Thala (film)
Thala (transl. The Head) is a 2021 Indian independent children’s film written and directed by Khais Millen.[2] It was produced by Better Earth Entertainment in association with Mania Movie Magix International. The film stars Surabhi Lakshmi in the lead role.[3]
THALA | |
---|---|
Directed by | Khais Millen |
Written by | Khais Millen |
Produced by | Khais Millen
Roshan Mahamood Soji Khais Nihal Abdulkhader |
Starring |
|
Cinematography | Rajesh Rethnas |
Edited by | Sarath Geetha Lal |
Music by | Ankit Menon |
Production companies | Better Earth Entertainments
Mania Movie Magix International |
Distributed by | Mania Reels |
Running time | 110 Minutes |
Country | India |
Language | Malayalam[1] |
Thala premiered at DIFF-Newyork and was shown at the NIFF-New Delhi, SIFF Sweden, and Pan African Film Festival Nigeria. At the 52nd Kerala State Film Awards, the film won Best Child Artist (female).[4][5]
Premise
An abandoned human head (in Malayalam 'Thala' means 'head') is found by some slum kids.
Cast
The film is mostly a child actors production. Most of the cast is therefore composed of newcomers.[6] The producers claim it introduced 333 new faces to the cinema industry, all of them originating from local slums.
- Surabhi Lakshmi as Muthu
- Binoy Antony as Appu
- Shaalin Zoya as Manikutty
- Murugan Martin as Stalin
- Jinu Kuttikkatt as Kalaam
- Sreevidya Mullachery as Maala
- Sneha Anu as Mullu
- Akhil as Chakochi
- Arun Nayar as Ayyappan
- Roma S Lenin as Roma
- Roshan S Lenin as Roshan
- Aaromal Thirumurukan as Aaromal
- Harikrishnan Sanu as Ganesan
- Shah Muhammed as Sudheeran
Accolades
Year | Award/Festival | Category | Judging Status | Recipient | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | 52nd Kerala State Film Awards | Best Child Artist | Winner | Sneha Anu | [7][8] |
9th Noida International Film Festival | Best Film Editing | Winner | Sarath Geetha Lal | [9] | |
Boden International Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Winner | Khais Millen | [10] |
Music
Thala | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Soundtrack album by Ankit Menon | |||||
Released | 17 February 2021 | ||||
Recorded | 2021–2022 | ||||
Genre | Film soundtrack | ||||
Length | 11:57 | ||||
Language | Malayalam | ||||
Label | Muzik247 | ||||
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Singles from Thala | |||||
|
Songs
The songs were composed by Ankit Menon, produced and arranged by Ankit Menon.
Original version
Thala
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Poonkodiye" | Vinayak Sasikumar | Ankit Menon | Sid Sriram | 05:20 |
2. | "Thala Pokki Pidiyeda Mone" | Vinayak Sasikumar | Ankit Menon | Gana Bala | 04:10 |
3. | "Urunduveena" | Khais Millen | Ankit Menon | Ranjin Raj | 03:10 |
Impact
In an interview with the New Indian Express, inhabitants of the Rajaji Nagar colony explained, that the film had brought them two reasons to rejoice: "The first is, of course, the award which they believe would advance the teenager’s career. The second is the hope that the honour would help them collectively move further away from the infamous past of the colony, earlier known as Chenkalchoola."[11]
References
- "അതിജീവനത്തിന്റെ കഥ പറയുന്ന തല !!!". Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via Vellinakshatram.
- "രാജാജി നഗറിന് ഇത് സ്നേഹസമ്മാനം". 29 May 2022. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via Madhyamam.
- M, Athira (16 September 2021). "A good role is worth the wait". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- "52nd Kerala State Film Awards: Complete list of winners - Other categories". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- "രാജാജി നഗറിലെ സൂപ്പർ സ്റ്റാർ". Archived from the original on 21 August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via Deshabhimani.
- "Surabhi Lakshmi plays a slum dweller in 'Thala'". The Times of India. 16 May 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- "Teen From Kerala Bagged The Best Child Artist Honour". Hans India. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- "This young award winner makes her family proud". The Times of India. 29 May 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- "Best Editing". 9th NIFF. Archived from the original on 27 December 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- "Best Feature Film". Boden Film Festival. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- "Teen Kerala Film Awards winner helps colony move further away from infamous past". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.