Penngal (transl. Women) is a 2000 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Raj Marudhu. The film stars Akash and Divyasree, with Santhoshi and Santhana Bharathi in supporting roles. Featuring music composed by Bharadwaj, the film was released on 8 December 2000.[1]

Penngal
Directed byRaj Marudhu
Written byRaj Marudhu
Produced byAdya Global Visions
Starring
CinematographyHarinath
Edited byA. Sreekar Prasad
Music byBharadwaj
Production
company
Adya Global Visions
Release date
  • 8 December 2000 (2000-12-08)
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Plot

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A mother hides her daughter from the village pimp by enrolling her in an orphanage; when the daughter grows older, she goes back to the village to save other girls with the help of a reporter.

Cast

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Production

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The producers of the film were unhappy after actress Divyasree broke an exclusivity contract and she signed on for a film opposite actor Murali amid production.[2]

Soundtrack

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The music composed by Bharadwaj, with lyrics by Snehan.[3]

Song Singers Length
Kannukulla Pallanguzhi Bharadwaj, Ganga 03:41
Malare Maranthuvidu K. S. Chithra 02:03
Manasengum Mazhai Sujatha, O. S. Arun 05:32
Mella Mella Vidinthathe S. P. Balasubrahmanyam 05:52
Penne Nimirnthu Vidu Srinivas 05:05
Penne Penne Arivaya Anuradha Sriram 05:02

Reception

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Savitha Padmanabhan from The Hindu wrote, "films such as Penngal are required to make us a little more conscious of the social problems but they should be made with a little more care and sensitivity". She added, "one must commend the director for taking on such a theme", as "he brings to focus every aspect of these women's miserable existence - the desperation and dejection on the faces when a son is born, the fear when their young daughter is forcefully 'readied' for the 'occasion', the poverty and the diseases and the ostracism from the rest of the world".[4] Visual Dasan of Kalki praised the director for taking up social issue in his debut film also praised sharp dialogues and Bharadwaj's music but panned Divya's acting and also felt the film has documentary feel in places.[5] Malini Mannath of Chennai Online wrote, "It's a film that comes like a whiff of fresh air. Different in concept and narrative style. The scenes handled with sensitivity, the lines provocative and meaningful. The performances are well co-ordinated".[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Penghal". Indiainfo. Archived from the original on 18 October 2000. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Fair sex being unfair to producers?". Indiainfo. Archived from the original on 14 October 2000. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Penngal / Krodham 2". AV Digital. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  4. ^ Padmanabhan, Savitha (14 December 2000). "Film Review: Penngal". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 4 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  5. ^ தாசன், விஷுவல் (31 December 2000). "பெண்கள்". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 10. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ^ Mannath, Malini. "Film: Penngal". Chennai Online. Archived from the original on 5 March 2001. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
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