''Nanjupuram'' is a 2011 Tamil
horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
directed by Charles, starring
Raaghav
Venkataraghavan Ranganathan, better known as Raaghav on screen, is an Indian actor and television personality in Tamil Nadu. Before his break into films, he appeared in season 1 of ''Jodi Number One''.
Career
He first appeared in supporting ...
and
Monica
Monica may refer to:
People
*Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress
*Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
in the lead roles, while
Thambi Ramaiah
Thambi Ramaiah is an Indian actor, director and comedian who works in the Tamil film industry. He has also worked occasionally as a lyricist. He directed three films, ''Manu Needhi'' (2000), '' Indiralohathil Na Azhagappan'' (2008) and '' Maniy ...
and
Aadukalam Naren
Narayanan (better known as Aadukalam Naren) is an Indian actor who has appeared in Tamil and few Telugu films, mainly in supporting roles. He made his début in 1997 film ''Raman Abdullah'' but he got noticed for his role in the 2011 film, ''Aa ...
play supporting roles. The film, which features music scored by Raaghav himself, was produced by his wife Preetha. The film was in production for over three years and was finally released on 1 April 2011 and got positive
Word of mouth
Word of mouth, or ''viva voce'', is the passing of information from person to person using oral communication, which could be as simple as telling someone the time of day. Storytelling is a common form of word-of-mouth communication where one pe ...
from B&C centers and became a
Sleeper hit
In the entertainment industry, a sleeper hit is a film, television series, music release, video game, or some other entertainment product that was initially unsuccessful on release but became a success later on. A sleeper hit may have little promo ...
.
Plot
Nanjupuram is a small village surrounded by hills full of poisonous snakes. The village has two big shots. One is the president of the village (
Thambi Ramaiah
Thambi Ramaiah is an Indian actor, director and comedian who works in the Tamil film industry. He has also worked occasionally as a lyricist. He directed three films, ''Manu Needhi'' (2000), '' Indiralohathil Na Azhagappan'' (2008) and '' Maniy ...
), and the other one is a good guy having a son named Velu (
Raaghav
Venkataraghavan Ranganathan, better known as Raaghav on screen, is an Indian actor and television personality in Tamil Nadu. Before his break into films, he appeared in season 1 of ''Jodi Number One''.
Career
He first appeared in supporting ...
). The president has an affair with Malar's (
Monica
Monica may refer to:
People
*Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress
*Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
) mother, and he often comes to Malar's house.
One day, while treating a snake-bitten girl from the village, the unafraid Velu takes her to the opposite side of the hill, across the snakes. Malar also accompanies him. After getting treatment, Malar and Velu fall in love with each other. One day, when Malar is taking a bath with her friends in the river, a snake comes to attack her. Just then, Velu arrives and stamps the snake. The snake is brutally injured in its neck. The snake then slithers off, leaving Velu's parents and others struck in fear, as hurt snakes would revenge the assaulter by killing them within 40 days of the attack. They build Velu a hut above 30 feet with dug land beneath it, but Velu often gets down and goes to the riverside during the night to meet Malar when the guards are asleep.
One day, Velu's father finds about this and asks the president to warn Malar. The president goes to her house and threatens Malar and her mother to see a bridegroom for Malar quickly. They arrange her marriage, but Malar is not happy with this. At the same time, Velu is threatened with the return of the same snake trying to kill him, so he does not go to meet Malar in the banks. One day when Malar's engagement is also over, she asks Velu's friend, a thief, to speak to him and ask him to come and meet her. The thief tells Velu that Malar is waiting for him and that the snake's return and all is just a fear. Velu strengthens his heart and goes for Malar when the thief distracts the guards and makes them chase him. Velu and Malar decide to go out of the village to get married.
Just then, the snake comes and chases them. At the time, the villagers find out their escape and search for them around the village. When the snake was about to kill Velu, the sun rises, marking the end of the 40th day; thus, the snake goes away. Unfortunately, the president and his henchmen find out Malar and try to kill her. Velu shields her but gets attacked and dies. After Velu's death, Malar bears his child and gives birth to it. The film closes with Velu's little son playing with snakes, just like his dead father.
Cast
*
Raaghav
Venkataraghavan Ranganathan, better known as Raaghav on screen, is an Indian actor and television personality in Tamil Nadu. Before his break into films, he appeared in season 1 of ''Jodi Number One''.
Career
He first appeared in supporting ...
as Velu
*
Monica
Monica may refer to:
People
*Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress
*Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
as Malar
*
Thambi Ramiah
Thambi Ramaiah is an Indian actor, director and comedian who works in the Tamil film industry. He has also worked occasionally as a lyricist. He directed three films, '' Manu Needhi'' (2000), '' Indiralohathil Na Azhagappan'' (2008) and '' Man ...
as Village President
*
Naren as Velu's father
*Priya
*
Anuya Bhagvath
Anuya Y Bhagwat is an Indian actress and model who has appeared in Tamil films. She is best known for her performances in Rajesh's ''Siva Manasula Sakthi'' (2009) and Shankar's ''Nanban'' (2012).
Film career
Anuya Y Bhagvath debuted in the ...
in a
special appearance In law, an appearance (from Latin ''apparere'', to appear) occurs when a party to a lawsuit physically appears in court, or to a formal act through which a defendant submits to the jurisdiction of the court in which the lawsuit is pending.
History ...
Soundtrack
Soundtrack was composed by Raghav.
*"The Warriors Rap" – Raaghav
*"Thelaga Kottudhamma" – Archith, Preetha. S
*"Oorula Unakkoru Medai" – Pushpavanam Kuppuswamy
*"Yaavarum" – Preetha. S
*"Anbe Unna" – JSK Sruthi, Kavitha
*"Yennatuma Vaanathula" – Raaghav
Critical reception
''Behindwoods'' wrote "What work against the movie are the rusty story and the plot. Having decided to put across a message with his movie, Charles had taken up a plot mired with logical loopholes." ''Indiaglitz'' wrote "Unfortunately, the script misses some novelty. Had Charles blended more of it and reduced cliches, `Nanjupuram' would have been different". ''Indian Express'' wrote "With a small budget, little-known actors and a debutant director at the helm, the film delivers much more than what one might expect."
References
{{Reflist
2011 films
2011 thriller drama films
2010s Tamil-language films
2011 drama films
Indian thriller drama films