Merku Thodarchi Malai

Last updated

Merku Thodarchi Malai (The Western Ghats)
Merku Thodarchi Malai.jpg
Poster
Directed byLenin Bharathi
Written byRaasi Thangadurai (Dialogues)
Screenplay byLenin Bharathi
Produced by Vijay Sethupathi
Starring
  • Antony
  • Gayathri Krishnaa
  • Abu Valayankulam
Cinematography Theni Eswar
Edited by Kasi Viswanathan
Music by Ilaiyaraaja
Production
companies
Distributed byVT Cinemas
Release dates
Running time
118 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Merku Thodarchi Malai (English: Western Ghats) is a 2018 Indian Tamil language drama film. It was directed by Lenin Bharathi and produced by Vijay Sethupathi, with cinematographer Theni Eswar and composer Ilaiyaraaja. [1] This is said to be Ilaiyaraaja's 1001th film signed by him in 2015. [2]

Contents

The film revolves around the life and times of a group of landless workers living along the foothills of the Western Ghats in India. It depicts how the introduction of commercialization creates conflict in the simple lives of the villagers.[ not verified in body ]

Plot

Daily wage laborer Rengasamy makes a living carrying cardamom sacks from the mountains to the foothills of the Western Ghats in the interior of Tamil Nadu. Chacko, a communist from Kerala, unionizes these workers to prevent the estate owner from exploiting them. As a result, there are frequent clashes between the landlord and the union members.

Rengasamy wants to buy a piece of land from a local, but fails due to objections from the seller's family. He marries his cousin Eshwari, who is a worker on the estate, and joins her union. His second attempt to buy land ends in unexpected tragedy and he loses most of his savings. He later acquires land with a loan and begins farming to pay back the debt.

Meanwhile, in the communist party office, Chacko has a heated debate with a senior comrade about industrialization and the workers' conditions. Another comrade sends Chacko to deliver a message, and while he is away the estate owner closes the estate to make the workers and union members suffer. When Chako returns, the estate owner mocks him, saying that he had plotted with the senior comrade for this purpose.

Angered, Chacko finds the workers who are preparing to leave. He gathers a few of them, including Rengasamy, to take up weapons and confront the estate owner. The mob finds the estate owner with the senior comrade, kill both of them, and are jailed for several years. When Rengasamy returns home, the fertilizer vendor forecloses on his land for outstanding debts. Rengasamy later becomes a security guard for a windmill constructed on the land he once owned.

Cast

Production

Lenin Bharathi, who previously wrote the screenplay for Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer , made his directorial debut with this film.[ citation needed ] The film was outlined to Vijay Sethupathi about a year before production, gaining his interest in the project. [4] The shooting for the film began in January or February 2016.[ citation needed ]

The production budget of the film was 2.3 crore (23 million rupees). [5]

Soundtrack

Release

The satellite rights of the film were sold to Kalaignar TV. [6]

Reception

Critical response

The Times of India gave the film three-and-a-half out of five stars and wrote that "The film ends with a bang ... even as it subtly delivers its message - how development also leads to the destruction of a way of life and a community". [3]

Awards and nominations

Date of ceremonyAwardCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
5 January 2019 Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards Best Film Vijay Sethupathi Won [13]
Best Debut DirectorLenin BharathiWon
Best Production Vijay Sethupathi Productions Won
25–28 April 2019 Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards Best Film Vijay Sethupathi Nominated [14]
Best DirectorLenin BharathiWon
Best Production Vijay Sethupathi Nominated
Best CinematographyTheni EaswarWon
27 February 2019BOFTA Galatta Debut AwardsBest Debut Actor - Male - Critics ChoiceAntonyWon
Most Impactful Film By a DebutantLenin BharathiWon
16 August 20198th South Indian International Movie AwardsBest Debut DirectorLenin BharathiNominated
Best Debut ActorAnthonyNominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theni district</span> District of Tamil Nadu in India

Theni District is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state in India. Well protected by the scenic hill locks, the district is located besides Madurai district. The town of Theni is the district headquarters. The district is divided into two natural divisions: The hilly areas are constituted by parts of the five taluk's Theni, Bodinayakanur, Periyakulam, Uthamapalayam and Andipatti with thick vegetation and perennial streams from the hills on the western side and Cumbum valley which lies in Uthamapalayam taluk. As of 2011, Theni district had a population of 1,245,899 with a sex ratio of 980 females for every 1,000 males.

