Sify. Archived from the original on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  22. ^ Mannath, Malini. "Thanga Meengal: A disappointment of sorts". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 4 July 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  23. ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (31 August 2013). "Thanga Meenkal: Fishes out of water". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  24. ^ "Thangameengal wins 3 National Awards". The Times of India. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  25. ^ "And the SIIMA Awards go to..." The Times of India. Archived from the original on 25 October 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  26. ^ "Winners of Tribute Award 2013". kalvifoundation.com. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  27. ^ "Actress Ramya Speaks at Thanga Meengal honoured at RKV Film and TV Institute". Sulekha Videos. 6 October 2013. Archived from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2020 – via YouTube.
  28. ^ Kamath, Sudhish (28 December 2013). "A shot at standing out". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
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