2402:3A80:13A6:38F9:0:0:DFC1:80BE at 09:51, 30 June 2021

2021-06-30T09:51:03Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Nandalala
| image = nandalala.jpg
| director = [[Mysskin]]
| producer = [[Ayngaran International|K. Karunamoorthy]]<br />[[C. Arunpandian]]
| writer = Mysskin
| based_on = {{based on|[[Kikujiro]] by [[Takeshi Kitano]]|}}
| starring = Mysskin<br>[[Snigdha Akolkar]]<br>Ashwath Ram
| music = [[Ilayaraaja]]
| cinematography = [[Mahesh Muthuswami]]
| editing = Ravi Shankar
| studio = Ayngaran International
| distributor = [[Ayngaran International]]
| runtime = 125 minutes
| released = {{Film date|df=y|2010|11|26}}
| language = Tamil
| country = India
| budget =
}}
'''''Nandalala''''' ({{Lang-ta|நந்தலாலா }}) is a 2010 Indian [[Tamil cinema|Tamil]]-language [[Independent film|independent]] [[drama film]] written and directed by [[Mysskin]]. He himself plays the lead role, alongside newcomer Ashwath Ram and [[Snigdha Akolkar]]. The film, which is produced by [[Ayngaran International]] and features a highly acclaimed musical score by [[Ilaiyaraaja]], is based on the 1999 Japanese film ''[[Kikujiro]]'',<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/features/Interviews/interview-5/director/mysskin-01.html |title=Director Mysskin – Interview – Behindwoods.com – Tamil Movie Director Interviews – Nandhalala, Anjathe, Chithiram Pesudhadi |publisher=Behindwoods |date=2009-01-21 |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Baradwaj Rangan |url=http://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2010/09/11/between-reviews-meeting-mysskin/ |title=Between Reviews: Meeting Mysskin « Blogical Conclusion |publisher=Baradwajrangan.wordpress.com |date= |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> and partly inspired from Mysskin's life.<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite news|author=Subha J Rao |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article900248.ece |title=Arts / Cinema : His own path |work=The Hindu |date=2010-11-20 |accessdate=2010-11-27 |location=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/features/Interviews/interview-5/director/mysskin.html |title=Director Mysskin – Behindwoods.com – Interview |publisher=Behindwoods |date= |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> The movie was an average grosser.

The film illustrates the road journey of two people, a mentally challenged adult and an eight-year-old schoolboy, both in search of their respective mothers. Myshkin began developing ''Nandalala'' in 2006, penning the [[scriptment]] for eight months. Supposed to be filmed, after the release of Myshkin's debut film ''[[Chithiram Pesuthadi]]'' (2006), the film was shelved since no producer came forward to fund the film, and was launched only in June 2008,<ref name=autogenerated4>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/39797.html |title='Nandhalala' starts filming – Tamil Movie News |publisher=IndiaGlitz |date= |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> after the release of Myshkin's second film ''[[Anjathe]]'' (2008). It was completed by December 2008,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/movies/mysskin-completes-nandalala-news-tamil-kkfs7Maddgc.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002074340/http://www.sify.com/movies/mysskin-completes-nandalala-news-tamil-kkfs7Maddgc.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-10-02 |title=Mysskin completes Nandalala|publisher=Sify |date=2008-12-17 |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> but got stuck in [[development hell]] later, with no distributors willing to release the film. Following numerous preview shows and screenings at several film festivals, the film eventually released on 26 November 2010, opening to very positive reviews and garnering critical acclaim.<ref name="behindwoods1">{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-slide-shows/movie-4/top-ten-movies/tamil-cinema-topten-movie-nandalala.html |accessdate=29 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202041445/http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-slide-shows/movie-4/top-ten-movies/tamil-cinema-topten-movie-nandalala.html|title=Nandalala - Behindwoods.com - Tamil Top Ten Movies - Mandhira punnagai Magizhchi Nagaram Endhiran Uthama Puthiran Kanimozhi Nandalala Mynaa |archivedate=2 December 2010 }}</ref><ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web |url=http://www.top10cinema.com/review/7831/nandhalala |title=Nandhalala | Movie Review |publisher=Top 10 Cinema |accessdate=2010-11-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126092556/http://www.top10cinema.com/review/7831/nandhalala |archivedate=26 November 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name=autogenerated10>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-reviews/reviews-2/nandalala-movie-review.html |title=Nandalala Movie Review – Tamil Movie Nandalala Movie Review |publisher=Behindwoods |date= |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref>

== Cast ==
* [[Mysskin]] as Bhaskar Mani
* Ashwath Ram as Akhilesh
* [[Snigdha Akolkar]] as Anjali
* [[Nassar (actor)|Nassar]] as Lorry Driver
* [[Rohini (actress)|Rohini]]
* [[Kalaiyarasan]]
* Leena Maria Paul

