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{{more citations needed|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Merku Thodarchi Malai (The Western Ghats)
| image = Merku Thodarchi Malai.jpg
| caption = Poster
| director = Lenin Bharathi
| producer = [[Vijay Sethupathi]]
| writer = Raasi Thangadurai (Dialogues)
| screenplay = Lenin Bharathi
| starring = {{unbulleted list|Antony|Gayathri Krishnaa|Abu Valayankulam}}
| music = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| cinematography = [[Theni Eswar (cinematographer)|Theni Eswar]]
| editing = [[Kasi Viswanathan]]
| studio = {{unbulleted list|[[Vijay Sethupathi Productions]]|Dream Tree Productions}}
| distributor = VT Cinemas
| released = {{unbulleted list|2018 <small>([[New York Indian Film Festival|NY Indian Film Festival]])</small>|24 August 2018 <small>(India)</small>}}
| runtime = 118 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
| budget =
}}

'''''Merku Thodarchi Malai''''' ({{lang-en|Western Ghats|italic=yes}}) is a 2018 [[Indian cinema|Indian]] [[Tamil cinema|Tamil language]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] film. It was directed by Lenin Bharathi and produced by [[Vijay Sethupathi]], with cinematographer [[Theni Eswar (cinematographer)|Theni Eswar]] and composer [[Ilaiyaraaja]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/Isaignani-for-Vijay-Sethupathi/articleshow/45257048.cms|title=Isaignani for Vijay Sethupathi|work=The Times of India|date=24 November 2017}}</ref> This is said to be Ilaiyaraaja's 1001th film signed by him in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/vijay-sethupathy-gets-ilayarajas-1001th-movie-tamil-news-122472|title=Vijay Sethupathy gets Ilayaraja's 1001th (sic!) movie|work=Indiaglitz|date=5 January 2015}}</ref>

The film revolves around the life and times of a group of landless workers living along the foothills of the [[Western Ghats]] in India. It depicts how the introduction of commercialization creates conflict in the simple lives of the villagers.{{citation needed lead|date=January 2019}}

== Plot ==

Daily [[wage labor]]er Rengasamy makes a living carrying [[cardamom]] sacks from the mountains to the foothills of the [[Western Ghats]] in the interior of [[Tamil Nadu]]. Chacko, a communist from [[Kerala]], unionizes these workers to prevent the estate owner from exploiting them. As a result, there are frequent clashes between the landlord and the union members.

Rengasamy wants to buy a piece of land from a local, but fails due to objections from the seller's family. He marries his cousin Eshwari, who is a worker on the estate, and joins her union. His second attempt to buy land ends in unexpected tragedy and he loses most of his savings. He later acquires land with a loan and begins farming to pay back the debt.

Meanwhile, in the communist party office, Chacko has a heated debate with a senior comrade about industrialization and the workers' conditions. Another comrade sends Chacko to deliver a message, and while he is away the estate owner closes the estate to make the workers and union members suffer. When Chako returns, the estate owner mocks him, saying that he had plotted with the senior comrade for this purpose.

Angered, Chacko finds the workers who are preparing to leave. He gathers a few of them, including Rengasamy, to take up weapons and confront the estate owner. The mob finds the estate owner with the senior comrade, kill both of them, and are jailed for several years. When Rengasamy returns home, the fertilizer vendor forecloses on his land for outstanding debts. Rengasamy later becomes a security guard for a windmill constructed on the land he once owned.

== Cast ==
* Antony as Rangasamy alias Rangu<ref name="T">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/merku-thodarchi-malai/movie-review/65501005.cms|title=Merku Thodarchi Malai Movie Review {3.5/5}: Critic Review of 'Merku Thodarchi Malai' by Times of India|via=timesofindia.indiatimes.com}}</ref>
* Gayathri Krishnaa as Eshwari<ref name="T"/>
* Abu Valayankulam as Chako<ref name="T"/>
* Anthony Vaathiyar as Kangaani<ref name="T"/>
* Sornam as Bakkiyam<ref name="T"/>
* Aarubala as Ravi<ref name="T"/>
* 'Late' M.S. Lai (a) Sudalai
* Uoothu Rasa
* Thevaram Sornam
* Kodangipatti Mokkathayi
* Pallavarayan Patti Pandi
* Vanaraj
* Master Smith
* Theni Eswar

