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Nenjuku Needhi

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Nenjuku Needhi
Theatrical release poster
Directed byArunraja Kamaraj
Screenplay byArunraja Kamaraj
Story byAnubhav Sinha
Dialogues byTamizharasan Pachamuthu
Based onArticle 15
by Anubhav Sinha
Produced byBoney Kapoor
StarringUdhayanidhi Stalin
Aari Arujunan
Tanya Ravichandran
Shivani Rajashekar
CinematographyDinesh B. Krishnan
Edited byRuben
Music byDhibu Ninan Thomas
Production
companies
Distributed byRed Giant Movies
Release date
  • 20 May 2022 (2022-05-20)
Running time
132 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Nenjuku Needhi (transl. Justice for the Heart) is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language political drama film[1] directed by Arunraja Kamaraj and produced by Boney Kapoor. A remake of the 2019 Hindi film Article 15, it stars Udhayanidhi Stalin, Aari Arujunan, Tanya Ravichandran, and Shivani Rajashekar. The film revolves around an upright police officer launching an attack against the caste system after caste-based discrimination and other crimes are dismissed

Principal photography began in April 2021 and wrapped that December. Nenjuku Needhi was released theatrically on 20 May 2022, and received positive reviews, with praise for Udhayanidhi's performance and story. The film completed 50 days of its theatrical run.[2]

Plot

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Vijaya Raghavan, an IPS officer, gets posted in a rural part of Tamil Nadu, where caste discrimination and untouchability is still in practice. Though Vijaya Raghavan has read about the discrimination in many books, it gets difficult for him to confront these problems in real life. While he is still grappling with the ideologies of the people around him and trying to educate them, a mysterious case of three missing dalit girls, who were employed in the local factory, makes his life more miserable. Two are found dead, but the case gets complicated, as there is no trace of the third one. Who is behind this heinous crime and how Vijaya Raghavan takes this case forward despite pressure from his casteist higher officials forms the rest of the plot.

Cast

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  • Udhayanidhi Stalin as S. Vijaya Raghavan Iyengar IPS
  • Aari Arujunan as Kumaran[3]
  • Tanya Ravichandran as Adhithi Vijayaraghvan[4]
  • Shivani Rajashekar as Kurinji[5]
  • Suresh Chakravarthy as Circle Inspector Sundaram Iyer
  • Ilavarasu as Sub-Inspector Malaichami(SC)
  • Mayilsamy as V. Villalan
  • Ramesh Thilak as Venkat
  • Sayaji Shinde as CBI Officer
  • Pasupathi Raj as Moorthy
  • Raahul as Gunasekaran
  • Abdool Lee as Vasan SV
  • Ratsasan Saravanan as Nataraj
  • Yamini Chander as Dr. Anitha
  • Hello Kandasamy as Devendran
  • Jeeva Ravi as Superintendent of Police
  • Ravi Venkatraman as Kesavan, retired SP
  • Ashvin Raja as Mechanic Suresh
  • Aruvi Bala as Balaji
  • Venkat Subha as Party Leader
  • Merku Thodarchi Malai Antony as Ravi
  • Suhasini Sanjeev as Valli
  • Ranganathan as Minister
  • S. Saranya Sri as Sathya
  • S. Thirukkurali as Suganthi
  • B. Harshika Shree as Jaya
  • Manikandan as Kailash

Production

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In September 2019, it was announced that Boney Kapoor had purchased the Tamil remake rights of the 2019 Hindi film Article 15.[6] In August 2020, Kapoor confirmed that the remake was in development. It is Arunraja Kamaraj's second film as director after Kanaa (2019). Udhayanidhi Stalin was chosen to play the lead role originally done by Ayushman Khurrana.[7] Principal photography began in April 2021 in Pollachi.[8] The title Nenjuku Needhi, named after the autobiography of Udhayanidhi's grandfather M. Karunanidhi, was announced on 16 October 2021.[9][10] Principal photography wrapped in mid-December.[11]

Music

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The film's music is composed by Dhibu Ninan Thomas[12] in his second collaboration with director Arunraja Kamaraj after Kanaa.