== Production ==

=== Development ===
After [[Myshkin (director)|Myshkin]] had completed and released his maiden venture ''[[Chithiram Pesuthadi]]'' in 2006, he wrote the script for ''Nandalala'' for eight months, which was supposed to be his next directorial.<ref name=autogenerated6>{{cite web|author=cinesouth |url=http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/19012007-3.shtml |title=Dailynews – Has 'Nandalala' been forsaken? |publisher=Cinesouth.com |date=2007-01-19 |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> A. M. Ratnam was initially to produce the film, for which his son [[Ravi Krishna]] was to play the lead role.<ref name=autogenerated9>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/27092.html |title=Mysskin runs around with Nandalala — Tamil Movie News |publisher=IndiaGlitz |date=2006-11-22 |accessdate=2012-11-08}}</ref> Despite completing a [[photo shoot]] with Ravi Krishna, the film was shelved, since Ratnam opted out, after he incurred heavy losses with his previous productions.<ref name=autogenerated6 /> Director [[Saran (director)|Saran]] was subsequently approached by Myshkin to produce the film, but as he wasn't impressed by the storyline and suggested some changes, which Myshkin didn't agree to, he, too, dropped the film.<ref name=autogenerated9 /> Myshkin decided to postpone the project, since "nobody was interested",<ref name=autogenerated8>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/mar/24ssmys.htm |title=Mysskin, on making Anjathe |publisher=Rediff|date=2008-03-24 |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> and instead wrote a new story and commenced a new project, which itself was a result of Myshkin's anger.<ref name=autogenerated8 /><ref name=autogenerated7>{{cite web|url=http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2008/sep/15sli2.htm |title=rediff.com: Mysskin: Shooting straight from the heart |publisher=Rediff |date=2008-09-15 |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> Myshkin later revealed, that in spite of demands from the producers, he didn't make any compromises in this film, in contrast to his previous ventures, as ''Nandhalala'' was his "dream project".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2008/sep/15sli6.htm |title=rediff.com: Mysskin: Shooting straight from the heart |publisher=Rediff |date=2008-09-15 |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref>

That film was ''[[Anjathe]]'', which released in 2008, following which Myshkin re-commenced ''Nandalala'', taking up the lead role himself, after several lead actors from the [[Tamil film industry]] had rejected the offer,<ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref name=autogenerated3 /> fearing of "their image would get damaged".<ref name=autogenerated7 /> The lead character, Bhaskar Mani, that Myshkin plays in the film was initially supposed to be around 20 years old, however, as no actor was willing to take the role and he decide to play the character, he changed the age to 27 to make it more suitable.<ref name=autogenerated7 /> For the seven-year-old schoolboy character, newcomer Ashwath Ram was selected, after over 100 children were auditioned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2008/sep/15sli4.htm |title=rediff.com: Mysskin: Shooting straight from the heart |publisher=Rediff |date=2008-09-15 |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> [[Snigdha Akolkar]], who had performed an [[item number]] in ''Anjathe'', was chosen to enact the lead female character, while [[Rohini (actress)|Rohini]] was signed to play the mother of the lead character Bhaskar Mani.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> ''Nandhalala'' was initially Snigdha's debut Tamil film, for which Myshkin had signed her in 2006 already, but with the film getting postponed, she made her first appearance in ''Anjathe'' that Myshkin decided to direct instead.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/telugu/article/37250.html |title=Mysskin's next — Telugu Movie News |publisher=IndiaGlitz |date=2008-03-14 |accessdate=2012-11-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=V Lakshmi, TNN, 22 Nov 2010, 12.00am IST |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-11-22/news-interviews/28218611_1_mysskin-nandalala-snigdha |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104013903/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-11-22/news-interviews/28218611_1_mysskin-nandalala-snigdha |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-11-04 |title=I'm not ready to do skin shows: Snigdha |date=2010-11-22 |work=[[The Times of India]] |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> Reports indicated that [[Arya (actor)|Arya's]] brother Zahir had been signed for a pivotal as well,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/may-08-03/mysskin-20-05-08.html |title=Star brother in Mysskin's Nandhalala |publisher=Behindwoods |date= |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> which turned out to be untrue. The film's filming began in late June 2008 eventually,<ref name=autogenerated4 /> was completed in 81 days, with major portions being shot on highways and roads in [[Chennai]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/41379.html |title='Nandhalala' going strong – Bollywood Movie News |publisher=IndiaGlitz |date= |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> and [[Gobichettipalayam]].<ref name=autogenerated1 /> After Ilaiyaraaja had completed the film score of the film, the soundtrack album was released in January 2009, while the first [[trailer (promotion)|trailer]] was premiered in July 2009 alongside [[Sundar C.]]'s ''[[Ainthaam Padai]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/movies/tamil/fullstory.php?id=14901615&cid=2363|title=Page Not Found|website=sify.com}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==