== Production ==

Lenin Bharathi, who previously wrote the screenplay for ''[[Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer]]'', made his directorial debut with this film.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}} The film was outlined to Vijay Sethupathi about a year before production, gaining his interest in the project.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-15/vijay-sethupathi-is-starting-his-next.html|title=Vijay Sethupathi's next?|work=Behindwoods|date=5 January 2016}}</ref> The shooting for the film began in January or February 2016.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

The production budget of the film was {{INR}} 2.3 crore (23 million rupees).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPLuAGtikGg|title=MTM budget}}</ref>

==Release==
The satellite rights of the film were sold to [[Kalaignar TV]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t5QGkli9ek |title=Merku Thodarchi Malai 2 Pongal Special Promo 2019 |via=YouTube |date=11 January 2019 |access-date=12 April 2019}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Critical response===
''The Times of India'' gave the film three-and-a-half out of five stars and wrote that "The film ends with a bang ... even as it subtly delivers its message - how development also leads to the destruction of a way of life and a community".<ref name="T" />

===Awards and nominations ===

* The film was screened during the 21st [[International Film Festival of Kerala]].<ref>{{cite web|title=18 Indian films selected for 21st IFFK|url=http://english.manoramaonline.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/18-indian-films-selected-for-21st-iffk.html|publisher=[[Manoramaonline.com]]|access-date=10 October 2016|language=English|date=8 October 2016}}</ref>
* The film won Best Cinematography at the Bioscope Global Film Festival, [[Punjab]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Suganth|first1=M|title=Merku Thodarchi Malai wins award for its scriptography|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/Merku-Thodarchi-Malai-wins-award-for-its-cinematography/articleshow/55415823.cms|access-date=10 October 2018|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=15 November 2017}}</ref>
* The film has been nominated for 'Best Screenplay' Category in 17th New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF2017).<ref>{{cite web |title=Merku Thodarchi Malai receives accolades in New York |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/may/09/merku-thodarchi-malai-receives-accolades-in-new-york-1603032.html |website=The New Indian Express |access-date=17 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=VFC Takes 3 Tamil Films To New York Indian Film Festival |url=https://tamilculture.com/vfc-takes-3-tamil-films-new-york-indian-film-festival/ |website=TamilCulture}}</ref>
* The film was screened at the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival and Chicago South Asian Film Festival.<ref>http://www.ffif.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/D%C3%A9pliant-A4-Cine-Indien.pdf</ref>
* The film was invited to the 6th edition of Toulouse Indian Film Festival in France to complete for both the Jury and Audience Prizes.<ref>{{cite web |title=13 Indian films to be screened from 11 April in Toulouse fest in France - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/puducherry/13-indian-films-to-be-screened-from-april-11-in-toulouse-fest-in-france/articleshow/63538603.cms |website=The Times of India}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Date of ceremony
! Award
! Category
! Recipient(s)
! Result
! {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
| rowspan="3" | 5 January 2019
| rowspan="3" | [[Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards]]
| Best Film
| [[Vijay Sethupathi]]
| {{won}}
| rowspan="3" |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/147306-ananda-vikatan-awards-2018|title=ஆனந்த விகடன் சினிமா விருதுகள் 2018 - திறமைக்கு மரியாதை|first=Vikatan|last=Correspondent|website=vikatan.com/}}</ref>
|-
|-
| Best Debut Director
| Lenin Bharathi
| {{won}}
|-
| Best Production
| [[Vijay Sethupathi|Vijay Sethupathi Productions]]
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="4" | 25–28 April 2019
| rowspan="4" | [[Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards]]
| Best Film
| [[Vijay Sethupathi]]
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="4" |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/pariyerum-perumal-bags-best-film-award-norway-tamil-film-festival-94760|title='Pariyerum Perumal' bags Best Film award at Norway Tamil Film Festival}}</ref>
|-
| Best Director
| Lenin Bharathi
| {{won}}
|-
| Best Production
| [[Vijay Sethupathi]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Cinematography
| Theni Easwar
| {{won}}

|-
| rowspan="2" | 27 February 2019
| rowspan="2" | BOFTA Galatta Debut Awards
| Best Debut Actor - Male - Critics Choice
| Antony
| {{won}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Most Impactful Film By a Debutant
| Lenin Bharathi
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | 16 August 2019
| rowspan="2" | 8th South Indian International Movie Awards
| Best Debut Director
| Lenin Bharathi
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| Best Debut Actor
| Anthony
| {{nom}}
|
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{IMDb title|7794052}}

[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja]]
[[Category:2010s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:2016 films]]

Merku Thodarchi Malai - Revision history

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