Soppana Sundari is a 2023 Indian Tamil-language black comedy-thriller film written and directed by SG Charles, who earlier directed Lock Up (2020). The film features an ensemble cast of Aishwarya Rajesh, Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli, Deepa Shankar, Karunakaran, Sathish Krishnan, Redin Kingsley, Mime Gopi, Sunil Reddy, Sha Ra, Bjorn Surrao and Thendral Raghunathan.[1]
| Soppana Sundari | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | SG Charles |
| Written by | SG Charles |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography |
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| Edited by | K. Sarath Kumar |
| Music by |
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Production companies |
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Release date |
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| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
The title Soppana Sundari refers to the car that the characters of the film fight for to own the car. The film's title was referenced from the popular Goundamani-Senthil comedy scene of the 1989 film Karakattakkaran.[2] The film was released on 14 April 2023, coinciding with Tamil New Year to mixed reviews from critics.[3]
Plot
editA financially struggling lower middle-class family wins a car in a raffle draw. Then, the chaos begins when various parties claim ownership of the car. Unexpected events led to another face dark system.
A middle-class family consists of Agalya, her parents, and her mute sister Thenmozhi. One day, Agalya receives a call saying that she has won a lucky draw prize. As to the family's surprise, they win a car as the prize and are happy. The man who gives her the car gets a call to come to the police station. There, he finds another man named Durai. Agalya says this is her brother.
Way back, we see that it is her brother Durai who buys these jewels and not her. They argue saying that Durai should be the one to get the car and not Agalya, but Agalya was the one who filled the coupons. The police ask Durai to bring the bill, so they would get the car.
Meanwhile on another hand, there is Thenmozhi, to whom a groom comes to visit. They say that they would only proceed on with the marriage if they give the car. Thenmozhi and her groom set out on a date. On the date, they crash over a old man. The two of them carry the body and put him in the trunk of the car. Finding out the Car is now at the police station, Thenmozhi cries. The family begins to worry.
Now, it is shown that Durai did not buy the jewels for himself but for someone else. To get the bill, Durai's men break into the owner's house to steal it. But, as Agalya also has to get the bill, she takes the bill first from the house. Agalya and Durai make a deal to share 50–50 when they get the car. They make a fake dupe to act as the real owner, but unfortunately, he gets caught. When the real owner is also caught as not being the real one, It is revealed that it was all Agalya's plan.
Now, Agalya is taken to a lodge with the police to get rid of her sentence. The policeman tries to take advantage of her. Agalya tells him to rape her so that she would forget it as a bad dream. Then, with great struggle, she escapes from the lodge. Outside of the lodge, she reveals she set this all up and now his dirty acts would be up on the media, exposing him. After this, they open the trunk and find the body as her sister said is not there anymore. They move on, but get kidnapped by police. However, they get out of the predicament quickly. Thenmozhi is planned to get married, and the family live happily. Then we get to know the man in the trunk got out of the car and was not dead.
Cast
edit- Aishwarya Rajesh as Agalya
- Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli as Thenmozhi
- Deepa Shankar as Selvi Amma
- Karunakaran as Durai
- Sathish Krishnan as Naresh
- Redin Kingsley as Vijith
- Mime Gopi as Danger Mama
- Sunil Reddy as Inspector Kannan
- Sha Ra as Maaran
- Bjorn Surrao as Richie[4]
- Subbu Panchu
- Thendral Raghunathan as Baby, Durai's wife
- Nakkalites Dhanam as Maaran's mother
- Augustine
- Swathika Senthilkumar
Production
editThe cinematography was by cinematographers Balamurugan and Vignesh Rajagopalan. The film's editing was handled by K. Sarath Kumar.[5][6]
Music
edit| Soppana Sundari | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 2023 | |||
| Recorded | 2022–2023 | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 6:29 | |||
| Language | Tamil | |||
| Label | Think Music | |||
| Producer | Ajmal Tahseen Vishal Chandrasekhar | |||
| Vishal Chandrashekhar chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Soppana Sundari | ||||
The music of the film was composed by the composer Ajmal Tahseen, who has previously composed music for the Mitara TV series.[9][10] Vishal Chandrashekhar composed the background score for the film.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Panakaari" | Durai | Durai, Ajmal Tahseen | 3:34 |
| 2. | "Soodam Karpooram" | Asal Kolaar | Anthony Daasan | 2:55 |
| Total length: | 6:29 | |||
Release
editTheatrical
editThe film was released on 14 April 2023.[11][12] The overseas rights of the film were acquired by A.P. International, and the rights for the United Kingdom and Europe were acquired by Ahimsa Entertainment.[13][14]
Home media
editThe film's satellite rights were bagged by Kalaignar TV, and the film's digital streaming rights were sold to Disney+ Hotstar.[15][16]
