'Thanga Meengal' Review Roundup: Heart-Warming Film; Worth a Watch

Director Ram's "Thanga Meengal" has received positive reviews from critics, who have termed it as a film to watch and cherish with your daughter.

"Thanga Meengal" has been released after much delay, thanks to big releases, including Vijay's "Thalaivaa." The Ram-starrer, which deals with father-daughter relationship, finally hit the screens on 30 August across Tamil Nadu.

Director Ram, whose directorial debut "Kattradhu Thamizh" was critically-acclaimed, is back after a span of nearly six years with his Tamil drama flick, "Thanga Meengal". Apart from directing the film, Ram has starred in the lead character of a father (kalyanasundaram) whose world revolves around his 8-year-old daughter Chellamma (played by Baby Sadhana).

"Thanga Meengal" has won accolades from film critics for an interesting screenplay and life-like performances. The film's music, composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, also got praises. The Tamil drama flick is produced by Gautham Vasudev Menon. 

Here is what the critics have to say about "Thanga Meengal"

Behindwoods Review Board wrote, "First things first, a big round of applause to director Ram for his vision, unflinching passion on his subject, his writing and of course his performance. He has literally given life to the character that he has written. Though he comes across as over-dramatic and hyper-emotional at times, it suits the story."

On the child actor Sadhana's perfomance, the review boards says, "her's is an unbelievable performance and not for one moment, do we see any cinematic traces in her. Ram has extracted the best out of this prodigiously talented child."

M Suganth of The Times of India wrote, "Thanga Meenkal shares many of Kattradhu Tamizh's film's strengths and flaws. It is a well-intentioned effort, strikingly shot, and held together by persuasive performances. At the same time, it is also relentlessly grim and bludgeons you into submitting to the point of view of the filmmaker, and by the time it ends, makes you believe you have personally gone through the ordeals of the film's characters."

"But, thankfully, it doesn't have the intense - and incredibly misplaced - anger that scorched through the latter, to leave you feeling miserable in the end. In its place, there is a welcome amount of poetry and grey, and a little bit of warmth, which shows a filmmaker evolving, trying to polish off his rough edges," he said.

Prashanth Reddy of Desimartini wrote, "It ["Thanga Meengal"] sets out to genuinely win our affections but manages to do that only on certain rare occasions. Save for a couple of strong scenes, the film is otherwise a mawkish puppy which keeps coming back to lick your heart. And in case you were wondering, it doesn't pack even half of the emotional punch of 'Katradhu Tamizh'."

According to Indiaglitz, "Ram deserves a special mention for his direction cum acting, with only two movies he has proved his mettle and Kollywood needs more directors like him no doubt."

Verdict: Interesting screenplay with brilliant performances. Go for it.