Thanga Meenkal
Thanga Meenkal () is a 2013 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Ram in his second directorial venture after Kattradhu Thamizh. 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 Gautham Vasudev Menon and J. Satish Kumar under the banners Photon Kathaas and JSK Film Corporation, respectively. It follows, Kalyani a poor man who is forced to live under the shade of his father, takes 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, opening to positive reviews from critics, but was declared as an average grosser by box office analysts. 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 3 Filmfare Awards, 3 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 Kalyani is devoted to his young daughter Chellamma, but the child has problems at school with her studies, classmates, and teachers. Kalyani wants Chellamma to be happy, no matter what. Kalyani is a man who toils pretty hard to meet both ends, thereby trying not to live in his father's shade, but is forced to. Chellama is a sweet, angelic girl who fares below average in the class but is all chirpy and gleeful when she is with her father. Without a proper job and an income the tension that prevails in the house forces Kalyani to take up a job far away from the reach of Chellamma. 'Thanga Meengal' is a coming-of-age story of a father struggling to make ends meet, told through the eyes of his eight-year-old daughter. The film offers a critique of primary education in Tamil Nadu and makes poignant observations through social commentary. 