Sethum Aayiram Pon
Sethum Ayiram Pon: Roots (transl. Thousands of gold after death) is a 2019 Tamil-language drama film directed by Anand Ravichandran in his directorial debut. The film stars Srilekha Rajendran, Nivedhithaa Sathish, and Avinash Raghudevan in the lead roles. The film was released through online streaming services.
| Sethum Aayiram Pon | |
|---|---|
 Release poster | |
| Directed by | Anand Ravichandran |
| Produced by |
|
| Written by | Anand Ravichandran |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Shamanth Nag |
| Cinematography | Manikantan Krishnamachary |
| Edited by | Prakash Karunanithi |
Production company | Wishberry Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Plot
The film revolves around the relationship between Krishnaveni (Srilekha Rajendran), an oppari singer, and her 23-year-old granddaughter, Meera a.k.a Kunjamma (Nivedhithaa Sathish), who is a make-up artiste, after a period of separation.
Cast
- Srilekha Rajendran as Krishnaveni
- Nivedhithaa Sathish as Meera (Kunjamma)
- Avinash Raghudevan as Kuberan, a make-up artiste for dead bodies
- Gabrella Sellus as Amudha, Meera's friend
- Mosakutty Rajendran as Bahubali
- Rathaakrishnan as Sangudevan
- Vichitran as Muthupandi
- Aishwarya as Rani
- Kousalya Devi as Usidha
- Dharma as Pechiyamma
- Vasantha Devi as Angamma
- Akash as Chembiyan
- Sanjay as Marudhu
- Kalimangalam Muniyammal as Muniyammal
- Pandiyamma as Pandiyamma
Production
The film is directed by Anand Ravichandran, a former software official. Ravichandran had previously directed the short film Kuberanum Irandu Gundargalum.[1] Television actress Srilekha Rajendran and Nivedhithaa Sathish, of Sillu Karupatti fame, play the lead roles. Ravichandran began research on oppari, an ancient way of mourning the dead. The film was shot in 17 days in Appanur near Paramakudi, and real oppari artists were used in the film.[1][2] Nivedhithaa Sathish revealed that she plays an angry woman who is still trying to figure out her life.[2]
Soundtrack
All songs were composed by Shamanth Nag.
| Song Title | Lyricist / Description | Artists |
|---|---|---|
| "Enkonji" | Traditional Tulu folk song | Sumana C., Shamanth Nag |
| "Hey Oppari Kezhavi" | Raghavan, Shamnath Nag | Anila Rajeev, Shamanth Nag |
| "Aridharam Poosaama" | Shamnath Nag | Anila Rajeev |
| "Panjaarathu Kili" | Nivedhithaa Sathish | |
| "Aridharam" | Cello and Violin Theme | Seenu, Shamnath Nag |
| "Jaari Jokar Iyya" | Ravi | Gomanthi |
| "Kodongi" | Traditional folk song | Dharma |
| "Arumbu Meesakaran" | Traditional folk song | Kalimangalam Muniyammal |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | New York Indian Film Festival | Best Screenplay | Anand Ravichandran for Sethum Ayiram Pon | Nominated | [1] |
Release
The film released on 1 April 2020 on Netflix.[2]
Reception
Haricharan Puddpeddi of the Hindustan Times gave the film a positive review and wrote that "Anand Ravichandran’s directorial debut does not have a single dull moment".[3] Shubhra Gupta of the Indian Express gave positive ratings with 3.5/5 and wrote that "Both Sathish and Rajendran work well together, and as they head towards an unexpected finish, we see what the director wants us to: blood will tell, and life, with all its pain and problems, is a celebration".[4]
References
- "'Sethum Aayiram Pon' to be screened at New York Indian Film Festival - Times of India". The Times of India.
- "Tamil film 'Sethum Aayiram Pon' out on Netflix". gulfnews.com.
- "Sethum Aayiram Pon review: A heartwarming tale of life, death and everything in between". Hindustan Times. April 1, 2020.
- "Sethum Aayiram Pon movie review: Life is a celebration". The Indian Express. 2020-04-03. Retrieved 2020-04-03.