{{Infobox album
| name = Nandalala
| type = Soundtrack
| artist = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 14 January 2009
| recorded = 2008
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]]
| length = Ayngaran Music<br/>An Ak Audio
| label =
| producer = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| prev_title = [[Naan Kadavul]]
| prev_year = 2009
| next_title = [[Bhagyadevatha]]
| next_year = 2009
}}
After working with Sundar C. Babu for both his previous films, Myshkin opted to collaborate with composer [[Ilaiyaraaja]] for ''Nandalala''{{'}}s music. The soundtrack album to this film was released on 14 January 2009, during [[Pongal (festival)|Pongal]] at the Four Frames theater in [[Chennai]].<ref name=autogenerated5>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/jan-09-03/nandhalala-15-01-09.html |title=Nandalala Audio Launch|publisher=Behindwoods |date=2009-01-15 |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> The album features 6 tracks while, however, only two of them were included in the final version.<ref name=autogenerated5 /> Ilaiyaraaja had performed three songs himself, one of which "Oru vandu Kootame" along with his grandson and [[Karthik Raja]]'s eldest son Yatheeshwaran. The sixth song in the album "Elilea Elilea" was written and sung by a [[Banjara|gypsy]] woman called Saroja Ammal in her mother tongue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://qa.in.movies.yahoo.com/news-detail.html?news_id=34408 |title=Gypsies in Nandalala |publisher=Yahoo.com |date=2009-09-22 |accessdate=2010-11-27}}</ref> Apart from Saroja Ammal, five lyricists had penned the songs, namely [[Na. Muthukumar]], [[Muhammed Metha]], Muthulingam, [[Kabilan (lyricist)|Kabilan]] and Pazhani Bharathi.

Myshkin stated that he had requested Ilaiyaraaja to come up with a music that should be "enjoyed and appreciated by the likes of a hunter in an African cave".<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Ilaiyaraaja, hence, composed a "simple" and "minimalized" score and had written a [[symphonic]] piece, using only three instruments, a [[flute]], an [[oboe]] and a [[violin]], for which three specialized [[Hungarians|Hungarian]] artists from the [[Budapest Festival Orchestra]] were invited.<ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/12/26/stories/2008122650770400.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110120045/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/12/26/stories/2008122650770400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-01-10 |title=Friday Review Bangalore / Personality : Maestro's touch |date=2008-12-26 |accessdate=2010-11-27 |work=[[The Hindu]] |location=Chennai, India}}</ref>

{{tracklist
| headline = Tracklist
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| total_length =
| title1 = Melle Oorndhu Oorndhu
| lyrics1 = [[Na. Muthukumar]]
| extra1 = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| length1 =
| title2 = Onnukkonnu
| lyrics2 = [[Muhammed Metha]]
| extra2 = [[K. J. Yesudas]]
| length2 =
| title3 = Thalaattu Ketka Nanum
| lyrics3 = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| extra3 = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| length3 =
| title4 = Kai Veesi
| lyrics4 = Pazhani Bharathi
| extra4 = [[Vijay Yesudas]], [[Swetha Mohan]], [[Madhu Balakrishnan]], Raagul, Chandrasekar
| length4 =
| title5 = Oru Vandu Koottame
| lyrics5 = Kabilan
| extra5 = [[Ilaiyaraaja]], Master Yatheeswaran
| length5 =
| title6 = Elilea Elilea
| lyrics6 = Saroja Ammal
| extra6 = Saroja Ammal
| length6 =
}}

== Release ==
Made on a budget of {{INR}}3.5 crore,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/mysskin-back-to-the-roots-news-tamil-kkfqQ4ifgbdsi.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917125725/http://www.sify.com/movies/mysskin-back-to-the-roots-news-tamil-kkfqQ4ifgbdsi.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2017-09-17|title=Mysskin - Back to the roots|publisher=}}</ref> ''Nandalala'''s post-production works were finished in early 2009, ''Nandalala'' was evading release dates for over a year, mainly since distributors were fearing and unwilling to distribute the film due to its offbeat theme. Finally [[Ayngaran International]] was able to release the film on 26 November 2010, one-a-half years after its completion, facing opposition from newcomer Sripathy's ''[[Kanimozhi (film)|Kanimozhi]]''. ''Nandalala'' took the better opening at the Chennai box office, opening at second position, ranking just behind ''[[Mynaa]]'', while earning {{INR}} 20,89,502 from 146 screens.<ref name="behindwoods1"/> The film was subsequently crowded out at the box-office by new releases, becoming an average grosser.

