Adaikalam

Anbu is a doctor and also a lovable brother of Thamizh, who are the son and daughter of Kasthuri. Somasundaram, is Anbu's uncle who takes care of Thamizh and her family. One day Anbu learns about Thamizh's love and arranges for the marriage. During wedding preparations unexpectedly, Kasthuri dies out of shock. Hence Somasundaram calls Anbu's father Sathyamurthy, who was separated from Kasthuri long ago. Anbu is infuriated and argues with Somasundaram not to allow Sathyamurthy to conduct the funeral and rituals. Sathyamurthy is repeatedly snubbed by his children; unperturbed by their mistreatment, he stays quietly with his family, bearing this agony. As story moves on, Sathyamurthy feels sad and shares his story to Somasundaram. Somasundaram narrates the flashback to Anbu and Thamizh and reveals their father's real story.

Sixteen years back, Sathyamurthy and Kasthuri, with their two children, were living happily. When Kasthuri gets pregnant for the third time, Sathyamurthy requests her to abort the baby on doctors' advice. But Kasthuri was adamant to continue bearing the child, so she quarrels with her husband, leaves him abruptly, walks away with her children, and spends the rest of her life with her brother. When she is unconscious, the doctor had aborted the child. After finishing the flashback, Somasundaram says that all their financial needs and wants were fulfilled indirectly by Sathyamurthy from their childhood and for their education also. At last Anbu and Thamizh realise the truth and they accept and reunite with his children.

{{cast listing|

• Prashanth as Anbu
• Uma as Thamizh
• Thiagarajan as Sathyamurthy
• Saranya Ponvannan as Kasthuri
• Radharavi as Somasundaram
• Ravichandran as Thamizh's father-in-law
• Nalini as Doctor
• Hemalatha as Amudha
• Periya Karuppu Thevar
• Kottachi

}}

Production for the film began in August 2004 with Prashanth and Uma signed on to play a brother and sister in the film. The film was revealed to be produced by Kaladass Creations, who had earlier produced Balu Mahendra's Veedu (1988), while it would be directed by debutant Bhuvanaraja.{{Cite web |date=10 December 2004 |title=Prashanth- on a high! |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/boxoffice.php?id=13627002&cid=2363 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809110744/http://www.sify.com/movies/boxoffice.php?id=13627002&cid=2363 |archive-date=9 August 2015 |access-date=9 August 2022 |website=Sify}} Bhuvanaraja had earlier narrated two different scripts to Prashanth and by chance mentioned a partial storyline for a third, with the actor impressed with the final one. Unlike most other Tamil-language films, Adaikalam did not feature a romantic sub-plot for the lead character and Prashanth appreciated that he had accepted to work on the film purely for its strong script and screenplay.{{Cite web |title=Adaikalam |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/tamil/preview.php?ctid=5&cid=2423&id=13652344 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140406193325/http://www.sify.com/movies/tamil/preview.php?ctid=5&cid=2423&id=13652344 |archive-date=6 April 2014 |access-date=26 January 2022 |website=Sify}}{{Cite web |date=8 April 2005 |title=Mature thoughts, measured words |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/04/08/stories/2005040800010200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131091001/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/04/08/stories/2005040800010200.htm |archive-date=31 January 2010 |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=The Hindu}} Bhuvanaraja cast Prashanth's real life father, Thiagarajan, in a pivotal role while actress Nalini worked on the film free of charge after being impressed with the film's story.{{Cite web |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=24 November 2006 |title=A different dimension |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/11/24/stories/2006112400070200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407103223/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/11/24/stories/2006112400070200.htm |archive-date=7 April 2014 |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=The Hindu}} The shoot for the film continued throughout regions in Kanyakumari in October 2004.{{Cite web |date=21 October 2004 |title=Ajith's Attagasam in Tuticorin |url=http://ajithkumar.free.fr/news/news_97.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225173940/http://ajithkumar.free.fr/news/news_97.htm |archive-date=25 February 2015 |access-date=6 April 2014 |website=IndiaGlitz |via=ajithkumar.free.fr}}

Once the film was completed, the release was delayed after the producer became caught up with business commitments abroad. The film was further delayed as they did not want to clash with other films with similar themes such as Thavamai Thavamirundhu (2005) and Em Magan (2006).{{Cite web |date=4 November 2006 |title=Adaikalam – Clearing all hurdles |url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/adaikalam-clearing-all-hurdles-tamil-news-26600 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903211953/http://www.indiaglitz.com/adaikalam-clearing-all-hurdles-tamil-news-26600 |archive-date=3 September 2017 |access-date=20 March 2023 |website=IndiaGlitz}} Subsequently, the director went on to start and work on another film titled Brindavanathil Nandakumaran, though it later did not release.{{Cite web |date=13 October 2005 |title='Brindavanathil Nandakumaran' Launch of new film with pictures |url=http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/13102005-5.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203185241/http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/13102005-5.shtml |archive-date=3 February 2007 |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=Cinesouth}}

The soundtrack was composed by the duo Sabesh–Murali.{{Cite web |title=Adaikalam |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/adaikalam/7,hncUasAiA_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230806121008/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/adaikalam/7,hncUasAiA_ |archive-date=6 August 2023 |access-date=6 August 2023 |website=JioSaavn|date=28 November 2008 }}

The film opened on 29 December 2006.{{Cite web |title=அடைக்கலம் / Adaikalam (2006) |url=https://screen4screen.com/movies/adaikalam |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240412110907/https://screen4screen.com/movies/adaikalam |archive-date=12 April 2024 |access-date=21 November 2024 |website=Screen 4 Screen}} Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu wrote "'Adaikkalam' is for those who look for a reasonable amount of reality in cinema. Bhuvanaraja has waited long enough for the film to see the light of day. Now that it has, more such breaks ought to follow. The maker deserves it."{{Cite web |date=5 January 2007 |title=Talent matches talent -- Adaikkalam |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/01/05/stories/2007010500340200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070107065958/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/01/05/stories/2007010500340200.htm |archive-date=7 January 2007 |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=The Hindu}} Malini Mannath of Chennai Online wrote "It's a tale of family bonding, the script a little different and unusual, and narrated with fair competence. The debutant director has had his training with directors like Balu Mahendra and has tried to give his film a realistic emotional feel throughout".{{Cite web |last=Mannath |first=Malini |date=12 January 2007 |title=Adaikkalam |url=http://chennaionline.com/film/Moviereviews/2007/001adaikkalam.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011073028/http://chennaionline.com/film/Moviereviews/2007/001adaikkalam.asp |archive-date=11 October 2007 |access-date=11 August 2023 |website=Chennai Online}}

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Category:2000s Indian films

Category:2000s Tamil-language films

Category:2006 directorial debut films

Category:2006 drama films

Category:2006 films

Category:Films about families

Category:Films scored by Sabesh–Murali

Category:Indian drama films

Category:Tamil-language drama films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films