Reception
editBhuvanesh Chandar of The Hindu wrote that "The Aishwarya Rajesh-starrer leans a lot on its witty plotline and a screenplay written with conviction, but it is the quirky treatment that makes it whole".[17] Anusha Sundar of The New Indian Express wrote that "Soppana Sundari feels like a neatly made ambitious caper comedy, which scores fairly in what it sets out to be."[18]
Haricharan Pudipeddi of Hindustan Times wrote that "The climactic action episode (involving Aishwarya) may seem a little far-fetched, given how the film never tries to become massy until then. Nevertheless, it’s hardly a grouse in an otherwise largely entertaining film."[19] Thinkal Menon of OTTplay rated the film three out of five stars and wrote that "The movie comes across as a harmless entertainer for those who aren't mindful of watching something which they have already experienced in other movies."[20]
A critic from ABP Nadu rated the film two-and-a-half out of five stars, citing a sloppy screenplay that diminishes the film's positive aspects.[21] Kalyani Pandiyan S of Hindustan Times Tamil gave it a mixed review.[22]
Logesh Balachandran of The Times of India rated the film two-and-a-half out of five stars and wrote that "the writing is slightly inconsistent and could have been much better."[23] A critic from Ananda Vikatan gave the film a mixed review and criticised the illogical scenes.[24] A critic from Zee News gave it a mixed review.[25]
References
edit- ^ "Aishwarya Rajesh's 'Soppana Sundari' to release in March". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Aishwarya Rajesh's upcoming film Soppana Sundari is a dark comedy". Cinema Express. 6 September 2022. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Aishwarya Rajesh's 'Soppana Sundari' to release on April 14". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ CR, Sharanya. "It was not easy to crack comedy: Aishwarya Rajesh". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Motion poster of Soppana Sundari out". Cinema Express. 26 February 2023. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Aishwarya Rajesh's 'Soppana Sundari' trailer". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Panakaari (Full Song) – Ajmal Tahseen feat. Durai – Download or Listen Free – JioSaavn". JioSaavn. 28 February 2023. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Soodam Karpooram (From "Soppana Sundari")". Spotify. 7 April 2023. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
- ^ "'I have no urge to score music for reel culture': Ajmal Tahseen". The New Indian Express. 23 March 2023. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ Rajaraman, Kaushik (23 March 2023). "'Composing for an Aishwarya Rajesh film is a huge responsibility'". DT next. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Soppana Sundari to Tamilarasan: Check out the Tamil Puthandu releases here". OTTPlay. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "ஏப்ரல் 14, தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டு படங்கள் வெளியீடு அறிவிப்பு | 14 April movies released announced". தினமலர் – சினிமா (in Tamil). 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Ahimsa Entertainment on Instagram: "Hello, UK & Europe Ahimsa Ent. will be presenting #SoppanaSundari"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
- ^ "Ahimsa Entertainment on Instagram: "AP INTERNATIONAL will be handling the overseas theatrical release in all countries, excluding the UK and Europe"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
- ^ "Ahimsa Entertainment on Instagram: "We're excited to announce that DISNEY HOTSTAR has joined as our official digital streaming partner!". Instagram. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
- ^ "Soppana Sundari to stream on this OTT platform". Cinema Express. 10 April 2023. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ Chandar, Bhuvanesh (13 April 2023). "'Soppana Sundari' movie review: Three women pack a punch in this simple and neat entertainer". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ Sundar, Anusha (10 April 2023). "'Soppana Sundari' movie review: A delectable dark comedy that stays true to its genre". The New Indian Express.
- ^ "Aishwarya Rajesh film never takes itself too seriously, unlike most crime comedies". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ "Soppana Sundari review: Aishwarya Rajesh headlines this mildly enjoyable fare which offers sporadic laughs". www.ottplay.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ யுவஸ்ரீ (12 April 2023). "காருக்காக நடக்கும் போர்..இறுதியில் வென்றது யார்? சொப்பன சுந்தரி படத்தின் விமர்சனம் இதோ..!". ABP Nadu (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
- ^ S, Kalyani Pandiyan. "Soppana Sundari Review: இழுக்குதா? தள்ளுதா? சுடச்சுட சொப்பன சுந்தரி விமர்சனம்!". Tamil Hindustan Times (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
- ^ "Soppana Sundari Movie Review : A quirky dark comedy that's engaging in parts". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ டீம், விகடன் (14 April 2023). "சொப்பன சுந்தரி விமர்சனம்: காருக்கு அக்கப்போர்; ஐஸ்வர்யா ராஜேஷின் நாயகி பிம்ப சினிமா ஈர்க்கிறதா?". www.vikatan.com (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ "சொப்பன சுந்தரி படம் எப்படி உள்ளது? திரைவிமர்சனம்!". Zee Hindustan Tamil (in Tamil). 14 April 2023. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.