Pothanur Thabal Nilayam

Pothanur Thabal Nilayam (transl. Pothanur Post Office) is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language heist film written and directed by Praveen. The film features Praveen himself in the lead role, Anjali Rao and Venkat Sundar, and was released on 27 May 2022.

Pothanur Thabal Nilayam
Poster
Directed byPraveen
Produced bySudhan Sundaram
G. Jayaram
Starring
CinematographySukumaran Sundar
Edited byPraveen
Music byTenma
Production
company
Passion Studios
Distributed byaha
Release date
  • 27 May 2022 (2022-05-27)
Running time
120 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Cast

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  • Praveen as Praveen
  • Anjali Rao as Mirthula
  • Venkat Sundar as Sangu
  • Jagan Krish
  • Seetharaman
  • Deena Angamuthu
  • Sambath Kumar

Production

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Praveen Venkataraman began writing Pothanur Thabal Nilayam in the early 2010s. The film, set in the 1990s, focuses on the Podanur Post Office, the oldest and the first post office in Coimbatore, that has been functioning since 1886.[1]

Praveen gained experience in filmmaking animation, by notably working as a technical director with Walt Disney Pictures and was a pipeline director on Soundarya Rajinikanth's Kochadaiiyaan (2014). Production on Pothanur Thabal Nilayam began by August 2015, with Praveen putting together a technical team of young short filmmakers from Coimbatore to assist him. The film was launched under his own studio – Bicycle Cinemas – and took five years to complete.[2] Scenes were shot at Coimbatore Town Hall, which was redesigned to look like a post office.[3] The film was shot across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.[4]

In November 2021, Passion Studios acquired the film and announced intentions of making the film into a trilogy.[5]

Reception

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The film was released on 27 May 2022 on the streaming platform, aha.[6] A reviewer from Cinema Express gave the film a negative review noting "director Praveen treats the film like an uninventive drama from the 80s, by topping it with cartoonish performances, overlong shots, and a jarring background score".[7] The film received a middling review from The Hindu.[8]

In contrast, IndiaGlitz gave the film a positive review citing it was an "innovative crime drama that impresses with its nostalgia" and "to go for this minimalistic experimental film that will surprise you with its entertainment quotient".[9] Similarly, News Today also gave the film a positive review noted that "Praveen does a commendable job. He impresses not just as actor and filmmaker but also as art director. Anjali Rao does a super show."[10] Behindwoods.com also praised the film noting "Overall, Pothanur Thabal Nilayam is an honest heist thriller that has got most of the elements right."[11]Dinamalar critic gave a mixed review and gave 2.5 rating out of 5.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "A new film 'Podanur Thabaal Nilayam' turns the spotlight on Podanur Post Office, the oldest and the first post office in Coimbatore". The Hindu. 27 May 2022. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Pothanur Post Office". FilmFreeway. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  3. ^ Nath, Parshathy J. (25 August 2015). "Suspense in the post office". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Praveen's suspense thriller Pothanur Thabal Nilayam, set in a post office, will be a trilogy". Times of India. November 2021. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Passion Studios' next production to be trilogy titled 'Pothanur Thabal Nilayam'". The New Indian Express. 2 November 2021. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Stream pothanur thabal nilayam on Aha Video". Aha. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Pothanur Thabal Nilayam Movie Review: Few saving graces in a majorly amateurish attempt". Cinema Express. 28 May 2022. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  8. ^ "முதல் பார்வை | போத்தனூர் தபால் நிலையம் - வழிமாறிய வித்தியாசமான த்ரில்லர்!". Hindu Tamil Thisai. 28 May 2022. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Pothanur Thabal Nilayam". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Pothanur Thabal Nilayam – Review". News Today. 27 May 2022. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Pothanur Thabal Nilayam (aka) Pothanur Thabal Nilayaam review". Behindwoods. 28 May 2022. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  12. ^ "போத்தனூர் தபால் நிலையம் - விமர்சனம் {2.5/5} : போத்தனூர் தபால் நிலையம் - தவிப்புடன்… - Pothanur thabal nilayam". Dinamalar. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
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