Nenjuku Needhi
Soundtrack album by
Released2022
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length9:04
LanguageTamil
LabelZee Music South
ProducerDhibu Ninan Thomas
Dhibu Ninan Thomas chronology
Kombu Vatcha Singamda
(2022)
Nenjuku Needhi
(2022)
Nadhi
(2022)
Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Sevakkaattu Seemaiellaam"YugabharathiGuru Ayyadurai4:14
2."Nenjukku Needhi – Title Track"Arunraja Kamaraj0:40
3."Engey Needhi"YugabharathiAnanya Bhat, Kalyani Nair, Anjana Rajagopalan, Devu Mathew, Sinduri S, Shobi Ashika.C, Shilvi Sharon4:50
Total length:9:04

Release

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Theatrical

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Nenjuku Needhi was released worldwide on 20 May 2022.[13] The film's distribution rights in Tamil Nadu are held by Red Giant Movies. It was originally scheduled to release in early March 2022, but then delayed to avoid clash with other films like Etharkkum Thunindhavan and Radhe Shyam.[14]

Home media

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The post-theatrical streaming rights of Nenjuku Needhi were bought by SonyLIV.[15] The film began streaming there from 23 June 2022.[16] The satellite rights were sold to Kalaignar TV, where it premiered on 15 August.[17]

Reception

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The Times of India gave a rating of 3.5 out of 5 and wrote, "A deeply-affecting and powerful film on caste disparities and inequality".[18] Puthiya Thalaimurai felt the film would win because it spoke a lot of hard-hitting facts throughout.[19] ABP Nadu wrote the filmmakers criticised the caste that politicians see and those who make a living by doing politics on the basis of caste; Udhayanidhi could be praised for that.[20] Ananda Vikatan wrote that the film speaks of the pain of the oppressed, the guiltless power of the dominant forces, and the role that all of society has in the tyranny of untouchability.[21] The New Indian Express gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "A heartfelt exploration of an important problem".[22] The Hindu wrote "The remake is well-adapted to suit the social milieu of Tamil Nadu, but doesn't quite immerse you into its world like its original".[23] The News Minute wrote, "Much like the Bollywood original, Nenjuku Needhi turns oppression into spectacle and denies dignity to the very people it claims to represent".[24] A critic from Firstpost gave 3 out of 5 rating and stated that " Udhayanidhi's presence makes these additions more significant -- the actor's political lineage and career are no secret. But there's also no denying that they are well-done. Udhayanidhi's involvement means we have a few shots of him against the rising sun. But thankfully, the film doesn't indulge in them too much. Udhayanidhi gives an earnest performance and is well-aided by the ensemble of excellent supporting actors."[25] Aditya Shrikrishna form Mint noted that 'As much as Nenjukku Needhi is well-intentioned, it could have done with embellishments providing cultural and temporal context"[26]

However,Maalai Malar critic noted that "A woman who cooks food is ignored and humiliated because she is a scheduled caste, Pollachi rape incidents, Periyar and Ambedkar statues locked in cages, real incidents are shown here and there. He has done a wonderful job between the characters."[27]Dinamalar Critic gave 3 rating out of 5 and stated that "This is not a typical masala film.It is a film that talks about the issues of Dalit people and the politics surrounding them...".[28]Zee News critic noted that 'This is the 12th film for Udayanidhi. In his 10 years of entering the film industry, he has given a perfect performance in a film that talks about social justice. He makes his mark by giving the signs of a good actor in everything like body language, dialogues and vision. He has progressed in this than his performances in Manithan, Nimir, Kanne Kalaimaane and Psycho."[29]