=== Reviews ===
Before the wide theatrical release on 26 November, the film was screened several times at film festivals and as preview shows to prominent filmmakers, actors and distributors. Following one such preview show, actor-director [[Kamal Haasan]] had described the film as an "excellent, must-watch film", recommending [[Sun Pictures]] to distribute the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chennaionline.com/film/news/aug09/86kamal-recommends-nandalala-to-sun-pictures.aspx|title=Kamal recommends 'Nandalala' to Sun Pictures|publisher=}}</ref> At the Norway Film Festival, the film had won the Critics' as well as the People's Choice Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-previews/preview-1/nandalala-movie-preview.html|title=Nandalala - Tamil Movie Previews - Nandalala - Mysskin - Aswath Ram - Ilayaraja - Behindwoods.com|website=www.behindwoods.com}}</ref>

After its theatrical release, the film gained mostly highly positive reviews and praise, with most critics claiming that Myshkin had made a meaningful film that marks a [[milestone]] in [[Tamil cinema]].<ref name="autogenerated11">{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/movies/mysskin-goes-to-mookambi-news-tamil-kl2mMudagfd.html?scategory=tamil |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002075625/http://www.sify.com/movies/mysskin-goes-to-mookambi-news-tamil-kl2mMudagfd.html?scategory=tamil |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-10-02 |title=Mysskin goes to Mookambi!|publisher=Sify |date=2010-11-29 |accessdate=2012-11-08}}</ref> ''[[The Hindu]]'' 's Malathi Rangarajan, too gave a very positive verdict, calling it the "real road film" that is made "for seekers of worthy cinema". Further praising the director, she cites that Myshkin "rises high above the standards he set with the earlier quality cocktails" and that "Tamil cinema needs more creators like him".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article917535.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | first=Malathi | last=Rangarajan | title=Real road film – Nandalala | date=2010-11-27}}</ref> Pavithra Srinivasan of ''[[Rediff]]'' rated the film four out five describing ''Nandalala'' as "brilliant",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/south-review-nadhalala/20101126.htm|title=Review: Nandhalala is brilliant|publisher=}}</ref> eventually finding a place in the list of her "Best Tamil films of 2010" article,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-south-top-tamil-films-of-2010/20101209.htm |title=The Best Tamil Films of 2010|publisher=Rediff|date=2010-12-09 |accessdate=2012-11-08}}</ref> while a review from ''Indiaglitz'' labelled the film as "mindblowing and marvellous", further claiming that Myshkin "seems to have taken Tamil cinema to a new height".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/review/10319.html |title=Nandhalala Tamil Movie Review |publisher=IndiaGlitz |date=2010-11-26 |accessdate=2012-11-08}}</ref>

A ''Behindwoods'' reviewer, too, gave the film four out of five, describing the film as "Picture Perfect" that "transcends genres and even barriers of language".<ref name=autogenerated10 /> ''Top10Cinema''{{'}}s reviewer labelled the film as Mysskin's "yet another trademark",<ref name=autogenerated2 /> while, as per ''[[Sify]].com'', a "popular English daily" had given it four and a half out five, the highest rating it has given for any Tamil film.<ref name="autogenerated11"/> Meanwhile, ''Sify'' critic Sreedhar Pillai in his review described ''Nandalala'' as "another heart wrenching story" that was "slow and melancholic", claiming it was for people "like films that explores the realms of anguish and despair".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/movies/tamil/review.php?id=14959076&ctid=5&cid=2429|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128030500/http://sify.com/movies/tamil/review.php?id=14959076&ctid=5&cid=2429|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-11-28|title=Review : (2010)|website=sify.com}}</ref>

=== Plagiarism ===
The film drew criticism for its inspiration from ''[[Kikujiro]]''. Whilst ''[[The New Indian Express]]'' review tributed Ilaiyaraaja for an "outstanding" background score, it criticised Myshkin for replicating "not just the concept, but almost the entire graph of the plot and narration" of the original, labelling it as "blatant plagiarism". The critic added that it is "not just an embarrassment to the maker, but to the viewer too".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://newindianexpress.com/entertainment/reviews/article285087.ece | title=Nandalala — Review | publisher=The New Indian Express | date=2000-12-05 | accessdate=2012-11-08}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|id=1784552}}

{{Mysskin}}

[[Category:2010 films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:2010s drama road movies]]
[[Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja]]
[[Category:Films directed by Mysskin]]
[[Category:2010s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Indian drama road movies]]
[[Category:Indian remakes of Japanese films]]
[[Category:2010 drama films]]

Nandalala - Revision history

2402:3A80:13A6:38F9:0:0:DFC1:80BE at 09:51, 30 June 2021