Thangar Bachan is a name to reckon with in Tamil cinema. The cinematographer-turned-director came up trumps with films like Azhagi and Chidambarathil Oru Appasamy. Both the movies attracted acclaim for their sensitive treatment of the theme.
His latest directorial venture Pallikkoodam (School) belongs to the serious genre of films which tackle topical issues. The story is based on a novel written by Bachan himself, titled, Kalavaadiya Paguthigal (stolen moments).
Here, the story revolves round a school and the sweet memories surrounding it. Thangar himself plays a farmer in the movie, which has the “Queen of Smiles” Sneha in the heroine’s role. Sneha plays a school teacher while Narain , in the male lead, enacts the role of the district collector.
Others in the cast are comely Shreya Reddy who plays a midwife and Seeman, a filmmaker.
A highlight of the movie, produced by Vishwas Sundar, is the melodious music scored by Bhardwaj. Already, the song, “Meendum Pallikku Pogalam”, sung by Bhardwaj himself, is quite popular.
Besides, the movie has already received the biggest pre-release boost it could have hoped for with both superstar Rajnikant and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi lavishing praise on it.
The Chief Minister hoped that more movies like Pallikkoodam would come out further enriching Tamil cinema.
That is heady stuff. No wonder, protagonists of the film, Sneha and Narain and director Bachan are in high spirits.
The film, which deals with four different periods, is slated for an early release. Indications are that it would touch a striking chord among the cine-going public.