References

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  1. ^ "Nenjuku Needhi is a political drama, not a thriller". The Times of India. 17 December 2021. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Kamal Haasan's double congratulations to Udhayanidhi". The Times of India. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Aari Arjunan in Udhayanidhi's 'Article 15' remake". The Times of India. 28 April 2021. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Tanya pairs up with Udhay in Article 15 Tamil remake". The Times of India. 3 May 2021. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Rajasekhar's daughter Shivani Rajsekhar joins Udhayanidhi's 'Article 15' remake". The Times of India. 11 May 2021. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Ajith Kumar to star in remake of Ayushmann Khurrana's 'Article 15'?". The Hindu. 4 September 2019. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  7. ^ Dhar, Upamanyu (24 August 2020). "Boney Kapoor to Produce Tamil Remake of Ayushmann's 'Article 15'". The Quint. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Boney Kapoor, Udhayanidhi Stalin pay tribute to Vivek on sets of Article 15 Tamil remake". The Indian Express. 20 April 2021. Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Tamil remake of Article 15, starring Udhayanidhi, titled Nenjuku Needhi". The News Minute. 16 October 2021. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  10. ^ CR, Sharanya (16 October 2021). "Udhayanidhi, Arunraja's film titled Nenjuku Needhi". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Shooting of Nenjukku Needhi comes to a close; Udhayanidhi Stalin begins dubbing". Cinema Express. 19 December 2021. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Nenjuku Needhi". JioSaavn. 19 October 2021. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Udhayanidhi's Nenjuku Needhi to hit the screens on May 20". The Times of India. 16 April 2022. Archived from the original on 17 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  14. ^ "Release of Udhayanidhi Stalin's Nenjuku Needhi Pushed to Avoid Box Office Clash With..." News18. 26 February 2022. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  15. ^ "Udhayanidhi Stalin's Nenjukku Needhi's digital rights bagged by Sony LIV?". OTTplay. 22 May 2022. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  16. ^ "Udhayanidhi Stalin's Nenjuku Needhi to make its digital premiere, details inside". Cinema Express. 17 June 2022. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Nenjuku Needhi - Independence Day Premier Movie On Kalaignar TV". indiantvinfo.com. 15 August 2022. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  18. ^ Balachandran, Logesh (20 May 2022). "Nenjuku Needhi Movie Review : A deeply-affecting and powerful film on caste disparities and inequality". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  19. ^ Subramani (20 May 2022). "ஒரிஜினலுக்கு நியாயம் செய்த ரீமேக்... 'நெஞ்சுக்கு நீதி' விமர்சனம்..!". Puthiya Thalaimurai (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  20. ^ நவநீதகிருஷ்ணன், பா ஸ்டாலின் (20 May 2022). "Nenjukku Neethi Review: நெஞ்சுக்கு நீதி... 'பன்ச்'க்கு உதயநிதி... எப்படி இருக்கிறது படம்? உள்ளதை சொல்லும் விமர்சனம்!". ABP Nadu (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  21. ^ "Nenjuku Needhi Review: பிறப்பால் அனைவரும் சமம் என சட்டம் சொல்வதை சமூகம் ஏற்கிறதா?". Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  22. ^ Darshan, Navein (21 May 2022). "A heartfelt exploration of an important problem". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  23. ^ Sudevan, Praveen (20 May 2022). "'Nenjuku Needhi' movie review: Udhayanidhi's film is more political yet less affecting remake of 'Article 15'". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  24. ^ Singaravel, Bharathy (20 May 2022). "Nenjuku Needhi review: Kollywood remake of Article 15 is just as tone-deaf". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  25. ^ "Nenjukku Needhi movie review: Udhayanidhi's towering presence rules in this solid remake of Anubhav Sinha's Article 15". Firstpost. 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  26. ^ "Nenjukku Needhi review: A faithful but blunt remake". Mintlounge. 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  27. ^ "நெஞ்சுக்கு நீதி விமர்சனம்". maalaimalar.com (in Tamil). 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  28. ^ "நெஞ்சுக்கு நீதி". Dinamalar (in Tamil). 31 May 2022. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  29. ^ "திரை விமர்சனம்: நெஞ்சுக்கு நீதி - சமூக நீதி பேசும் தரமான சினிமா". Zee Hindustan Tamil (in Tamil). 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
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