Paramapatham

{{Infobox film

| name = Paramapatham

| image = Paramapatham poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Poster

| native_name =

| director = Thanesh Perrabu{{endash}}Viknesh Perrabu

| writer =

| screenplay = Desmond

| story = Thanesh Perrabu
Kohgulan
Dhiban Raj
Peregelathan

| based_on =

| producer =

| starring = {{plainlist|*Thanesh Perrabu

  • Viknesh Perrabu
  • Risheekeshan
  • Pavitran
  • Sasivaroobhan

}}

| narrator =

| cinematography = Jegatheesvaran

| editing = Thanesh Perrabu

| music = Balan Raj
M Jagathees

| studio = Dreamsky Home Production
Sai Nanthini Movie World

| distributor =

| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2020|||Film festivals|2021|2|1|Malaysia}}

| runtime =

| country = Malaysia

| language = Tamil

| budget =

| gross =

}}

Paramapatham ({{Translation|Snakes and ladders}}) is a 2020 Malaysian Tamil-language thriller film co-directed by Thanesh Perrabu and Viknesh Perrabu, who also co-star in the film alongside an ensemble cast.

The film was released in film festivals in 2020 and had a theatrical release in February 2021 before being screened at the 78th Golden Globe Awards later that month.{{Cite web|url=https://goldenglobes.com/articles/paramapatham-malaysia/|title=Paramapatham (Malaysia)|first=Armando|last=Villanueva|date=February 1, 2021|work=Golden Globe Awards|access-date=12 December 2024|archive-date=6 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206122818/https://goldenglobes.com/articles/paramapatham-malaysia/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://varnam.my/36577/paramapatham-to-compete-against-renowned-movies-at-78th-golden-globe-awards/|title=Paramapatham To Compete Against Renowned Movies At 78th Golden Globe Awards|work=Varnam|date=January 5, 2021|first=Monisha Vijaya|last=Segaran|access-date=12 December 2024|archive-date=27 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227231852/https://varnam.my/36577/paramapatham-to-compete-against-renowned-movies-at-78th-golden-globe-awards/|url-status=live}}

Cast

{{cast listing|

  • Thanesh Perrabu as Aroon
  • Viknesh Perrabu as Vajra
  • Risheekeshan
  • Pavitran
  • Sasivaroobhan
  • K. S. Maniam
  • Singai JGun
  • BenG
  • Aghonderan
  • Umagandhan
  • Vicky Nadarajah
  • Kavimaran (THR Raaga)
  • Kausaliya
  • Vimal

}}

Production

The film was directed by brothers: Thanesh and Viknesh Perrabu and is reportedly the first Malaysian Tamil thriller film.{{Cite web|url=https://thesun.my/style-life/a-dangerous-game-AY2472277|title=A dangerous game|date=31 May 2020|first=Bissme|last=S|work=The Sun|access-date=12 December 2024|archive-date=4 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204020159/https://thesun.my/style-life/a-dangerous-game-AY2472277|url-status=live}} Viknesh Perrabu previously directed the satan-based film Sathuriyan (2014). The idea for the film came from a book their father bought for them after which they learned that snakes and ladders was in fact from India and not England. While Thanesh Perrabu plays the protagonist, his brother Viknesh Perrabu plays the antagonist. The film was shot in Kedah, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Thailand. The 20 minutes of CGI in the film was created by a Kerala, India based company. BenG shot a four page monologue in a single take.

Release and reception

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic affecting Malaysia in February 2021, the film still had a theatrical release although many other local films were not released.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/malaysia/augustman-malaysia/20211101/281603833746340|title=A dangerous game|first=Muhyiddin|last=Yassin|location=Kuala Lumpur|date=1 November 2021|work=AugustMan|via=PressReader.com|access-date=12 December 2024}}

A critic from Asian Movie Pulse wrote that "Paramapatham ends up being a collection of ideas held together by a very thin central story than a compact movie, which, in the end, makes the movie very difficult to watch" while praising the chemistry of the lead cast.{{Cite web|url=https://asianmoviepulse.com/2021/08/film-review-paramapatham-the-snake-and-ladder-gameboard-2021-by-thanesh-and-viknes-perrabu/|title=Film Review: Paramapatham - The Snake and Ladder Gameboard (2021) by Thanesh and Viknes Perrabu|first=Panos|last=Kotzathanasis|date=August 31, 2021|website=Asian Movie Pulse|access-date=12 December 2024}}

Awards

class="wikitable"

|+

!Year

!Event

!Category

!Recipient

!Result

!{{Abbr|Ref.|References}}

rowspan="20"|2020Rome Prisma Independent Film AwardsBest FilmParamapatham{{won}}{{Cite news|url=https://makkalosai.com.my/2020/07/12/%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D/|title=" பரமபதம் "|trans-title=” Paramapatham “|work=Makkal Osai|language=ta|first=Parthiban|last=Ravi|date=12 July 2020|access-date=12 December 2024|archive-date=21 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621195611/https://makkalosai.com.my/2020/07/12/%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D/|url-status=live}}
Norway Tamil Film FestivalBest CinematographyJegatheesvaran{{won}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2020/07/11/local-tamil-movie-makes-it-into-malaysia-book-of-records/|title=Local Tamil movie makes it into Malaysia Book of Records|first=Reena|last=Sekaran|date=July 11, 2020|website=Free Malaysia Today|access-date=12 December 2024|archive-date=17 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017194146/https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2020/07/11/local-tamil-movie-makes-it-into-malaysia-book-of-records/|url-status=live}}
rowspan="5"| Coimbatore International Film FestivalBest FilmParamapatham{{won}}rowspan="2"|
Best DirectorThanesh Perrabu and Viknesh Perrabu{{won}}
Best Producer{{n/a}}{{won}}
Best Actor{{n/a}}{{won}}rowspan="8"|
Best Presenter{{n/a}}{{won}}
London NIFFBest International FilmParamapatham{{won}}
rowspan="4"|MLC Awards of Green BayBest Presenter{{n/a}}{{won}}
Best Jury Selection Artist{{n/a}}{{won}}
Best Music Composer{{n/a}}{{won}}
Best FilmParamapatham{{won}}
Vesuvius International Film FestivalBest Background Music{{n/a}}{{won}}
Tagore International Film FestivalBest Genre FilmParamapatham{{won}}
Cosmo Film FestivalBest Presenter{{n/a}}{{won}}rowspan="2"|
Indiescreen AwardsBest FilmParamapatham{{won}}
Malaysia Book of RecordsMost Tamil Movie Awards won by a Movie Director (16)Thanesh Perrabu and Viknesh Perrabu{{Won}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/tamil/global-55428754|title=மலேசிய தமிழ் படம் 'பரமபதம்': ரிலீஸுக்கு முன்பே குவித்த 18 சர்வதேச விருதுகள்|trans-title=Malaysia Tamil film 'Paramapatham': Before release, it has received 18 awards|work=BBC|date=23 December 2020|first=Satish|last=Parthiban|access-date=12 December 2024}}

Home media

The film was available for streaming on Netflix in Malaysia as of October 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/groove/2022/10/841259/showbiz-3-award-winning-malaysian-tamil-movies-available-netflix|title=#Showbiz: 3 award-winning Malaysian Tamil movies available on Netflix|first=Tahir|last=Alhamzah|date=October 17, 2022|website=New Straits Times|access-date=12 December 2024|archive-date=7 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207194729/https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/groove/2022/10/841259/showbiz-3-award-winning-malaysian-tamil-movies-available-netflix|url-status=live}}

References

{{Reflist}}