Tamil cinema, in recent times, has shown a steady decline in the number of children’s films. Despite its rich heritage of this kinds of cinema, the industry has failed to come up with a consistent number of children-oriented films even when they have gone on to become successful at the box office. With just one or two films being made each year with such topics, what needs to be seen with the emergence of a new set of talented directors in the industry is if this trend continues and if the viewers are going to get classics like they did in the past. Here’s a look at some of these films.
KANNATHIL MUTTHAMITTAL
It’s rare to find another Tamil film director who can handle child actors as well as Mani Ratnam. We even saw traces of his genius while watching the box office disaster Kadal with the mature performance of the young actor. With 'Kannathil Muthamittal', he touched upon the rarely discussed topic of adoption and its effects on children. The role Amudha, essayed to perfection by Keerthana Parthepan, remained etched in our memories and we too feel the pain when she discovers that she’s adopted and during her search for the woman who gave birth to her. When having to choose between her biological mother and the mother who raised her, the viewer too is drawn into her plight, forced to choose with her.
PASANGA
A microcosm of the Indian society is 'Pasanga'. This national award winning film put Tamil cinema back on film festival charts and it was successful commercially as well. From competition between students to matters of the heart, the lovable antics of Jeeva, Pakkoda and Kuttimani offered the audience some opportunity to laugh without forgetting to think in the process.
ANJALI
Another masterstroke from Mani Ratnam is 'Anjali'. Here, Baby Shamili plays Anjali, a terminally ill girl, who is first rejected by her own siblings only to become the apple of their eye later. The innocent and lovable actress single-handedly captured the hearts of the audience and people still refer to this film when they discuss child care and sensitivity.
THANGA MEENGAL
The most recent film to have come close to above films is 'Thanga Meengal'. Despite being directed by and starring Ram, the film still belongs to the brilliant young actress Sadhana, who stole both the show and our hearts by playing the mischievous character of a girl who dislikes school. The critically-acclaimed film also has the unique distinction of being the only Tamil film to be screened at Indian panorama in International Film Festival of India.
