Chemman Chaalai
| Chemman Chaalai | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Deepak Kumaran Menon |
| Written by | Sooria Kumari |
| Produced by | Tan Chui Mui |
| Starring | Saratha Maran Gandhi Nathan THR Shangkara Kalyani Santhia Marathamuthu Tharoni Mottian Dhaarshini Sankran Bala Sundram Dinesh Ganesan |
| Cinematography | Albert Hue |
| Music by | Hardesh Singh |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Language | Tamil |
| Budget | 152,000 ringgits ($40,000) |
Chemman Chaalai (The Gravel Road) is a 2005 Malaysian family drama film directed by Indian-Malaysian director Deepak Kumaran Menon.[1][2][3] This film is notable as being one of the first Malaysian feature films to be made almost entirely in Tamil.[4]
Plot
[edit]Set in the late 1960s, the film is about Shantha, an impoverished Malaysian Tamil girl, and her family. They all live together on a family estate, in an area where higher education for women is almost impossible. Shantha, a girl of many aspirations, wants to leave the estate and further her studies, however the financial hardships that will result make her dreams nearly impossible to achieve.
Production
[edit]The story is inspired by real events, related to the director's mother.[citation needed]
The film is director Deepak Kumaran Menon's first feature-length film.[1] It was funded entirely by his father, Shanker Menon, the film's executive producer, and shot in digital video.
Reception
[edit]The film "struck a deep chord with the ethnic Indian community" in Malaysia. To see the film, "they came by bus, they took the train, but they all wanted to tell their stories."[1]
The film has met with a strong reception since its release, and has been shown at a number of film festivals across the world including the 2005 International Film Festival Rotterdam, the 2005 San Francisco International Film Festival, the 2005 Pusan International Film Festival, Korea; the Barcelona Asian Film Festival, Spain; the Nantes Festival 3 Continents, France and the Fukuoka International Film Festival, Japan among others.[5] In February 2006, it was selected as an official entry to the Bangkok International Film Festival.
Awards
[edit]Best Alternative Film, Anugerah Skrin TV3[6]
Special Jury Award, Nantes Festival 3 Continents (2005), France[6]
Opening Film, Asian Film Symposium, Singapore[6]
In Competition, Bangkok Int. Film Festival[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Min, Lim Li (5 April 2005). "A lens on the Malaysian margins". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
- ^ "Deepak Kumaran talks about the success of Chemman Chaalai - News | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
- ^ Guillen, Michael (10 March 2006). "The Evening Class: MALAYSIAN CINEMAS— Chemman Chaalai (The Gravel Road)". The Evening Class. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
- ^ Khorana, Sukhmani (23 October 2013). Crossover Cinema: Cross-Cultural Film from Production to Reception. Routledge. p. 162. ISBN 978-1-136-22176-7.
- ^ "Cinema Rises in the East | Forbes India".
- ^ a b c d "Deepak Menon: Chemman Chaalai". Deepak Menon. Retrieved 10 March 2018.