Maadathy
Maadathy,[1] also known internationally as Maadathy: An Unfairy Tale, is a 2019 Indian-Tamil language folklore drama film written, directed and produced by Leena Manimekalai under the banner of Karuvachy films and co-produced by Piiyush Singh (Golden Ratio Films), Bhavana Goparaju, and Abinandhan Ramanujam. The film stars Ajmina Kassim, Patrick Raj, Semmalar Annam and Arul Kumar in the lead roles.
Maadaathy | |
---|---|
Directed by | Leena Manimekalai |
Screenplay by | Leena Manimekalai Rafiq Ismail Yavanika Sriram |
Produced by | Leena Manimekalai |
Starring |
|
Cinematography | Jeff Dolen Karthik Muthukumar Abinandhan Ramanujam |
Edited by | Thangaraj Palanivel |
Music by | Karthik Raja |
Release dates | October 2019 (Busan International Film Festival) 24 June 2021 (India) |
Running time | 90 minutes |
Country | India |
Language | Tamil |
The film was premiered at Busan International Film Festival 2019 and received a positive critical response.[2] The film later got released in the OTT platform Neestream globally on 24, June 2021.[3]
Plot
The film is set in the backdrop of a river which acts as a symbol of the oppressor and the oppressed. The river is a way out, for the lead character a Dalit, Yosana; a liberation from the blind realities of caste. India is a land of Subaltern deities. Each deity has a unique legend and these legends are often interwoven with socio-historic tropes of India. Puthirai vannaar is an 'unseeable' Dalit caste group, in southern India. Their forced-occupation is to wash clothes of other Dalits, the dead and the menstruating women. This film is a tale about a young girl who grew up in Puthirai vannaar caste group and how she came to be immortalized as their local deity, Maadathy.
Cast
- Ajmina Kassim as Yosana[4]
- Semmalar Annam as Veni[4]
- Arul Kumar as Sudalai[4]
- Patrick Raj
Critical reception
News Minute reviewed "It's rare to see a film where the male body is subjected to the female gaze".[5] The Cinema Express wrote, "Remarkably exudes the power of cinema, of storytelling that is poignantly reflective of a society where legends of sin circle and haunt our deities".[6]
Awards
- World Premiere, Busan International Film Festival, October 2019.
- India Premiere, International Competition, Kolkata International Film Festival, November 2019.
References
- "With Maadathy — An Unfairy Tale, Leena Manimekalai skewers the blindness of dominant castes to oppression". Firstpost. 15 November 2019.
- Joseph, Ashish Ittyerah (7 September 2019). "Maadathy was a real testing ground: Leena Manimekalai". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- "Streaming date of Leena Manimekalai's Maadathy out". Cinema Express.
- S, Srivatsan (24 June 2021). "'Maadathy — An Unfairy Tale' movie review: The ghost of Yosana and the duality of being a woman" – via www.thehindu.com.
- "'Maadathy: An Unfairy Tale': This Leena Manimekalai film shows an ugly caste reality". The News Minute. 11 November 2019.
- "'Maadathy: An Unfairy Tale' film review - A blazing, poignant tale of terror". The New Indian Express.