<i>Rajadhi Raja</i> (1989 film) 1989 film by R. Sundarrajan

Rajadhi Raja is a 1989 Indian Tamil-language masala film directed by R. Sundarrajan. The film stars Rajinikanth in a dual role, with Nadhiya and Radha portraying his characters' love interests. It revolves around Raja, a rich estate owner's son who seeks to avenge his father's death. He is aided in his quest by Chinnarasu, a lookalike. Rajadhi Raja was released on 4 March 1989 and became a box office hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pushkar–Gayatri</span> Indian film director duo

Pushkar–Gayatri are a husband-and-wife filmmaker duo from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Their works are noted for their unique style, technical finesse, and intricately woven storylines.

<i>Sundarapandian</i> 2012 Tamil comedy drama film

Sundarapandian is a 2012 Indian Tamil-language action comedy drama film directed by debutant S. R. Prabhakaran. Sasikumar played the title character, besides producing the film, while Lakshmi Menon, Vijay Sethupathi, Inigo Prabhakaran, Soori, Appukutty, and Soundararaja appeared in supporting roles. Music was composed by N. R. Raghunanthan, while cinematography was handled by Premkumar. The film released on 14 September 2012 to overall positive reviews. Following its commercial success, the film was remade in Kannada as Raja Huli (2013) and in Telugu as Speedunnodu (2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vijay Sethupathi</span> Indian actor and film producer (born 1978)

Vijaya Gurunatha Sethupathi Kalimuthu is an Indian actor and film producer who predominantly works in Tamil films. Sethupathi is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Film Award, two Filmfare Awards South and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

Alphonse Puthren is an Indian film director, film producer, actor, editor, screenwriter and ad film maker. He works mainly in the Malayalam Cinema. He made his directional debut with the critically acclaimed Malayalam - Tamil bilingual suspense-thriller Neram (2013). His second film was the sensational blockbuster coming-of-age romantic film Premam (2015). After 7 years, he came back with Gold starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Nayanthara in the lead roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vijay Sethupathi filmography</span>

Vijay Sethupathi is an Indian actor who works mainly in Tamil films. He has also worked in a few Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films. He began his career in 1996 by playing small uncredited roles in films, before his first lead role in Thenmerku Paruvakaatru (2010), under Seenu Ramasamy's direction. 2012 marked a turning point in Sethupathi's career; all his three releases were critical and commercial successes, resulting in a rise in his popularity.

<i>Super Deluxe</i> (film) 2019 film by Thiagarajan Kumararaja

Super Deluxe is a 2019 Indian Tamil-language film co-written, co-produced, and directed by Thiagarajan Kumararaja, and additional screenplay written by Nalan Kumarasamy, Neelan K. Sekar and Mysskin. Produced by Tyler Durden and Kino Fist, Alchemy Vision Works, and East West Dream Work Entertainment, the film stars Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and Ramya Krishnan. As a hyperlink film, it revolves around four groups of individuals who find themselves in the most unexpected predicaments, each poised to experience their destiny, all on one fateful day.

<i>Vikram Vedha</i> 2017 film directed by Pushkar–Gayathri

Vikram Vedha is a 2017 Indian Tamil-language neo-noir action thriller film written and directed by Pushkar–Gayathri and produced by YNOT Studios. The film, which is inspired by the Indian folktale Baital Pachisi, stars R. Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi in titular roles, alongside Shraddha Srinath, Kathir, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Prem, Achyuth Kumar, Hareesh Peradi and Vivek Prasanna. In the film, Inspector Vikram sets out to track down and kill Vedha, a gangster. After voluntarily surrendering himself, Vedha tells Vikram three stories which change his perceptions of good and evil.

<i>96</i> (film) 2018 Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by C. Prem Kumar

96 is a 2018 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film written and directed by C. Prem Kumar in his directorial debut. Produced by S. Nanthagopal of Madras Enterprises, the film was distributed by Lalit Kumar under his banner, Seven Screen Studio. Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha Krishnan are in the prominent roles as Ram and Jaanu, while newcomers Gouri G. Kishan and Aadithya Bhaskar played the younger versions. The film also stars an ensemble cast including Bagavathi Perumal, Devadarshini, Aadukalam Murugadoss, and others. The film revolves around the reunion of former students from the batch of 1996, twenty-two years after their graduation. The reunion also serves as an opportunity for two former lovers, Ram and Jaanu, to resolve issues surrounding their separation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam C. S.</span> Musical artist

Sam C. S. is an Indian music composer, producer, lyricist and singer who predominantly works in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films. He debuted in Tamil with the horror film Orr Eravuu before working on the scientific thriller Ambuli.

<i>Maamanithan</i> (film) Tamil drama film directed by Seenu Ramasamy

Maamanithan is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language drama film written and directed by Seenu Ramasamy and produced by Yuvan Shankar Raja under his YSR Films banner. The film stars Vijay Sethupathi, Gayathrie, Guru Somasundaram, K. P. A. C. Lalitha, Anikha Surendran, Jewel Mary, and Shaji Chen. In addition, Yuvan composed the soundtrack of this film along with his father Ilaiyaraaja. The cinematography and editing were handled by M. Sukumar and A. Sreekar Prasad.

<i>Kadaisi Vivasayi</i> 2022 Indian drama film

Kadaisi Vivasayi is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language drama film by M. Manikandan. It stars an 85-year-old farmer named Nallandi and features Vijay Sethupathi and Yogi Babu in supporting roles. Besides writing and directing, Manikandan produced the film and helmed the cinematography as well. Kadaisi Vivasayi was released on 11 February 2022 and received widespread critical acclaim but ended up as a box office failure. It won the Best Feature Film In Tamil, Special Mention for actor Nallandi at the 69th National Film Awards

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toulouse Indian Film Festival</span>

The Festival des cinémas indiens de Toulouse/Toulouse Indian Film Festival is a film festival held annually in Toulouse, France since 2013. As its name indicates it is dedicated to introducing the public to Indian cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theni Eswar</span> Indian cinematographer

Eswaran Ramar, known by his screen name Theni Eswar, is an Indian cinematographer who works mainly in Tamil cinema and Malayalam cinema.

<i>Viduthalai Part 1</i> 2023 Indian film by Vetrimaaran

Viduthalai is a 2023 Indian Tamil-language period political crime thriller film directed and co-produced by Vetrimaaran under Grass Root Film Company and RS Infotainment. It is the first of a two-part adaptation of the short story Thunaivan (transl. Companion) by Jeyamohan. Set in 1987, the film follows a police constable, who is recruited to arrest the leader of a separatist group. The ensemble cast includes Soori, Vijay Sethupathi, Bhavani Sre, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Rajiv Menon, Ilavarasu, Balaji Sakthivel, Saravana Subbiah, Chetan, Munnar Ramesh, and Pavel Navageethan.

<i>Super Deluxe</i> (soundtrack) 2019 film score by Yuvan Shankar Raja

Super Deluxe is the soundtrack to the 2019 Tamil-language film of the same name, co-written, co-produced and directed by Thiagarajan Kumararaja. The album featured 18 instrumental pieces, composed, arranged, produced and programmed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, eventually marking his second collaboration with Kumararaja after Aaranya Kaandam (2011). Unlike, his first film which had no songs, Kumararaja demanded to include a soundtrack having lyrical songs, but later abandoned. This film, eventually marked Yuvan's third musical which did not contain any songs. The team, however reused licensed compositions from yesteryear films.

<i>Viduthalai Part 2</i> 2024 Indian film by Vetrimaaran

Viduthalai Part 2 is a 2024 Indian Tamil-language period political crime thriller film directed and co-produced by Vetrimaaran under RS Infotainment and Grass Root Film Company. The direct sequel to Viduthalai Part 1 (2023), it is the second of a two-part adaptation of Jeyamohan's short story Thunaivan (transl. Companion). It follows a police constable's conflict with the leader of a separatist group. Soori, Vijay Sethupathi, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Bhavani Sre, Rajiv Menon, Ilavarasu, Balaji Sakthivel, Saravana Subbiah, Chetan and Munnar Ramesh reprise their roles from the first film, with Manju Warrier, Kishore, Anurag Kashyap, Bose Venkat, Vincent Asokan and Ken Karunas joining the ensemble cast.

References

  1. "Isaignani for Vijay Sethupathi". The Times of India. 24 November 2017.
  2. "Vijay Sethupathy gets Ilayaraja's 1001th (sic!) movie". Indiaglitz. 5 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Merku Thodarchi Malai Movie Review {3.5/5}: Critic Review of 'Merku Thodarchi Malai' by Times of India". The Times of India.
  4. "Vijay Sethupathi's next?". Behindwoods. 5 January 2016.
  5. "MTM budget". YouTube . September 2018.
  6. "Merku Thodarchi Malai 2 Pongal Special Promo 2019". 11 January 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019 via YouTube.
  7. "18 Indian films selected for 21st IFFK". Manoramaonline.com. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  8. Suganth, M (15 November 2017). "Merku Thodarchi Malai wins award for its scriptography". The Times of India . Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  9. "Merku Thodarchi Malai receives accolades in New York". The New Indian Express. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  10. "VFC Takes 3 Tamil Films To New York Indian Film Festival". TamilCulture.
  11. http://www.ffif.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/D%C3%A9pliant-A4-Cine-Indien.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  12. "13 Indian films to be screened from 11 April in Toulouse fest in France". The Times of India. 30 March 2018.
  13. Correspondent, Vikatan (3 January 2019). "ஆனந்த விகடன் சினிமா விருதுகள் 2018 - திறமைக்கு மரியாதை". vikatan.com/.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  14. "'Pariyerum Perumal' bags Best Film award at Norway Tamil Film Festival". 9 January 2019.